ED's New Earnings Accountability Framework: What You Need to Know

On July 1, 2026, the Department of Education released its final rule, “Accountability in Higher Education and Access Through Demand-Driven Workforce Pell: Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS) and Earnings Accountability.” The final rule implements the “Do No Harm” provisions contained in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 by creating a new earnings accountability framework, which largely tracks the consensus reached by the AHEAD negotiated rulemaking committee earlier this spring. The implementation and effects of this rule will likely have significant impacts on many higher education institutions across the country.

Join us for a 45-minute audio-only briefing with NACUA member-expert Aaron Lacey as he provides an overview of this new framework and what it means for your campus, including: how the earnings premium metric is calculated and consequences for programs that fail the metric; the “50/50” test and its implications for institutional Title IV eligibility; the timetable for implementation; and key considerations for campus counsel and leaders as they begin to implement the rule on their campuses.

Questions?

• NACUA Briefing recordings are for members only (log in required).
• Please contact us at [email protected] with any questions.