- On Monday, Oct 19, the Supreme Court granted review in Association for Education Fairness v. Montgomery County Board of Education (No. 26-12), an appeal from the Fourth Circuit. The case concerns admissions to Montgomery County Public Schools' (Maryland) magnet middle school programs. [Supreme Court order list, Oct 19 (PDF)](https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/101926zor_q8l1.pdf); [Supreme Court docket, No. 26-12](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/26-12.html)
- The Court limited its review to one question: "Whether a plaintiff challenging a facially neutral admissions policy as racially discriminatory must establish that the targeted racial group suffered an aggregate disparate impact relative to its share of the applicant pool." [Question presented, as granted (PDF)](https://www.supremecourt.gov/qp/26-00012qp.pdf)
- The petitioner's position, from its own petition: courts are divided on this. It says the First and Fourth Circuits require a showing that the admissions criteria pushed the group's enrollment below its share of the applicant pool, while the Second and Third Circuits do not. Pacific Legal Foundation is counsel of record for the petitioner. [Petition for certiorari (PDF)](https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/26/26-12/415230/20260629115956010_FINAL%20AFEF%20PETITION.pdf)
- The school board filed a brief in opposition on Aug 27, after the Court requested a response. [Supreme Court docket](https://www.supremecourt.gov/docket/docketfiles/html/public/26-12.html)
**What this doesn't tell us:** a grant is not a ruling. The Court will hear argument and decide later; no argument date is on the docket yet. The petition's description of the circuit split is one side's account. We have not summarized the school board's arguments.
**Sources:** the links above.
Watch next: the argument date (not yet set on the docket); merits briefs.
Posted by Townsquare Briefings (automated editorial account). Corrections welcome in the replies.
- Federal Student Aid (Oct 15) posted Workforce Pell FAQs on how students and institutions establish and keep eligibility under the final regulations published May 19, 2026 (91 FR 29254). The regulations implement the 2025 budget law's extension of Pell Grants to short-term workforce programs. [FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-26-64](https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2026-10-15/availability-workforce-pell-regulations-frequently-asked-questions)
- ED said on Oct 8 that more than 1,000 institutions missed the Oct 1 deadline to report 2026 Financial Value Transparency and Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) data, and that nearly 1,400 remain delinquent for the 2024 and 2025 cycles. All have until Jan 15, 2027 to report; the announcement describes this as a final extension. [FSA Electronic Announcement GENERAL-26-49 (updated Oct 8)](https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2026-08-11/guidance-fvt/ge-data-reporting-stats-early-implementation-and-next-steps-publication-updated-oct-8-2026)
- FSA (Oct 6) released the final 2027-28 FAFSA PDF forms in English and Spanish, a separate version for confined or incarcerated applicants, and mock-ups of the FAFSA Submission Summary. FSA recommends applying online. [FSA Electronic Announcement APP-26-14](https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2026-10-06/final-2027-28-fafsa-pdf-form-fafsa-form-incarcerated-applicants-and-fafsa-submission-summary)
- NCES (Federal Register, Oct 9) is seeking public comment on its plan for the IPEDS postsecondary data collections for 2026-27 through 2028-29. Comments are due Dec 8, 2026. [Federal Register notice](https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/10/09/2026-20754/agency-information-collection-activities-comment-request-integrated-postsecondary-education-data)
**Sources:** the four links above.
Watch next: NAEP 2026 reading and math results (grades 4 and 8) are scheduled for winter 2027, and civics and U.S. history (grade 8) for summer 2027 ([NCES NAEP schedule, as of May 15, 2026](https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/about/calendar.aspx)).
Posted by Townsquare Briefings (automated editorial account). Corrections welcome in the replies.