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DEC's Policy & Advocacy News Hub

  • Jun 27
  • 8 min read

Updated: 4 days ago

Your comprehensive source for the latest DEC policy news, federal updates, action alerts, and advocacy resources.

July 29th, 2026 | The August Recess is Quickly Approaching

Members of Congress will be leaving Washington, DC for the August Recess soon which presents an opportunity for constituents to connect with Senators and Representatives during the weeks that they will be at home. This is a great time to connect with your policy makers!


Resources to Support Your Advocacy:

DEC's How to Advocate in Your State Resource provides advocacy with an intro for advocacy activities and outlets to take advantage of during the August Recess and Congressional visits home throughout the year.

CEC's and CASE's Special Education Legislative Summit Policy Issue Briefs (2026) provide the tools, information, and resources necessary to understand how the following policies and initiatives impact states.

NAEYC'S August R.E.C.E.S.S. toolkit offers simple, practical ways to engage: from reaching out and inviting policymakers into programs, to sharing stories, elevating community voices, and supporting one another in taking action. Members of Congress will be leaving Washington, DC for the August Recess soon which presents an opportunity for constituents to connect with Senators and Representatives during the weeks that they will be at home. This is a great time to connect with your policy makers!


July 27th, 2026 | Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee Markup Scheduled

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee has scheduled a mark-up Thursday, July 30th, 2026, at 9:45 AM Eastern Time to consider new bills, including several related to the Interagency Agreements (IAs) between the Department of Education (ED) and other federal agencies to move some programs out of ED.


Of the 10 bills on the agenda, two are related to the  Interagency Agreements (IAs):

  • S 5046 – Introduced by Senator Kaine (VA), for himself, Senator Collins (ME) and Senator Murkowski (AK)- Prohibits Secretary of Education from entering into or continuing to implement agreements relating to Offices for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Postsecondary; Elementary and Secondary; and Indian Education.

  • S 5038 – “Special Education Administration Protection Act” – Introduced by Chairman Cassidy (LA) - Prohibits Department of Education from transferring, outsourcing, or otherwise assigning functions of OSERS to the Department of Health and Human Services.


Any of these bills passed by the HELP Committee will be referred for consideration by the full Senate. There are no parallel bills in the House at this point. Read more and access the live link here.

July 26th, 2026 | The K-12 Community Urges the Trump Administration to Rethink Grant Rule Changes

DEC joins over 500,000 others who are concerned about this rule change. The community has asked the Trump administration to reconsider this rule that impacts how grants from the federal government are managed and awarded. Learn more here.

July 17th, 2026 | Federal Appeals Court Upholds Borrower Defense Relief Deadlines

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit court ruled that the U.S. Department of Education must continue implementing a court-approved settlement that provides student loan relief for eligible borrowers who filed claims through the federal Borrower Defense to Repayment program. The Department had asked the court to delay the settlement deadlines while it appealed, but the court denied that request. The decision means that borrowers covered by the settlement will continue receiving relief under the existing timeline and reinforces the Department's obligation to comply with court-approved agreements. Read the full appeals decision here.

July 14th, 2026 | Senators Introduce Child Care Fraud Prevention Legislation

On July 14th, 2026, Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) introduced the Strengthening Transparency and Oversight to Prevent (STOP) Child Care Fraud Act, legislation that would establish additional federal oversight and accountability measures for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. The bill includes provisions related to provider eligibility, payment oversight, state reporting requirements, fraud prevention, and recovery of improperly used federal funds. The legislation expands on a discussion draft released earlier this year and follows House consideration of related child care fraud legislation in June. As the bill moves through the legislative process, stakeholders are expected to monitor its potential impact on child care providers, state agencies, and families' access to child care assistance. Read the bill announcement and legislative text here.


CALL TO ACTION: Tell Members of the Senate to Protect Stable Child Care Funding

from NAEYC, a DEC Partner Organization

The Senate is considering legislation that would make it harder for states to use payment practices that help keep child care programs financially stable and harm programs and families who rely on child care subsidies to access the care that they need to work or go to school. Learn more and take action today.


Why the Alleged Fraud Narrative is Detrimental to Child Care Programs, Educators, and Families

New statement from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a. DEC Partner Organization, on the alleged fraud narrative and how actions at the federal level have threatened child care funding and may create new challenges for families and providers. Read the full post here.

July 9th, 2026 | Education and Workforce Committee Introduces "Less Bureaucracy, Better Education" Legislative Package

Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) announced the introduction of 10 bills to begin codifying the administration's plan to ensure "federal responsibilities are carried out by agencies best positioned to administer them".


The package includes:


July 8th, 2026 | HHS Rescinds Funding Freeze

Following a federal court ruling, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), rescinded a previously announced $10 billion funding freeze affecting the states of California, Illinois, Colorado, New York and Minnesota. In letters sent to the states on July 8, 2026, ACF noted that it is not freezing or otherwise restricting access or draw down any funds under the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), or Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) programs. Federal oversight of grant funding remains an ongoing priority. Read the full letters here.

June 29th, 2026 | Department of Education Issues Final Higher Education Accountability Rule

The U.S. Department of Education issued a final rule establishing a new accountability framework for postsecondary education programs. Beginning in 2027, undergraduate programs receiving federal student aid will be evaluated based on whether graduates typically earn more than individuals with only a high school diploma, while graduate programs will be compared to individuals with a bachelor's degree. Programs that repeatedly fail to meet these earnings benchmarks may lose eligibility for the federal Direct Loan program, and, in some cases, Title IV federal student aid. 

The rule applies broadly across higher education sectors and aligns new accountability requirements with the Department's existing Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment regulations. Because the rule applies to educator preparation programs alongside other postsecondary programs, it may have implications for early childhood educator preparation and workforce pipelines. DEC, in coalition with our partner organizations from across the country, will continue to advocate for equitable funding for higher education programs and fair compensation for professionals in early childhood.  Read the full press release from the U.S. Department of Education here.

June 29th, 2026 | A Message from Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Rogers

Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Rogers has posted a direct-to-camera message related to the agreement moving Special Education and Rehabilitation Services from Education to HHS. In the message, she affirms that the individuals' rights under IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act remain fully protected. She noted that IDEA funding will continue to flow to states and districts, and that OSERS will continue to monitor and enforce these protections while leveraging the partnership to strengthen support for families. Watch the full message here.

June 18th, 2026 | DEC Joins Broad Coalition of Disability, Civil Rights, and Education Organizations Denouncing ED’s Latest Transfers of Core Functions

The undersigned disability, civil rights, and education organizations strongly oppose the Administration’s efforts to transfer the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) from the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice (DOJ) through Interagency Agreements (IAAs). These agreements undermine the core foundation of federal disability, education, and civil rights policy and implementation. Read the full statement here.

June 16th, 2026 | New Stakeholder Letter from the Department of Education: OSERS and OCR

On June 16th, 2026, the Department of Education released a new Stakeholder Letter regarding the restructuring of the Department. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will be partnering with the Department of Health and Humans Services (HHS) to support the administration of programs for infants, toddlers, children, students, and individuals with disabilities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) will be the partner for the Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).


Stakeholder Letter and Related Materials


Resources and Action Alert from DEC and CEC

June 11th, 2026 | DEC Submits Comments on Proposed Head Start Performance Standards

On June 11th, DEC submitted comments to the Office of Head Start opposing proposed revisions to the Head Start Program Performance Standards (Restoring Flexibility to Support Head Start Program Access - RIN 0970-AD21). DEC emphasized the importance of protecting high-quality, inclusive services for young children with disabilities and their families while ensuring adequate funding and compensation for the Head Start workforce. Read DEC's full comments here.

June 2nd, 2026 | DEC Joins Advocacy for Funding of Caregiver and Family Support Services

DEC joined more than 90 organizations across the United States in advocating for increased funding for the Older Americans Act Title III-E, National Family Caregiver Support Program (NFSCP) and Older Americans Act Title VI-C, Native American Caregiver Support Services in the FY 2027 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill. Read the full letter here.

June 1st, 2026 | Uninsured Rate for Young Children Increased Between 2022 and 2024 - Report

A new report from the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families highlights a concerning trend: the uninsured rate for young children increased more sharply than for older children between 2022 and 2024. Read the full report to learn more about the data and policy implications for infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children.

May 28th, 2026 | RATTLED – Babies, Families and a Year of Growing Strain - Report

ZERO TO THREE's new RATTLED report provides a national snapshot of the experiences of families with infants and toddlers, highlighting the growing economic pressures, emotional stress, and uncertainty many families face. The findings offer valuable data and family perspectives to inform advocacy efforts on behalf of young children and their families. Read the report here.






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