Education groups sue for access to nearly $2B in research funds

A lawsuit alleges the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Management and Budget are withholding the funds unlawfully.

By Kara Arundel • July 2, 2026

‘Professional degree’ list is expanded. But education still didn’t make the cut.

The designation comes with an increased federal student loan cap of $200,000 for graduate programs.

By Anna Merod • July 2, 2026

Another round of Education Department regulations is coming, official says

Under Secretary Nicholas Kent said Tuesday that the agency needs to make the process for college mergers, acquisitions and even closures “a lot easier.”

By Natalie Schwartz • June 30, 2026

Land-grant universities eligible for USDA, Ed Dept funds to improve agricultural research facilities

The two federal agencies are offering eligible institutions up to $30 million for property improvements — but the money requires a one-to-one match.

By Robert Freedman • June 29, 2026

Johns Hopkins lays off 110 employees in the wake of federal research cuts

"As our federal research portfolio shrinks, the infrastructure around it must change in parallel,” a spokesperson for the private university said.

By Ben Unglesbee • June 26, 2026

Democrats move to impeach McMahon for Education Department dismantling

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici filed impeachment articles accusing the secretary of illegally transferring the department’s duties to other federal agencies.

By Natalie Schwartz • June 25, 2026

Court pauses Education Department regulations limiting ‘professional’ degrees

The agency released widely contested regulations this spring to block access to higher borrowing limits for many graduate students.

By Ben Unglesbee • June 25, 2026

Kansas joins DOJ in effort to end in-state tuition for undocumented students

The proposed agreement came hours after the U.S. Department of Justice sued the state over its decades-old law.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 24, 2026

Some Education Department cuts ‘appear’ to impact legal duties, OIG says

The independent office says a 40% staff reduction in early 2025 affected the Education Department's legal duties. The agency says it remains compliant.

By Kara Arundel • June 24, 2026

George Mason president’s contract extended after Trump administration spat

The public university praised Gregory Washington, who came under fire last year from the federal government over his support for diversity initiatives.

By Ben Unglesbee • June 23, 2026

A new site tracks foreign gifts to colleges. Is it misleading?

The Trump administration launched a public dashboard to track Section 117 reporting, but policy experts worry it lacks necessary context.

By Danielle McLean • Updated June 24, 2026

Here’s the latest on the Education Department’s interagency agreements

The agency now has 14 partnerships it says reduce federal bureaucracy. But critics argue they add confusion as federal oversight is splintered.

By Kara Arundel • June 18, 2026

Education Department to move core civil rights duties to DOJ

Under the Trump administration, the department has now struck 14 agreements offloading its responsibilities to other federal agencies.

By Natalie Schwartz • Updated June 16, 2026

20 attorneys general sue Trump administration over federal contractor DEI order

The plaintiffs argue the president’s March executive order impedes each state’s efforts and is unclear in what it prohibits. 

By Caroline Colvin • June 15, 2026

Bill to mandate FAFSA anti-fraud system passes House

The No Aid for Ghost Students Act would largely codify a system for screening applicants that the U.S. Department of Education launched earlier this year. 

By Natalie Schwartz • June 12, 2026

Trump administration appeals ruling against $100K H-1B visa fee

The fee has caused concern among higher education experts that it would hamper colleges’ ability to recruit foreign scholars and instructors. 

By Natalie Schwartz • June 11, 2026

House appropriators move to label graduate nursing as professional degree

The House Appropriations Committee advanced a bill that would enable students in those programs to access higher federal borrowing limits. 

By Natalie Schwartz • June 10, 2026

DOJ opens investigation into CUNY student success program

The probe is one of dozens of civil rights investigations the federal agency has publicized over the last week.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 10, 2026

DOJ accuses UC Davis medical school of illegally using race in admissions

The agency took aim at the Davis Scale, a metric tracking socioeconomic advantage that has helped the institution maintain diversity in its student body.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 10, 2026

Coalition asks judge to halt Trump’s anti-DEI contractor order

The group, led by the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, filed a lawsuit over the executive order in April.

By Emilie Shumway • June 10, 2026

Trump’s $100K fee for H-1B visas struck down

A federal judge ruled that the fee amounted to an unlawful tax on the visa program for highly skilled workers. 

By Natalie Schwartz • June 8, 2026

The state of international enrollment in 6 charts

We're examining major trends impacting foreign enrollment, including early data on the Trump administration's tighter visa policies.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 8, 2026

Nebraska law offering in-state tuition to undocumented students struck down

The federal judge’s ruling marks the fourth time a U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit has ended such policies under the Trump administration.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 4, 2026

DOJ opens 15 civil rights probes into medical school admissions

The agency last month accused two highly selective medical schools of unlawfully giving Black and Hispanic applicants an advantage.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 4, 2026

University of Alabama nabs court win in lawsuit over student magazines

A federal judge rejected the plaintiffs’ request to reinstate the shuttered publications while the legal battle over their closure continues.

By Laura Spitalniak • June 3, 2026