Third Way Education
@thirdwayedu.bsky.social
Third Way's Education Program - Developing a high-quality education agenda focused on value & creating demand for new policy ideas to improve student outcomes.
Next year marks a major shift in grad education financing. Ending unlimited federal borrowing by eliminating Grad PLUS protects students and taxpayers and moves us toward a sustainable system. How can policymakers fill the gaps? Read more→ buff.ly/HUgyxKS
December 23, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Next year marks a major shift in grad education financing. Ending unlimited federal borrowing by eliminating Grad PLUS protects students and taxpayers and moves us toward a sustainable system. How can policymakers fill the gaps? Read more→ buff.ly/HUgyxKS
ICYMI: We sat down with Viviann Anguiano, Managing Director of Higher Education Policy at @americanprogress.bsky.social, for a conversation about what students are facing amidst big policy moves this year, and how state and institutional support can help bridge gaps. 🎙️https://buff.ly/aDtvt3V
December 22, 2025 at 6:42 PM
ICYMI: We sat down with Viviann Anguiano, Managing Director of Higher Education Policy at @americanprogress.bsky.social, for a conversation about what students are facing amidst big policy moves this year, and how state and institutional support can help bridge gaps. 🎙️https://buff.ly/aDtvt3V
Join our team! We’re stepping back into the K–12 space and looking for someone ready to do the work. If you or someone you know is a strong fit, apply today. 💼 buff.ly/tla3tz2
December 19, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Join our team! We’re stepping back into the K–12 space and looking for someone ready to do the work. If you or someone you know is a strong fit, apply today. 💼 buff.ly/tla3tz2
Workforce Pell will only work if we get it right. @mdrc-news.bsky.social argues that short term training must come with advising, wraparound supports, and lessons from the @cunyasap.bsky.social model. The evidence is there. Read why it matters.
OPINION: Workforce Pell can lead to good jobs for students if they get the support needed for long-term success - The Hechinger Report
Next summer federal funds will be available for Workforce Pell, which extends federal aid for career-focused education and training programs with the expectation that they will lead to “good-paying…
buff.ly
December 17, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Workforce Pell will only work if we get it right. @mdrc-news.bsky.social argues that short term training must come with advising, wraparound supports, and lessons from the @cunyasap.bsky.social model. The evidence is there. Read why it matters.
OBBBA reshapes graduate education. Grad PLUS loans are gone, ending nearly unlimited borrowing and forcing a rethink of student debt. ⬇️
www.thirdway.org/memo/how-we-...
www.thirdway.org/memo/how-we-...
How We Got Here: The Rise and Fall of the Grad PLUS Loan Program
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www.thirdway.org
December 17, 2025 at 3:35 PM
OBBBA reshapes graduate education. Grad PLUS loans are gone, ending nearly unlimited borrowing and forcing a rethink of student debt. ⬇️
www.thirdway.org/memo/how-we-...
www.thirdway.org/memo/how-we-...
Did you know that nearly a million people have had their loans discharged because they were sold on failed promises from a school? That's why Borrower Defense exists. Watch our latest video to learn how the program works. 🎞️
The 101 on Borrower Defense
Students invest time, money, and trust into earning a degree—often taking out student loans expecting an earnings boost to help pay them off once they’ve graduated. But when an institution misleads…
buff.ly
December 16, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Did you know that nearly a million people have had their loans discharged because they were sold on failed promises from a school? That's why Borrower Defense exists. Watch our latest video to learn how the program works. 🎞️
Workforce Pell Grants for short-term credentials may seem like a commonsense policy, but w/o proper guardrails, we could be sending federal dollars to programs that leave their students worse off than if they never attended. More ➡️
Short Term Pell 101
There is very little data on the efficacy of short-term certificate programs in higher education. This is a collection of resources about the need for more data on short-term programs, to ensure…
buff.ly
December 12, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Workforce Pell Grants for short-term credentials may seem like a commonsense policy, but w/o proper guardrails, we could be sending federal dollars to programs that leave their students worse off than if they never attended. More ➡️
The new low-earnings indicator on the FAFSA helps students see real outcomes before they enroll. Greater transparency means students can make informed choices that lead to better outcomes.🎓 More from @michelledimino.bsky.social buff.ly/usAl9Zn
December 12, 2025 at 2:57 PM
The new low-earnings indicator on the FAFSA helps students see real outcomes before they enroll. Greater transparency means students can make informed choices that lead to better outcomes.🎓 More from @michelledimino.bsky.social buff.ly/usAl9Zn
Stronger accountability and curbing excessive graduate borrowing have been bipartisan priorities for over a decade, says Michelle Dimino. Learn more about how the controversial OBBBA could reshape higher ed:
New Deep Dive: Making OBBBA Implementation Work for Students
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is the biggest shake-up to federal higher education policy in more than a decade. And while the bill passed on partisan lines, implementing it to maximize student…
buff.ly
December 11, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Stronger accountability and curbing excessive graduate borrowing have been bipartisan priorities for over a decade, says Michelle Dimino. Learn more about how the controversial OBBBA could reshape higher ed:
The Pell Grant was intended to help low-income students reach their highest potential. The Department of Education and negotiators must ensure its continued legacy and implement guardrails that will help Workforce Pell meet its highest potential as well. ⬇️ buff.ly/dy2ys82
December 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The Pell Grant was intended to help low-income students reach their highest potential. The Department of Education and negotiators must ensure its continued legacy and implement guardrails that will help Workforce Pell meet its highest potential as well. ⬇️ buff.ly/dy2ys82
With more than 4,000 colleges nationwide, students have plenty of options. When the earnings threshold takes effect a small share of programs will lose federal loan access, but students can still choose from thousands of others in the same field and area. ⬇️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
December 11, 2025 at 2:45 PM
With more than 4,000 colleges nationwide, students have plenty of options. When the earnings threshold takes effect a small share of programs will lose federal loan access, but students can still choose from thousands of others in the same field and area. ⬇️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
As ED negotiates Workforce Pell, a key question remains: how will noncredit programs using Pell funds deliver strong outcomes. Clear guardrails and oversight are needed so students are not pushed into programs that fail to boost their earnings. ➡️ buff.ly/6cG7SjA
December 10, 2025 at 6:24 PM
As ED negotiates Workforce Pell, a key question remains: how will noncredit programs using Pell funds deliver strong outcomes. Clear guardrails and oversight are needed so students are not pushed into programs that fail to boost their earnings. ➡️ buff.ly/6cG7SjA
“The whole idea of a high-school-earnings threshold is a pretty low bar for an institution to clear,” said Ben Cecil. Only 1% are projected to fail, and clearer data in the aid process helps students spot strong programs. More from @erickelderman.bsky.social ( @chronicle.com) ➡️
Nearly One-Fourth of Colleges Will Come With a Warning When Students Apply for Financial Aid
The Education Department says it will start flagging institutions where graduates on average don’t earn as much as high-school graduates. Most are for-profit technical and cosmetology schools.
buff.ly
December 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
“The whole idea of a high-school-earnings threshold is a pretty low bar for an institution to clear,” said Ben Cecil. Only 1% are projected to fail, and clearer data in the aid process helps students spot strong programs. More from @erickelderman.bsky.social ( @chronicle.com) ➡️
Beauty schools make up most of the low earnings list, and experts say this will only intensify scrutiny. The data raises fresh questions about cost, value, and how these programs prepare students for real returns. More from @knottkatherine.bsky.social ( @insidehighered.com )🔗 buff.ly/h0HYAAJ
December 9, 2025 at 9:52 PM
Beauty schools make up most of the low earnings list, and experts say this will only intensify scrutiny. The data raises fresh questions about cost, value, and how these programs prepare students for real returns. More from @knottkatherine.bsky.social ( @insidehighered.com )🔗 buff.ly/h0HYAAJ
Students can only use their Pell Grants for a limited amount of time. If they use it for unproven short-term programs, it could stifle their chances of completing a degree later on. Short-term Pell requires long-term plans to pay off. READ ➡️ bit.ly/4oEEEXe
Regulations Must Get Workforce Pell Right (opinion)
Many young people will be better served by going straight to degree programs—not using up their Pell eligibility on short-term programs. The regulations should account for this.
bit.ly
December 9, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Students can only use their Pell Grants for a limited amount of time. If they use it for unproven short-term programs, it could stifle their chances of completing a degree later on. Short-term Pell requires long-term plans to pay off. READ ➡️ bit.ly/4oEEEXe
Grad PLUS loans allowed big borrowing, but also big debt. Our latest memo explores their history, political context, and what its end means for grad students. 🔎 buff.ly/JRf0VDE
December 9, 2025 at 4:13 PM
Grad PLUS loans allowed big borrowing, but also big debt. Our latest memo explores their history, political context, and what its end means for grad students. 🔎 buff.ly/JRf0VDE
Neg reg started this week, putting the earnings threshold back in focus💡 Most programs meet it, and for those that don’t, students usually have nearby alternatives with better outcomes. Learn more ➡️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
December 9, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Neg reg started this week, putting the earnings threshold back in focus💡 Most programs meet it, and for those that don’t, students usually have nearby alternatives with better outcomes. Learn more ➡️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
Today, ED added a low-earnings disclosure to the FAFSA, letting students see school outcomes before enrolling. More transparency means smarter choices, better results, and stronger accountability. More from The Hill: ⬇️ thehill.com/homenews/edu...
thehill.com
December 8, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Today, ED added a low-earnings disclosure to the FAFSA, letting students see school outcomes before enrolling. More transparency means smarter choices, better results, and stronger accountability. More from The Hill: ⬇️ thehill.com/homenews/edu...
“If poorly implemented, students could enroll in programs that chew through their six years of maximum Pell Grant eligibility without any long-term benefit.”
-Kim Cook ( @ncanetwork.bsky.social ) on the importance of properly implementing Workforce Pell.
More in her op-ed ➡️ buff.ly/LG6Fyn0
-Kim Cook ( @ncanetwork.bsky.social ) on the importance of properly implementing Workforce Pell.
More in her op-ed ➡️ buff.ly/LG6Fyn0
Regulations Must Get Workforce Pell Right (opinion)
Many young people will be better served by going straight to degree programs—not using up their Pell eligibility on short-term programs. The regulations should account for this.
www.insidehighered.com
December 8, 2025 at 4:08 PM
“If poorly implemented, students could enroll in programs that chew through their six years of maximum Pell Grant eligibility without any long-term benefit.”
-Kim Cook ( @ncanetwork.bsky.social ) on the importance of properly implementing Workforce Pell.
More in her op-ed ➡️ buff.ly/LG6Fyn0
-Kim Cook ( @ncanetwork.bsky.social ) on the importance of properly implementing Workforce Pell.
More in her op-ed ➡️ buff.ly/LG6Fyn0
Not every college program delivers the financial return students expect. This summer, Congress passed a law to hold schools accountable for outcomes. Watch our animated video to see how the new process works. ⬇️
Third Way
buff.ly
December 5, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Not every college program delivers the financial return students expect. This summer, Congress passed a law to hold schools accountable for outcomes. Watch our animated video to see how the new process works. ⬇️
For too long, we’ve allowed federal student loans to fund programs that leave students worse off. The earnings threshold will ensure better outcomes for our nation’s students–and 99% of programs pass the test! Read more ⬇️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
December 3, 2025 at 8:20 PM
For too long, we’ve allowed federal student loans to fund programs that leave students worse off. The earnings threshold will ensure better outcomes for our nation’s students–and 99% of programs pass the test! Read more ⬇️ buff.ly/jDWBcS8
We all know college is an investment—but what if the returns don’t add up? A new law passed this summer sets standards to hold colleges accountable for graduates’ earnings. Our animated video breaks down the process and what it means for students. 🎥
Earnings Threshold 101 video
buff.ly
December 2, 2025 at 2:15 PM
We all know college is an investment—but what if the returns don’t add up? A new law passed this summer sets standards to hold colleges accountable for graduates’ earnings. Our animated video breaks down the process and what it means for students. 🎥
💫New jobs, new look! 💫Our higher ed job board just got a refresh, and it features the latest openings across the higher ed space. Take a look and add your listing if your team is hiring.
🔗 higheredpolicyjobs.org
🔗 higheredpolicyjobs.org
December 1, 2025 at 9:37 PM
💫New jobs, new look! 💫Our higher ed job board just got a refresh, and it features the latest openings across the higher ed space. Take a look and add your listing if your team is hiring.
🔗 higheredpolicyjobs.org
🔗 higheredpolicyjobs.org
College is changing fast, and students are feeling it. Viviann Anguiano from @americanprogress.bsky.social joined us to break down today’s biggest challenges, how lived experience informs better policy, and what states and institutions can do to support learners. 🎙️ buff.ly/uTWxsfp
November 25, 2025 at 2:40 PM
College is changing fast, and students are feeling it. Viviann Anguiano from @americanprogress.bsky.social joined us to break down today’s biggest challenges, how lived experience informs better policy, and what states and institutions can do to support learners. 🎙️ buff.ly/uTWxsfp
Despite efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, Republican voters actually want to strengthen ED, not weaken it. A crumbling ED helps no one on either side of the aisle. Read more from @econroy.bsky.social in @forbes.com:
Trump Administration Makes New Moves To Dismantle Department Of Education
Today, in an attempt to dismantle the Department of Education, the Trump administration announced it will move many functions ED to other federal agencies.
t.co
November 19, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Despite efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, Republican voters actually want to strengthen ED, not weaken it. A crumbling ED helps no one on either side of the aisle. Read more from @econroy.bsky.social in @forbes.com: