NAGC Policy Update: October 2026
Federal Budget Status
Since NAGC’s Hill Day in March, the association has continued to monitor the annual federal budget process and other developments affecting gifted education, particularly the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program. Federal agencies are operating under a continuing resolution (CR) that generally maintains fiscal year 2026 funding levels through December 11, 2026.
Congress has made limited progress on fiscal year 2027 appropriations. The House has passed three of the 12 appropriations bills, while the Senate has not passed any and has not advanced its Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill. A central obstacle is the lack of agreement on an overall spending level and on how funding should be divided between defense and nondefense discretionary programs. Because most federal education funding is included in the Labor-HHS-Education bill, the broader dispute will directly affect the resources available for education programs.
Congress is currently in its pre-election recess, leaving a compressed lame-duck session after the November 3 election to address the December 11 funding deadline. Appropriators will have approximately 16 legislative days to reach an agreement. Possible outcomes include completing some or all fiscal year 2027 appropriations bills, adopting another short- or longer-term CR, or risking a government shutdown if negotiations break down.
For education advocates, the key questions are whether Congress can resolve the defense/nondefense spending dispute and establish an allocation for the Labor-HHS-Education bill. The Administration proposed a 10% reduction in nondefense discretionary spending. The House Labor-HHS-Education bill would provide approximately $70.7 billion for the U.S. Department of Education—about $8.1 billion, or 10.3%, below fiscal year 2026 discretionary funding.
In short, the fiscal year 2027 budget remains largely on hold until after the election, with December 11 as the next major decision point. Given the limited legislative calendar and unresolved spending disagreement, another CR remains a meaningful possibility.
Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program
Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Education announced a new grant competition for the Jacob K. Javits Gifted and Talented Students Education Program. The announcement indicated that the Department expected to award as many as 17 grants from an approximately $9 million budget. Anecdotal estimates suggested that more than 60 applications were submitted; ultimately, only six projects received awards.
Did Your Organization Apply? NAGC Needs to Hear From You.
Your experience can strengthen NAGC’s advocacy. If your district or institution applied for a Javits grant but did not receive an award, please share information about your application. Your response will help NAGC document applicants’ experiences, identify concerns about the recent grant cycle, and bring stronger evidence to members of Congress.
Please provide:
-
The amount of funding requested
-
A brief description of the proposed project
-
Any application scores or feedback received
Please complete the online form and encourage colleagues who applied to respond as well. The more information NAGC receives, the more effectively we can advocate for a transparent, accessible, and robust Javits program.
Proposed Regulatory Changes
On July 13, NAGC submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance. NAGC highlighted potential effects on gifted education research, professional development, and federally funded programs. The comments urged OMB to reduce administrative burdens, preserve support for research dissemination and professional learning, protect equity-focused research, and maintain broad participation in federally funded gifted education initiatives.
The Federal Register process allows the public to comment on proposed regulatory changes. Public comment periods often generate a few dozen to a few hundred submissions. Because these proposals could significantly reshape federal grantmaking, however, reports from the nonprofit sector indicated that OMB received more than 500,000 comments. Congress subsequently included a provision in the continuing resolution prohibiting implementation of the proposed changes before December 11.
On September 23, NAGC submitted comments on proposed revisions to the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR), which govern how the U.S. Department of Education awards, manages, and oversees federal education grants. The EDGAR proposal reflected many of the regulatory changes OMB had proposed over the summer. NAGC again urged the Department to reduce administrative burdens, preserve support for research dissemination and professional learning, protect equity-focused research, and maintain broad participation in federally funded gifted education initiatives.
