RISE rules should be published in late May. Plus, the grace period for late audits has been extended from 30 to 60 days.
By Rick Cox
Federal Updates
- Beginning in April 2026, the Department of Education plans to host Friday webinars to allow institutions to ask questions related to new changes.
- Final rules for the RISE (Reimagining and Improving Student Education Committee) should be published in late May.
- Workforce Pell programs must be approved by the institution’s accreditor.
- Institutional Accountability NPRM was published on April 17, 2026.
School Eligibility Changes
- We should see Program Reviews ramping back up in fiscal year 2027.
- In fiscal year 2025, the Department of Education cleared about 50 percent of the outstanding backlog of Program Reviews.
- The grace period for late audits has been extended from 30 days to 60 days before the department takes any actions.
- Currently, the department does not have any backlog of HCM2 disbursement reviews.
- For the Program Participation Agreement, personal information is only required for the President of the institution, as well as one other person. This is for emergency contact purposes.
Rick Cox is Global’s Executive Director of Regulatory Affairs and Compliance.
April 23, 2026