Federal Updates
Last week it was expected that President Trump would sign an executive order directing the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to, within the extent of the law, facilitate the closure of the Department of Education. Last Friday, President Trump signed the executive offer titled “Restoring Public Service Loan Forgiveness.” Meanwhile, this is nearly a week after the Trump administration removed from its websites online applications for income-driven repayment (IDR) plans and the option for online loan consolidation. As always ACCT is tracking these updates. The Department of Labor has issued five rounds of the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants.
Republicans and Democrats are at Odds on How to Avert a Shutdown – Deadline Today!
There is still discussion on how to fund the government. House Republicans released a continuing resolution (CR) which is to fund the government until September using FY2024 levels. Moreover, this version of the CR proposes cuts in non-defense funding by $13 billion which includes a $202 million cut to the Fund for Improvement in Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), which are Congressionally funded community projects, formerly known as earmarks, administered by the Department of Education. In addition, this CR proposes to end $107 million in funding for the Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration’s Demonstration and Pilot projects, while also rescinding $75 million of $301 million for Dislocated Workers assistance. ACCT is extremely concerned about the devastating impact the proposed slashed could have on our institutions’ most vulnerable students.
The House Education and Workforce Committee Held a WIOA Hearing – Reauthorization
The subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing discussing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The proposed A Stronger Workforce for America Act (H.R. 6655) aims to update WIOA, including provisions to codify the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program, which has benefited institutions like Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana. Key aspects of the bill include allocating half of adult and dislocated worker funding toward upskilling initiatives and permitting states to establish "critical industry skills funds" to reimburse employers and intermediaries for workforce development in priority sectors. Witnesses at the hearing emphasized the importance of community colleges in addressing local workforce needs and highlighted the necessity of enhancing data collection to align training programs with employment opportunities.
Videos from NLS
Nearly a month ago the Association of Community College Trustees in collaboration with the American Association of Community Colleges hosted the National Legislative Summit where community college leaders and stakeholders had the opportunity to visit DC and meet with members of Congress and their staff.
LAW Live Webinar – March 14, 2025 12:00PM
Join the ACCT government relations team for a monthly update on what is happening in Washington, DC, that is of relevant community colleges. During this one-hour webinar, attendees will learn about the latest developments coming out of the White House and its agencies, Congress, and the federal courts. They will unpack updates in the Federal government and how they may impact community colleges, higher education, and workforce development.
Lawmakers Remember The 'Father' Of Iowa's Community Colleges Jack Kibbie, Who Died Tuesday
John "Jack" P. Kibbie, born on July 14, 1929, in Emmetsburg, Iowa, passed away on March 4, 2025 (95). A Mass of Christian Burial was held on March 13, 2025, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Emmetsburg, with interment at Calvary Cemetery in Ayrshire, Iowa. Jack Kibbie, a longtime Iowa legislator and farmer, was instrumental in establishing Iowa's community college system through the 1965 legislation he championed. Dubbed the "father" of Iowa's community colleges, he authored the 1965 bill establishing the state's community college system. Kibbie served in both the Iowa House (1961-1964) and Senate (1964-1968, 1988-2012), and was a U.S. Army tank commander during the Korean War, earning a Bronze Star
Open Records Law Update – Applications for Appointment to Elected Positions
The Iowa Supreme Court issued an opinion in Diercks et al. v. Scott County et al. on February 14, 2025, which affects the confidential treatment of certain voluntary external communications made to the government. Iowa Code section 22.7 authorizes government bodies to keep various types of records confidential from open records requests. In Diercks, a midterm vacancy occurred on the Scott County Board of Supervisors in 2022, and Scott County formed a committee to fill the seat through an appointment process. After appointing a new supervisor to fill the vacancy, Scott County received open records requests seeking the identity of all the applicants. The Supreme Court concluded that Scott County could not have reasonably believed applicants for this vacant Board seat would have been discouraged from submitting their applications by the possibility of disclosure of their materials to the public for examination. In its reasoning, the Supreme Court relied on the following facts:
- There was a lack of a promise for confidentiality to applicants at the outset—before any applied.
- Despite no promise of confidentiality, Scott County still received 27 applications for the position.
- When applicants were subsequently asked, fewer than half of those applying requested confidentiality.
- These particular applicants were seeking an appointment to an elected public office.
- There was no indication in the record or the law that the appointment process was intended to be less open to the public than an election process.
As a result of the Diercks opinion, local governments undertaking an application process and considering confidentiality of applicants’ materials under Section 22.7(18) should contemplate the reasonableness of their belief that a lack of confidentiality would discourage applicants altogether. Local governments are encouraged to seek legal advice before responding to a request for records related to applications for appointment to fill vacancies in elected positions.