Mike Zimmer Wins Special State Election in Eastern Iowa
In what most political observers would call an upset, Democrat Mike Zimmer of DeWitt defeated Republican Kate Whittington of Clinton to fill the vacancy in Senate District 35. There was an election due to Chris Cournoyer, who previously held the seat, being selected to serve as Lieutenant Governor.
Update on Executive Orders
Since President Trump's inauguration, the administration has issued numerous executive orders affecting various sectors, including community colleges. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is actively analyzing these directives to understand their implications for community colleges and their students. President Donald Trump is reportedly preparing an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, aiming to transfer educational authority back to the states. The proposed order would direct the Education Secretary to develop a plan for the department's closure and urge Congress to pass legislation to eliminate it. However, such a move faces significant challenges, as the department's funding and many of its programs are mandated by federal law, requiring congressional approval for any substantial changes. Critics express concern that abolishing the department could disrupt federal funding for schools and students, particularly affecting programs like Title I for low-income schools and federal student loans. This initiative aligns with Trump's broader agenda to reduce federal involvement in education and promote state and local control. The feasibility of this plan remains uncertain, given the legal and political hurdles involved.
Governor Reynolds Releases Public Schedule
Today at 3:20pm, Governor Reynolds will be attending Iowa Central Community College's Biofuels Lab ribbon cutting. This will take place at Iowa Central's Fuel Testing Lab, located at 1310 A Street W. in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
The 2025 National Legislative Summit App is Ready!
With the ACCT app, you will be able to create your own customized daily schedules; navigate the event and the city with built-in maps; share your photos from the event via the social media wall; follow the event live through the social media plugins; and connect with other event participants.
Other Federal Updates
The Department of Education published the 2026-2027 Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in the Federal Register, the first step in the FAFSA form development. Currently, the Department has said that the FAFSA form is scheduled to launch on October 1, 2025, as is now mandated by the law the FAFSA Deadline Act. As of January 31st, the Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights has reverted to enforcing the 2020 Title IX Rule, which narrowed the definition of sexual harassment and altered how schools respond to sexual misconduct, namely victims of sexual harassment and assault will have to face those they are accusing in a live hearing. Moreover, this rule undoes the 2024 Biden Title IX Rule which offered protections to LGBTQUIA students on the basis of gender identity, sexual orientation, and sex characteristics. Now that the Financial Value Transparency (FVT) and Gainful Employment (GE) Completers Lists have been submitted, the next step is to send the data to a different Federal agency to calculate median earnings information. Meanwhile, the Department of Education has reopened the reporting process for debt and debt reporting until February 18, 2025. February 12th is the closing date for the Institutes for Higher Education Faculty and K-12 Educators grant.