On May 12, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Technology Security Alert (GENERAL-26-27) regarding an active cybersecurity incident involving Instructure Holdings, Inc., the parent company of the Canvas Learning Management System. The breach, claimed by ransomware group ShinyHunters, exposed usernames, email addresses, course names, enrollment data, and messages...
A known bug — not the new fraud screening — is behind a wave of unexpected ISIR rejections. Here’s what’s happening and what to do about it. Background On April 26, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education launched a new real-time identity fraud detection capability within the FAFSA, marking one of the...
Washington, D.C. is rarely short on activity — but the 2026 CSPEN Annual Higher Education Policy Meeting arrived at a particularly pivotal moment. With negotiated rulemaking sessions underway, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OB3) driving implementation timelines, and a newly reorganized Department of Education signaling its priorities, the conversations...
The Department of Education’s RISE Committee concluded its second and final week of negotiations on November 7, reaching full consensus on all proposed regulatory concepts. With consensus achieved, the Department will now draft regulatory text reflecting these agreed-upon positions. While the formal language has not yet been released, the Week...
The Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee has concluded the first round of negotiated rulemaking under the One Big Beautiful Bill (OB3) statute. Despite a partial federal government shutdown during the session, the Department had planned in advance to keep key Federal Student Aid staff working...
Effective February 15, 2025, significant changes have arrived to how postsecondary education financing is regulated in California. Under the California Consumer Financial Protection Law (CCFPL), the State Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) now has expanded authority to oversee financial products and services related to postsecondary education. This includes...
The Anthology Together 2025 Conference highlighted significant technology shifts that are set to reshape higher education. With AI, integrated platforms, and redesigned student experiences moving to the forefront, institutional leaders face both opportunities and challenges in navigating this transformation. AI and Proactive Student Support The introduction of Anthology Virtual Assistant (AVA) marks...
Federal Student Aid (FSA) has announced significant changes to identity verification requirements that are already affecting institutions nationwide. Because fraud prevention is one of the current administration’s top priorities, schools will see a sharp increase in V4 verifications—particularly for first-time Title IV applicants this summer. Alongside this increase, FSA has...
One of the final pieces of the FAFSA Simplification Act has arrived, and with it, changes to Pell Grant processes beginning in the 2024/25 academic year. As the new award year unfolds, it’s crucial that your financial aid office is prepared to implement new compliance processes and updated calculations. McClintock’s...
If we’re playing a word association game, then when a postsecondary education institution participating in Title IV aid programs hears the word “audit,” it’s likely to prompt a response of “confusion,” “anxiety” or even “fear.” It’s understandable, but frequently unfounded. In fact, a compliance audit can be a good thing for...
Update (10/19/21): The department of Education (ED) has issued additional guidance effective 10/6/21 for Institutions not using an R2T4 Freeze Date: If the student is only eligible for Pell Grant, Iraq-Afghanistan Service Grant, and/or TEACH Grant funds during the period and the institution does NOT use an R2T4 Freeze Date, the...
If you’ve been following along with the McClintock Minute, you know we’ve been breaking down the many notable changes and updates that the Department of Education (ED) made effective this summer to Financial Student Aid (FSA) regulations. As we start the fall, however, we know institutions, understandably, still have questions...