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From RISE to AHEAD: What We Learned and What Comes Next in Federal Rulemaking

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) completed the first of two negotiated rulemaking committees established to implement the federal statute, One Big Beautiful Bill Act Public Law 119-21 (OB3), enacted July 4, 2025. As…

State Authorization Shifts Again: What’s Changing and Why It Matters

Like the “Mighty Yopp” from Dr. Seuss’s Horton Hears a Who! the first federal regulation on state authorization of distance education in 2010 echoed a powerful message from the states: “We’re here!” That Federal regulation affirmed that…

Negotiated Rulemaking Underway: Week One Review of the RISE Committee

The U.S. Department of Education will soon enter the second and final week of negotiated rulemaking for the Re-imagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) Committee, which is developing changes to the Federal student loan programs as…

Federal Government Shutdown Update (2025)

                    The federal government entered a shutdown as of 12:01 AM on October 1, 2025. SAN and WCET are closely monitoring what this means for the higher education digital…

SAN Releases a New “How To” Handbook to Build an Institution’s State-to-State Authorization Plan

The State Authorization Network (SAN) is excited to share SAN’s newest comprehensive resource, the State-to-State Institutional Approval for Distance Education Handbook, developed in partnership with Shari Miller, Institutional Compliance…

Building Buy-In: The Cornerstone of Sustainable Change

 Obtaining buy-in is crucial in distance education compliance, as it ensures that all stakeholders (e.g., administrators, faculty, and students) are aligned with the institution's policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements.…

Your Opportunity to Inform the Department of ED: New Rulemaking Impact on Digital Learning

Another year, another round of U.S. Department of Education Negotiated Rulemaking, and once again, the results could have a big impact on students and the institutions serving them through distance education.On July 25, 2025, the…

State to State Institutional Approval for Distance Education Handbook

Implementation Handbook for Institutions Seeking State-to-State Authorization to Offer Interstate Activities           Summary - This Handbook leads institutions, that do not…

Securing Support, Building Trust: Why Buy-In Matters in Compliance

When it comes to institutional change and implementing new processes, gaining buy-in for the plan is critical. In 2022, a team at the University of Memphis (UM) made this strategy their priority. This unfolded when UM officials realized…