We’re hiring! TICAS is looking for someone to lead our federal efforts and build a broad coalition of support for our policy agenda. This is a remote role, with a preference for candidates in the DC area: buff.ly/NzLqOhp

The student loan system is stuck. So are the people in it. If that’s you, we want to hear your story. buff.ly/eR03CVL

TICAS' Michele Zampini spoke to @newsweek.com about the payment surge borrowers will see as a result of the Reconciliation Law. "As living costs continue to rise & families struggle to keep up, making payments less affordable undermines the primary goal of income-based plans." buff.ly/sRfEbYx

1/2 We joined 250+ signers urging the Department of Education to withdraw its proposed rule making unlawful changes to #PSLF. The rule claims the Secretary of Education should have the authority to pick and choose which employers qualify for PSLF.

Join our team! TICAS is seeking someone to advance our work in federal external affairs. This position is remote, with a Preference for candidates in the DC area. Learn more here: ticas.org/careers/dire...

Higher education opens doors. Bad policy slams them shut. Tell your story to change how the next class of students are treated: buff.ly/eR03CVL

HSIs drive access + socioeconomic mobility with fewer resources. Supporting them strengthens America's "competitiveness, democracy, and shared prosperity." Pulling back isn’t neutral—it’s damaging. Excelencia in Education explains why ⬇️ buff.ly/J22tEvC

We joined 88 signers urging #Congress to protect the #PellGrant in FY26 and to offset the impact of inflation with an increase to the maximum award of at least $200. Students deserve a #PellGrant that keeps up with rising costs. buff.ly/1GEECqx

September is #NationalStudentParentMonth, & #CCAMPIS is under threat, a program that provides thousands of low-income parenting students with the support they need to succeed. We urge Congress to strengthen educational opportunities & reject the proposed funding cuts. Learn more: buff.ly/UxR3JRV

Meet our Communications Team! From amplifying the experiences of students to elevating TICAS’s research and policy, our Communications Team ensures that our mission reaches a diverse audience. Learn more about our 20th here: buff.ly/famNS34

1/2 We call on #Congress and the Administration to protect this critical funding that keeps college within reach for all students and provides them with the resources to succeed.

Introducing our Operations Team! They have built the foundation that allows TICAS to advocate effectively, ensuring every team has the tools and systems needed to carry out our mission. Learn more about our 20th Anniversary here: buff.ly/famNS34

Congress needs to invest in #HigherEd, not cut funding. We urge the House to meet the Senate’s proposed funding bill and ensure all students, no matter their background, can experience the benefits of a college degree. buff.ly/QaactSH

We want to shift the conversation around #HigherEd & ground it in the lived experiences of students & borrowers. Our new project, Class Dismissed, will collect first-person stories to shape policy, press, & communications in the months ahead. Share your story: buff.ly/ExtMwkb

Rooted in our commitment to affordability & equity, our Research Team provides rigorous data analysis to inform our policy recommendations. Their work is the throughline of our policy efforts, ensuring that the work we do is evidence-backed. Learn more about our 20th Anniversary: buff.ly/famNS34

Under the Dept. of Ed’s proposed #PSLF rule, employers in sanctuary cities could lose eligibility. The rule would give the Secretary of Education the power to exclude organizations from PSLF if they are deemed to have a “substantial illegal purpose.” More from @Forbes.com: buff.ly/fdmcUHX

Black Michiganders are underrepresented in high-earning fields & overrepresented in industries such as Admin Support, Waste Mgmt, Transportation, Healthcare, & Social Assistance. With MI’s Black poverty rate 4.8% above the national avg, college is critical to economic mobility.

As recently as 2022, less than half of Black men in Michigan enrolled in college a year after high school graduation, limiting their ability to access life-changing credentials and opportunities for economic growth. Learn more here: buff.ly/aOC0ln7

The Reconciliation Law ends the Grad PLUS loan program, effective July 1, 2026. On the heels of the passage comes a proposal from House Appropriators that looks to cut several federal #FinAid pgrms. ▶️ More on Reconciliation Law: buff.ly/XtMp4YJ ▶️ More from @Forbes.com: buff.ly/n70kT0x

The proposed FY26 budget by House Appropriators slashes the #HigherEd budget. TICAS President @gadkaree.bsky.social says this would "cut funding for programs that provide students with aid and support parenting students, reducing debt and drop-out rates." buff.ly/jqVFtlK

Meet our College Completion & Anti-Poverty & Basic Needs Teams! Together, their work advocates for students to have what they need to thrive as they pursue a #PostSec degree and cross the finish line. buff.ly/famNS34 #TICAS20th

Last night, House Appropriators proposed a funding bill for FY26 that severely cuts #HigherEd funding. #Congress must pass a funding measure to help all students who dream of a college degree—regardless of their parents’ wealth—to realize their aspirations. buff.ly/QaactSH

Meet our Federal Team! Our Federal Policy Teams advocate for national solutions that expand college access, protect borrowers, strengthen accountability, and promote affordability. Visit buff.ly/famNS34 to learn more about our 20th Anniversary! #TICAS20th

NEW | Both houses of the NY legislature passed impactful Higher Ed bills this year, while those only in one house signify priorities for next year. Our latest blog & fact sheet break down all things Higher Ed from this legislative session in the Empire State. buff.ly/TgqKLTf

27% of Black MI grads who didn’t complete the #FAFSA said they lacked info, compared to 18% of white grads. FAFSA is key to unlocking aid, reducing debt, and closing equity gaps. #FinAid

Our state work began in CA, expanded to MI in recent yrs, & most recently NY. Our State Teams bring our mission to life in state policies across the country, advancing initiatives that make college more affordable, accessible, & equitable for all students. buff.ly/famNS34 #TICAS20th

Yesterday, we submitted comments ahead of the Department of Education's negotiated rulemaking. As the Department considers sweeping changes to student loans, repayment, & accountability, we urge them to center the needs of students & borrowers in the regulations. buff.ly/s05jcmt

Meet our Executive Team! They work to center our vision for a better #HigherEd, focused on equitable access, borrower protections, & college completion, which translates into actionable policy priorities that make a real impact for students. More about our Anniversary: buff.ly/famNS34 #TICAS20th

We’re grateful to celebrate TICAS’s 20th anniversary. For 2 decades, we’ve worked to make #HigherEd more affordable, accessible, & equitable. This milestone comes as higher ed is under threat, making our mission more urgent than ever. More about our 20th: buff.ly/XDVnD9e

Despite federal immigration enforcement & a difficult state fiscal environment, CA’s 25–26 budget invests in college access for all, especially those applying for aid using a CADAA. These investments help ensure #HigherEd is within reach for all Californians. buff.ly/EOX9Y9v

Our latest California analysis compares TICAS' affordability priorities with the final budget passed at the end of June. Here are our highlights of what made it in, what was left out, and what to look for moving forward. buff.ly/t0T0Usw

“Borrowers have upheld their end of the bargain by making decades of payments & are legally entitled to have their balances discharged under IBR. With little explanation, the Dept. of Ed is failing to uphold its responsibility.” — Michele Zampini, TICAS buff.ly/vxHawAb

When the federal government makes cuts to essential programs, state action is crucial to ensuring basic needs are met. @fooddepository.bsky.social has been working to erase barriers that are keeping parenting students & adult learners from benefits they’re eligible for. Learn more: buff.ly/2lsyLS3

States facing higher costs from #SNAP and Medicaid cuts may have to reduce funding for other programs, such as #HigherEd, likely jeopardizing college affordability. Read more from @newamerica.org here: buff.ly/9jJA4IN

The new reconciliation law's payment plan, called the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP), “departs radically from the core design tenets of all previous income-based repayment plans,” we shared in a recent blog. Read more from @newsweek.com here: buff.ly/Uhnx7Eg

With student and borrower protections eliminated, repayment systems changing, and critical aid restricted, #HigherEd is being deprioritized by federal policymakers. Breaking (F)Ed keeps students and borrowers informed and involved of what's happening. buff.ly/gZmV4u3

Under the new Standard Repayment Plan, some borrowers w/higher balances will pay less each month. Why? TICAS' Michele Zampini says that some borrowers w/higher balances may have lower monthly bills than under the current plan due to longer repayment terms. buff.ly/76nfMqM

Student loan borrowers are feeling an additional burden as interest accrual restarts for the #SAVE plan and changes are made to the repayment system under the reconciliation law. When implemented, it will leave borrowers more financially burdened. buff.ly/47G1p3r

Are you surprised? Because we're not. With all the cuts to staffing at the Department of Education, it's students and borrowers who will pay the price. Read more about the backlog of 27,000+ complaints at the Department of Education here: buff.ly/MEfvJpA

Our updated blog revisits the upcoming costs 40+ states will face for SNAP benefits in FY28 due to the new reconciliation law. These unexpected state expenses could force cuts to discretionary programs such as #HigherEd & lose critical food assistance for millions of Americans. buff.ly/4jPGvXA

The reconciliation law, passed in July 2025, changed how repayment & forgiveness work for borrowers with federal student loans. Our new resource page outlines everything we know, what we don't, and offers trusted resources for accurate info. Learn what's happening here: buff.ly/ojNKeH0

Our partners at @ticas-org.bsky.social have produced several must-read explainers on what the “big beautiful bill” means for college students: ticas.org/our-work/bud...

🧵🪡 With the passage of the Reconciliation Law on July 4, there are big changes ahead for students & borrowers. This law guts key protections, slashes SNAP & Medicaid, & overhauls fed student aid — threatening college access for generations. Here's what you need to know ⬇️

TICAS #HigherEd expert Michele Zampini spoke with the @chicago.suntimes.com about the changes coming to student loan repayment. "Things are really murky right now, but we do know now that the SAVE plan is truly on its last legs."

1/3 NEW | Today, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Ed, & Related Agencies advanced a FY26 spending bill that maintains essential financial aid & support programs, excluding several student aid cuts proposed by the White House in its FY26 budget request.

1/2 In response to the EATS Act being reintroduced, TICAS' Senior VP Jessica Thompson said the following:

We’re proud to endorse the bipartisan College Transparency Act and excited to see it reintroduced today. This bill will give students and families better information as they navigate #HigherEd. Read the full press release here: buff.ly/jTHmBPe

"It's unfortunately more complicated than it should be," TICAS' Jessica Thompson, SVP, told Hearst TV about the changes made to student loan repayment plans under the reconciliation law. "It's going to create a lot of confusion. We're super concerned about a default crisis amassing." buff.ly/evbZF7u

President Trump's signing of the reconciliation bill introduced changes that'll impact #HigherEd for generations. Our latest blogs analyze effects on Pell Grants, student protections, loan repayments, & SNAP/Medicaid cuts. Visit our #ReconciliationRecap hub: buff.ly/5UUdqks

HCM Strategists recently shared the impact emergency aid can have on supporting student parents. More than 1 in 5 students are student parents, many of whom struggle w/ basic needs insecurity. Read the brief to learn how emergency aid can improve completion rates for student parents.