A bipartisan negotiated-rulemaking panel advising the U.S. Education Department failed to coalesce around a proposed earnings test, leaving a consensus vote uncertain. Department officials held closed-door sessions as members disagreed over how to tie federal student-aid eligibility to graduate earnings metrics, according to reporting by Jessica Blake. The impasse signals continued political and technical friction as the department moves to reshape accountability tied to student outcomes. Stakeholders including colleges, consumer groups, and financial-aid advocates are watching for whether the department will press a contentious earnings measure without consensus.