Federal Court Issues Preliminary Injunction Affecting ACTS Reporting Deadlines

On April 4, 2026, a federal judge in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction affecting the Admissions and Consumer Transparency Supplement (ACTS) reporting requirements for a subset of institutions. This ruling builds on earlier temporary restraining orders and introduces additional changes to the ACTS timeline.

Under the preliminary injunction, public institutions in the 17 plaintiff states are no longer required to meet the previously established reporting deadline. Instead, ACTS reporting for these institutions is paused while the case proceeds, replacing the prior April 6 deadline.

For other institutions, deadlines remain in place:

• AAU institutions (excluding public institutions in the 17 plaintiff states) and members of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts: Deadline remains April 14, 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

The preliminary injunction is temporary and applies only to the plaintiff states. Additional legal or policy developments may follow as the case continues.

For more information, readers can review coverage from The Chronicle of Higher Education and the court’s ruling:

• The Chronicle of Higher Education: https://www.chronicle.com/article/judge-halts-feds-admissions-data-push-for-some-colleges
• Court ruling via CourtListener: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72415687/142/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-department-of-education/

Given the complexity of the evolving deadlines and requirements, AIR encourages data professionals to:

• Confirm institution-specific guidance with the IPEDS Help Desk
• Consult with institutional leadership and legal counsel as appropriate
• Continue monitoring updates as the situation develops

AIR will continue to share information as additional guidance becomes available.