October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We are looking for stories and examples of how you are raising awareness and bringing the community together to fight this illness. Contact us at info@beautyschools.org and share your stories. 

We have partnered with OfficeMax to provide AACS members a special benefit. Businesses using the Office Depot discount program see significant savings. Take advantage of the program today and you could save thousands of dollars per year! Learn more at bit.ly/AACSportal

Be the fashionista(o) at your organization. Support our advocacy efforts and look good doing it, by purchasing one of these specially-designed t-shirts by contacting AACS at info@beautyschools.org to request an order form. All proceeds goes towards supporting AACS Government Relations Committee. 

Federal Updates

U.S. Department of Education

October 15, 2019 – The Department posted the Federal Perkins Loan Revolving Fund Distribution of Assets and Timelines for 2019–20. 

October 16, 2019 – The Department requests an extension without change to the information collection tied to 34 CFR part 668.50 requiring institutional disclosures for distance education and correspondence courses. This regulatory action establishes requirements for institutional disclosures to prospective and enrolled students in programs offered solely through distance education or correspondence courses. 

October 21, 2019 – The Department has posted the updated 2020-2021 EFC Formula Guide on the Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) website. The guide includes EFC worksheets and tables for the 2020-2021 processing cycle. The worksheets and tables in this guide can be used to calculate an estimated EFC for students. In the October 2019 update, the Department revised the note at the bottom of Table A3 on page 18 (Income Protection Allowance) to reference $4,570 as the amount for each additional household member. In the prior version, we incorrectly referenced $4,750 as the amount. 

December 2, 2019 – The Federal Student Aid’s New Financial Aid Administrators Pre-Conference Training will take place on December 2, 2019 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. 

Looking Ahead – 2019 FSA Training Conference. The Federal Student Aid Office has opened registration for the 2019 FSA Training Conference scheduled for December 3 to 6 in Reno, Nevada. The FSA Training Conference is training provided for financial aid professionals by the government for those institutions receiving Title IV funds and is the largest training program in the United States serving the financial aid community. In 2018 more than 2,000 unique schools registered for the conference. Registration is free.

U.S. Congress – Newly Introduced Legislation of Note

H.R. 4760 – To bolster the domestic workforce by encouraging communication between career and technical education institutions and emphasizing potential employment opportunities, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain costs relating to career and technical education as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of section 529 programs, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means, 10/18/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Kevin Hurn (R-OK) 0 Cosponsors

H.R. 4749 – To provide temporary authority to the Secretary of Education to reissue certain student loans to reduce interest rates paid by borrowers, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/18/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO) 0 Cosponsors

H.R. 4747 – To carry out an income-contingent repayment program for Federal Interest Free Education Loans for undergraduate students, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/18/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. David Cicilline (D-RI) 3 Cosponsors

H.R. 4724 – To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make for-profit institutions ineligible for Federal student aid and to protect the integrity of nonprofit institutions of higher education.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/17/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Pramilia Jayapal (D-WA) 7 Cosponsors

H.R. 4706 – To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize competency-based education demonstration projects.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/16/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) 0 Cosponsors 

H.R. 4680 – To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to simplify the financial aid application process, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/15/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) 62 Cosponsors

H.R. 4677 – To direct the Secretary of Education to carry out a program to recognize high schools and local educational agencies for expanding high-quality dual credit programs.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/15/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Van Taylor (R-TX) 0 Cosponsors

H.R. 4674 –  To amend and strengthen the Higher Education Act of 1965 to lower the cost of college for students and families, to hold colleges accountable for students' success, and to give a new generation of students the opportunity to graduate on-time and transition to a successful career.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/15/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) 48 Cosponsors

S. 2640 – A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make for-profit institutions ineligible for Federal student aid and to protect the integrity of nonprofit institutions of higher education.

a.       Status: Referred to the Senate HELP Committee, 10/17/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) 1 Cosponsor

S. 2620 – A bill to bolster the domestic workforce by encouraging communication between career and technical education institutions and emphasizing potential employment opportunities, to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat certain costs relating to career and technical education as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of section 529 programs, and for other purposes.

a.       Status: Referred to the Senate Finance Committee, 10/17/19

b.       Sponsor: Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK) 1 Cosponsor

S. 2608 – A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize competency-based education demonstration projects.

a.       Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor, 10/16/19

b.       Sponsor: Rep. Joe Neguse (D-CO) 0 Cosponsors

Updates from California, Texas and Michigan

California Sunset Review Likely to Address Training Requirements 

Fred Jones, Legislative Counsel to the Professional Beauty Federation of California (PBFC), apprised schools and other stakeholders last week of another threat brewing in Sacramento.  He indicated that “the new Senate Business & Professions Committee Chairman has revealed a clear bias against for-profit beauty colleges in the first two of a series of Sunset hearings on our State Board. The third, still yet-to-be scheduled December hearing of the Joint Sunset Committee will focus almost entirely on the testimony of disgruntled students and what the new Chairman considers exorbitant schooling requirements (and costs).”

To this end, PBFC is encouraging school owners, instructors, licenses, salon owners and students to testify before the Joint Sunset Committee in December.  AACS will share additional information when the December hearing is officially scheduled.  In the meantime, please contact Fred Jones (email: fred.jones@beautyfederation.org or phone: 530-887-9944) if you have any questions and/or willing to assist in defending schools, students and licensed professionals.  

1,000 Hour Curriculums Discussed at Texas Cosmetology Program Summit 

Texas’ Department of Licensing and Regulation conducted both barbering and cosmetology program summits on Monday.  At the cosmetology summit, four proposed 1,000 hour curriculums were discussed.  Curriculums A and C were the most popular among attendees and those utilizing TDLR’s online poll as they were the least prescriptive.  

Schools and other interested parties can submit their thoughts on the proposed curriculums by Friday, October 25th to cossummit@tdlr.texas.gov.  Detailed responses (with a supporting tables or spreadsheets showing your proposed modifications) are encouraged. 

TDLR indicated that September 1, 2020 will be the first day that individuals can receive a 1,000-hour cosmetology license.  The process to finalize the rule will include: discussion by the Advisory Council on Cosmetology; the drafting of a proposed rule containing the new curriculum; a 30-day public comment period by which schools and other stakeholders can react to the proposed rule/curriculum, and; additional Advisory Council Discussions that led to TDLR Commissioners adopting a final rule. 

Links to the summit webcasts can be found below.

Cosmetology Program Summit
Barbering Program Summit

Michigan Bill Would Allow Barbering and Cosmetology Schools to Share Facilities

Michigan’s House Ways and Means Committee reported a substitute bill last week that would allow a barber college and a school of cosmetology to occupy the same building and share facilities.  As currently drafted, HB 4335 would allow licensed barbers to apply 1,000 hours of their training towards a 1,500-hour cosmetology license and similarly allow licensed cosmetologists to apply 1,000 hours of their training towards a barbering license. 

HB 4335 is currently awaiting consideration on the House floor.  
Additional information can be found at this link.

Please do not hesitate to contact Brian Newman at bnewman@abingdonstrategies.com or by phone at 202-491-5254 with comments or questions.

Cultural competency is the ability for a person, an administrator, or a teacher to really understand, appreciate, and know the students that they have in front of them. 

ED404 – Building Cultural Competency in Instructors will help you develop a better understanding of cultural competency and produce tangible resources to help implement plans, strategies, and ideas at your institution.

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AACS is working with Plus Communications to better position AACS members to achieve our legislative and regulatory objectives at the federal level, ensuring lawmakers don’t pass misguided legislation that could severely harm our industry.

We need your help to tell the industry’s compelling story and save our industry from the negative consequences of harmful legislation. You can help by donating to help us fund this important public relations campaign, and by sharing stories and testimonials.

To submit a donation, please click here.
To submit a story, please click here.