Gainful Employment

On July 1, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued its final rule administering the…

This fact sheet provides concrete steps for Congress to enshrine minimum requirements for program quality in statute, ensure justice for defrauded borrowers, and provide additional guardrails to protect students from emerging areas of misconduct.

A coalition of advocates for students, borrowers, consumers, civil rights, labor union members, researchers, veterans, and other critical stakeholders wrote to U.S. Senate leaders in opposition to the damaging provisions in the House-passed reconciliation bill.

This blog analyzes the critical borrower protections the House Reconciliation bill would remove under the guise of regulatory relief.

By unlocking the reconciliation process, the Republican majority can move their budget priorities through on a partisan basis, bypassing the usual 60-vote threshold. But the implications for college students and student loan borrowers are clear: The cuts needed to fund priorities in either bill cannot be reconciled with the needs of students and student loan borrowers. 

This fact sheet gives an overview of the history of the gainful employment (GE) rule, how the rule is implemented, and the importance of GE in protecting students and taxpayers.