NACAC Advocacy and Policy Updates for April 2, 2025

NACAC is actively monitoring executive orders that pertain to education, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and their potential impacts on the field of college admission counseling. NACAC also is advocating on behalf of its 28,000 members for its policy priorities.

Review previous advocacy and policy updates.

Jump ahead to:

NACAC supports the protection of international students (April 1, 2025)

Leading higher education organizations are concerned about recent government actions targeting international students and scholars, including visa revocations, detentions, and the termination of Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records without transparency. The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration warns that these actions undermine constitutional rights, due process, and academic freedom, creating an atmosphere of fear on campuses. Similarly, NAFSA: Association of International Educators highlights the long-term consequences, noting that uncertainty and hostility may drive international students to study elsewhere, weakening U.S. global competitiveness and economic strength. NACAC stands firmly in elevating these concerns. With a global membership that includes professionals focused on international student support, NACAC recognizes the invaluable contributions of international students to education and society. We join the call for transparency, fairness, and policies that reinforce the U.S. as a welcoming destination for global talent.

NACAC advocates for education through its coalition participation (March 28, 2025)

Through the Student Aid Alliance, NACAC and others urged Congress to protect and maintain funding for federal student aid programs in fiscal year 2026. On behalf of the Title IV-A coalition, NACAC strongly condemned President Trump’s executive order directing the closure of the Education Department. Additionally, through the Committee for Education Funding, NACAC and others urged Education Secretary Linda McMahon to oppose the president’s executive order to close the Education Department and significantly reduce its staff.

Multiple lawsuits filed against Trump’s move to abolish Education Department (March 25, 2025)

The National Education Association, NAACP, American Federation of Teachers, and American Association of University Professors have sued the Trump administration to block its efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuits, filed in federal courts in Maryland and Massachusetts, argue that Trump’s executive order directing the department’s closure and shifting key education functions to other agencies violates federal law. The legal challenges come amid mass layoffs and deep funding cuts, with critics warning that the move will devastate student support services, special education, and civil rights protections. The administration states congressional action is required for full closure, but opponents call it a de facto dismantling of the department.

Protect disabled students, keep the Department of Education open (March 24, 2025)

NACAC is committed to ensuring that postsecondary education remains accessible to all students and that college admission counseling professionals are well supported in their efforts. The U.S. Department of Education has historically played a vital role in reducing disparities between states and districts, protecting students’ rights, and expanding access to higher education. However, Trump’s executive order, which aims to dismantle the department, threatens the supports and services necessary for all students to thrive in school, their communities, and their future careers. While laws like IDEA and Section 504 remain intact, severe staff cuts, particularly in the Office for Civil Rights, undermine the enforcement of these protections and put disabled students at risk. The American Association of People with Disabilities provides an opportunity to take action to safeguard the department’s role in ensuring educational equity.

Title IV-A coalition condemns abandoning federal role in education (March 24, 2025)

As a member of the Title IV-A Coalition, NACAC advocates for full funding and successful implementation of the Student Support and Academic Enrichment grants under Title IV-A of the Every Student Succeeds Act. The coalition condemns the Trump administration’s attempts to close the Department of Education and urges the administration to uphold the department’s responsibilities to ensure uninterrupted funding for schools and students. Read more.

Trump signs executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education (March 20, 2025)

NACAC is adamantly opposed to the dismantling of the Department of Education. According to recent surveys, most Americans do not support the elimination of the Department of Education, either. The department plays a critical role in supporting states, students, and families. Given the complexity of America’s educational landscape, including the interstate nature of postsecondary education and the enforcement of federal civil rights laws and laws protecting students with disabilities, a centralized federal agency is essential. The need led to the establishment of the department as a cabinet-level agency. To fulfill NACAC’s vision of making postsecondary education accessible to all who seek it, we must strengthen, not weaken, our national support for education. Contact your representatives to tell them “Do not abandon our national commitment to education.”