The Office of the Undersecretary of the Department of Education sent a letter to stakeholders in higher education this weekend stating that although the recent reduction in force (RIF) aligned with President Trump’s commitment to return education control to states, core functions related to Federal Student Aid (FSA) and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) will not be impacted.
The Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) and the Office of Higher Education Programs (HEP) and other specific programs were also not impacted by the RIF, according to the letter. OPE and HEP divisions oversee funding for tribal colleges and universities, and the letter states funds will flow normally to grantees.
The letter also asserts management roles across the Department of Education were streamlined to reduce duplicative functions with the goal of eliminating bureaucratic excesses and to provide more opportunities for state and local entities.
Read the letter here.
The National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) noted in its news digest that it is concerned about the ability of the U.S. Department of Education to fulfill its promise of delivering on all statutory programs, including student loans and Pell Grants, due to the magnitude of staffing cuts at the Department of Education. NCAN’s mission is to support members and influence leaders, organizations, policies, and systems across the country to increase equity and excellence in postsecondary degree access and attainment, while working to achieve its vision of ensuring that all students—especially first-generation students, students from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds, and those from low-income backgrounds—have an equitable opportunity to achieve social and economic mobility through higher education.
At the American Indian College Fund we are monitoring the evolving situation at the Department of Education and the potential impacts staffing cuts and other mandates may have on Native scholars, in particular, the purported coming of a Presidential Executive Order on Thursday to eliminate the Department of Education.
