Federal Court Expands Temporary Restraining Order Affecting ACTS Deadlines
As of April 1, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts has expanded the temporary restraining order (TRO) affecting Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) reporting deadlines, based on a March 31 ruling.
The updated order introduces varying deadlines for different groups of institutions:
- Member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU) and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts, including their constituent institutions: ACTS reporting deadline is now April 14, 2026, at midnight Pacific time
- Public institutions in the 17 plaintiff states that are not part of AAU: ACTS reporting deadline remains April 6, 2026, at midnight Pacific time
- All other institutions: The deadline was March 31, 2026, unless the institution qualified for the conditional extension to April 8, 2026, by completing all screening questions and submitting—or being prepared to submit—data for three academic years
This expansion of the TRO reflects ongoing legal developments affecting ACTS implementation and reporting timelines.
Given the complexity of these varying deadlines, AIR encourages data professionals to:
- Confirm institution-specific requirements with the IPEDS Help Desk
- Consult with institutional leadership and legal counsel as appropriate
- Continue monitoring updates as additional guidance becomes available
AIR will continue to share information as the situation evolves.