ED Backs Out of NASFAA Conference Sessions
The Education Department will not attend several important sessions at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) conference this month, indicating a change from its usual active role at the event. The annual conference, beginning June 29 in Maryland, will see less involvement from the Department of Education, as stated in a NASFAA email to members released Wednesday. The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), which normally leads breakout sessions and hosts the popular Ask-a-Fed booth, will instead limit its presence to two breakout sessions and a fireside chat.
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The Ask-a-Fed booth, where financial aid administrators can directly consult ED staff on policy and administrative issues, will not take place this year. NASFAA had originally expected the department to conduct four breakout sessions, including one focused on changes under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which takes effect July 1. However, ED initially withdrew from all but one session before agreeing to a last-minute addition: a listening session not originally scheduled.
“It initially felt impossible that the department wouldn’t be able to answer operational questions on literally the days before and after the implementation of these new provisions,” said NASFAA President Melanie Storey in an Inside Higher Ed interview. The OBBBA includes a loan cap for postbaccalaureate students, a new repayment plan, and Pell Grants for short-term job training programs. Regulations explaining these changes were finalized in late April and mid-May, leaving administrators with little time to prepare.
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Experts say the OBBBA’s provisions are complex, with some changes already facing legal challenges. The loan limits, for example, have been contested in multiple courts, potentially complicating their rollout. Storey said administrators and software providers need clear guidance to implement the law effectively, but ED’s reduced presence at the conference has left many frustrated.
Department spokesperson Ellen Keast declined to explain why ED withdrew from some sessions but emphasized that the department is focusing on “scalable, accessible resources” rather than conference participation. These include webinars, office hours, and published guidance. ED will still host a fireside chat with Storey on June 30 and present a federal policy update, though live Q&A will not be allowed.
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The decision has drawn criticism from NASFAA members, who rely on direct communication with ED to handle complex policy changes. Storey suggested the department may be prioritizing internal implementation efforts ahead of the July 1 deadline. “We share the goal of accurate implementation,” she said, “but we also need to hear from them.”
