State Policy
The Iowa Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) Task Force has released its final report, outlining 45 recommendations aimed at streamlining state and local government operations, improving efficiency through technology, and aligning public investments with measurable outcomes. Key highlights include a review of public-employee benefits and retirement options (while affirming that Iowa Public Employees’ Retirement System (IPERS) will remain intact), proposals for merit-based compensation and outcome-based funding in K–12 education, expanded use of AI and shared services in government operations, and a strong emphasis on workforce training and development. The workforce-training strategy calls for sunsetting the incredibly successful Iowa Industrial New Jobs Training Program (260E) in favor of a new $30 million employer-directed training fund within Iowa Workforce Development, a $15 million workforce-infrastructure fund, and consolidation of multiple tuition-aid programs into a $20 million scholarship fund for high-demand careers. Governor Kim Reynolds has stated she will review the report in detail and work with her cabinet and legislators to explore how the recommendations could become legislation in the 2026 session.
We have prepared a new Legislative Priorities handout to guide our advocacy efforts and ensure our policy positions are aligned with these recommendations, especially those affecting workforce development, community-college partnerships, and training-program reform. We are currently discussing the DOGE workforce‐training proposals and related priorities with lawmakers to ensure our voice is heard in any legislative drafting or agency rulemaking.
Federal Policy
The full federal government shutdown has now reached day 29, with no deal in sight. Despite several failed Senate votes on short-term funding extensions, negotiations between Democrats, Republicans, and the White House remain at an impasse. If the shutdown extends through November 1, it will become the longest in U.S. history.
While federal financial aid operations remain functional, millions who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits could lose access beginning November 1. This development could significantly impact community college students who rely on SNAP for food security. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is closely monitoring the situation and encouraging institutions to report local impacts to the AACC Office of Government Relations.
Meanwhile, AACC has submitted comments on several federal initiatives. In response to the Department of Education’s proposed “Expanding Career Pathways and Workforce Readiness” grant priority, AACC applauded the focus on early workforce awareness, data alignment, and apprenticeship expansion while urging targeted application to programs such as Perkins CTE and Adult Basic Education. AACC also provided feedback on proposed changes to the E-App (Application for Approval to Participate in Federal Student Aid Programs), supporting steps to reduce administrative burden, allow automatic acceptance of minor updates, and streamline Title IV participation processes.
Finally, registration is now open for the 2026 National Legislative Summit (NLS) in Washington, D.C. (February 8–11), where community college leaders will meet with members of Congress and administration officials to advocate for critical programs such as CCAMPIS and SIP.