Indy Standard

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requesting a delay in the institutional reporting deadline for the new Gainful Employment (GE) and Financial Value Transparency (FVT) regulations to July 2025.

The request comes as ED faces significant challenges in rolling out the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which have temporarily increased demands on higher education institutions. Ensuring that schools can properly meet the GE and FVT rules’ reporting requirements will help prospective students and their families receive accurate information about the costs and risks associated with specific programs.

“On March 29, 2024, the Department announced a two-month extension of the reporting deadline to October 1, 2024,” the senators wrote. “Although this delay was welcomed by stakeholders in the higher education community, it still does not provide institutions – particularly financial aid offices – with sufficient time to comply with an entirely new reporting framework while also working to process financial aid that is critical to ensuring students have the resources they need to enroll in the fall semester.”

“While schools are making every effort to adhere to the reporting deadline while also processing financial aid for the fall semester, they have been left with very minimal time. Institutions take any reporting obligation seriously, and work to submit accurate data to the Department when a reporting requirement is in effect, especially a new one that will be used to inform publicly-available consumer information. While the new GE/FVT requirements are no exception, it is going to be very difficult, if not impossible, for schools to submit high-quality data by the October 1 deadline given the tight timeline and additional issues financial aid offices are facing. What’s more, schools can only report accurately if their student information systems (SIS) providers, who have also been impacted by reacting to the 2024-25 FAFSA issues, are prepared with functionality needed to generate required reports. Some SIS providers are not yet ready for GE/FVT reporting or won’t be ready until very close to the October 1 deadline, adding another hurdle for institutions,” continued.

In addition to Senator Young, Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), Shelly Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Mark R. Warner(D-Va.) and Chris Van Hollen(D-Md.) also signed.

Full text of their letter reads:

Dear Secretary Cardona,

In light of continued issues with rolling out of FAFSA we write you requesting ED delay institutional reporting deadline for GE/FVT regulations till July 2025.

On March 29th ED announced two-month extension till October but stakeholders said insufficient time comply framework while processing aid crucial ensuring resources enroll fall semester.

Since extension FAFSA rollout faced significant challenges impacting students postsecondary institutions typically receiving ISIRs including applicant info necessary begin providing offers shortly after available October but year didn’t begin receiving till first half March backlog final ISIRs cleared same day announcing two-month delay additionally once began flow number formula errors identified requiring reprocessing millions records between April June further delaying offices working provide offers ability make corrections pillar application cycle presented additional challenges manual corrections launched early July rather than same time became available previous years most recently announced batch corrections functionality rely submit quickly efficiently won’t available all cycle based earlier announcements expected early August already ten months behind schedule without functionality administrators manually submit each individual student time-consuming process adds workload during compressed timeframe unfortunately delays errors resulted situation many still waiting clarity surrounding aid fall semester day across country fault own resolving outstanding assembling packages disbursing ensure don’t experience enrollment disruptions during devote every resource processing assisting preparing upcoming rather implementing entirely new framework beyond need practical constraints challenging complete high-quality estimates take four hundred hours report finalized publish complete user guide help prepare July completers lists use test implement process early August despite previously stating mid-late less than two months received everything needed test complete process while making every effort adhere left minimal take seriously work submit accurate requirement effect especially exception difficult impossible high-quality tight timeline additional facing accurately SIS providers impacted reacting issues prepared functionality generate required some yet ready won’t close adding another hurdle final rule fully implemented extending still give full year implement part expressed intent publish adhering come expense continuing impacted delays diverting resources otherwise supporting respectfully request should rush meet expense doing guide through difficult now ever remain focused helping apply receive access postsecondary education