The U.S. Department of Education has issued a notice in the Federal Register inviting test publishers to submit assessments for review and approval under the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS). The notice, published August 26, 2026, sets the date by which publishers must submit their tests, though the specific deadline is not quoted in the filing itself.
The NRS is the federal accountability system for adult education programs that receive funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. Approved tests are used by states and local providers to measure student gains in literacy, numeracy, and English language proficiency. The notice, which carries action type "Notice," relates to an information collection approved under Office of Management and Budget control number 1830-0567.
What the notice does
The document, posted in the Federal Register under document number 2026-17403, is an official invitation for publishers to seek a determination of suitability for their tests. The official version is also available as a PDF from the Government Publishing Office. The notice does not describe any changes to the criteria or process for test approval.
The Education Department's action is procedural rather than substantive. It opens a routine window for publishers to submit assessments for the list of NRS-approved tests, which states and local agencies rely on to report participant outcomes to the federal government.