E-Update for the Week of August 3, 2020

Highlights:

• On July 31, the House adopted its second fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending package. The six-bill minibus H.R.7617, which include the FY21 appropriations bill for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS), was adopted by a largely partisan 217-197 vote.
• On July 29, U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Betsy DeVos announced that 11 states had been awarded grants as part of her “Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant,” which is authorized as discretionary spending under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
• On July 27, Senate Republicans introduced a series of bills as its latest stimulus proposal in response to the coronavirus, which is estimated to total approximately $1 trillion. Congressional Democrats, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have strongly decried the bill and have indicated that much of what is included in the bill are non-starters for negotiations.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):

Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of July 31. Given the fast-moving nature of congressional and administrative actions to address the growing pandemic, we will do our best to update this information as quickly as possible.

Congress:

Senate:

Senate Republicans introduce proposal for next COVID relief package, negotiations with Democrats have already stalled: Senate Republicans introduced a series of bills as its latest stimulus proposal in response to the coronavirus, which is estimated to total approximately $1 trillion.  The “Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protections, and Schools (HEALS)” legislative package is seen as a marker bill for negotiations with House Democrats, who passed a $3.5 trillion broad relief package – H.R. 6800, the “Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act” – in mid-May.  Additionally, negotiations on a final relief package include the White House and Senate Democrats, who introduced their own $430 billion proposal – S.4112, the “Coronavirus Child Care and Education Relief Act (CCCERA)” – focused on providing relief for child care providers, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in June. Included in the HEALS package is $15 billion for child care, including relief for child care providers, and $105 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund. As part of the Stabilization Fund, $5 billion is reserved for Governors to support K-12 and higher education; $29 billion to support institutions of higher education; and $70 billion for K-12 schools, of which approximately $47 billion is reserved for schools that plan to at least partially reopen for in-person instruction in the fall. Congressional Democrats, including Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have strongly decried the bill and have indicated that much of what is included in the bill are non-starters for negotiations. Congressional Democratic leadership has been meeting this week with White House negotiators – White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows and U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin – but negotiations have reached an essential standstill.  Leaders in both parties hope to find a compromise before the August congressional recess begins; however, even if meeting that deadline, a final deal will have come after unemployment insurance benefits and a national moratorium on evictions from federally supported housing both expired on July 31.

A press release from Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is here. A press release from Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby (R-AR) is here. A press release from Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) is here.

A statement from Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is here. A joint statement from Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) is here.
July 27, 2020

House:

Chairman Scott introduces bill to improve school meals programs during pandemic: House Education and Labor Committee Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced H.R.7887, the “Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act.” The bill would allow all children to receive school meals from either in-school services or “grab and go” delivery options. Further, the bill would eliminate the usual required paperwork families must complete to participate in school meal programs. “The Pandemic Child Hunger Prevention Act would help address the child hunger crisis, make it easier for schools to operate school meal programs, and provide financial relief to school meal programs that have suffered heavy losses during the pandemic. This legislation will ensure that all children will have access to nutrition during this public health emergency,” stated Chairman Scott. A press release is here.
July 30, 2020

House adopts two major child care relief bills: The House passed two child care support bills – H.R.7027, the “Child Care is Essential Act (CCEA), and H.R.7327, the “Child Care for Economic Recovery Act (CCERA).” Both bills were adopted along mainly party line votes, with several Republicans voting in support of the bills. The Child Care is Essential Act would create a $50 billion Child Care Stabilization Fund to provide grant funding to providers to stabilize the child care industry and to support providers in their attempts to safely reopen and operate. The Child Care for Economic Recovery Act would enhance and expand current tax credit programs, including the child and dependent care tax credit, while also provide $850 million to states to support dependent care for essential workers. The bill also provides $10 billion for child care infrastructure needs. A statement by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) is here. A statement by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) is here. A statement by House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) is here. A statement by Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) is here. A statement by House Education and Labor Committee Ranking Member Virginia Foxx (R-NC) is here.
July 29, 2020

Administration:

White House:

Vice President continues to push for full school reopening: Vice President Mike Pence visited Thales Academy in Apex, North Carolina. As part of his visit, the vice president discussed the importance of reopening schools. “[It’s] not just the President and our White House Coronavirus Task Force that believes we should be back in school, but literally, the [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention], just last week, issued additional recommendations for operating schools,” stated Vice President Pence. The vice president went on to suggest that because some studies have indicated young individuals are less likely to be infected with the virus, reopening schools poses a lower risk for spread of the coronavirus. The vice president concluded by stating that the administration will continue to provide “not just the guidance, but the resources to safely reopen our schools.” He stated, “I pledge to you that we’ll spare no expense to support the families and to support your efforts here and making sure that we get our kids back in the classroom.” The vice president’s full remarks are here.
July 29, 2020

U.S. Department of Education (USED):

USED awards $180 million for ‘Rethink K-12 Education’ grants: U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Betsy DeVos announced that 11 states had been awarded grants as part of her “Rethink K-12 Education Models Grant,” which is authorized as discretionary spending under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The grants allow for states to provide microgrants to families to access technology and services for remote learning; to develop and maintain statewide virtual learning and course access programs; and develop new, field-initiated models for providing remote education. In total, the Department awarded over $180 million to Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, New York, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Texas. A press release is here.
July 29, 2020

Non-Coronavirus Updates:

Budget and Appropriations:

House adopts second FY21 spending minibus, includes Labor/HHS funding bill: The House adopted its second fiscal year (FY) 2021 spending package. The six-bill minibus H.R.7617, which include the FY21 appropriations bill for the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS), was adopted by a largely partisan 217-197 vote. The House considered over 300 amendments to the package, none of which impacted the funding levels for early childhood, K-12, or higher education programs. The bill will now be sent to the Senate where it is unlikely to be considered. The Senate has yet to markup its own version of any FY21 appropriations bill, including the Labor/HHS bill. A statement by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) is here.
July 31, 2020

Congress:

House:

Education Committee Democrats publish oversight report on USED role in Dream Center closures: The House Education and Labor Committee Democrats published a report titled, “Shattered Dreams: Examining the Education Department’s Role in the Misconduct of Dream Center Education Holdings.” The report, which was created as part of the Committee’s oversight of USED, includes dozens of documents and emails “detailing how Dream Center lied to students about the accreditation status of two of its recently purchased schools.” The report finds that the Department was aware of Dream Center’s improper collection of federal financial aid but did not intervene on behalf of students. The full report is here.
July 28, 2020

Administration:

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS):

DHS to reject new DACA applications: The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it will reject new applications for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and will limit renewal applications. “As the Department continues looking at the policy and considers future action, the fact remains that Congress should act on this matter. There are important policy reasons that may warrant the full rescission of the DACA policy,” stated acting Secretary Chad Wolf. A press release is here.
July 28, 2020

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On August 4 at 9:30 am, the American Bar Association (ABA) will hold an event titled, “Child Refugee Rights: Education and Development.” The webinar will discuss the current landscape as it pertains to children’s refugee rights, challenges in the work, and possible solutions. The webinar will feature Paulin Mbecke, Executive Chairman of the Refugee Children’s Project. More information and registration are here.
• On August 4 at 12:00 pm, the Alliance for Health Policy will hold an event titled, “The Immediate and Lasting Impact of COVID-19 on Children.” The webinar will address the short- and long-term impacts of the pandemic and present policy options that may support children’s physical and mental health. More information and registration are here.
• On August 6 at 3:00 pm, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will hold an event titled, “Start with Equity – Equitably Expanding High Quality Learning Opportunities for Dual Language and English Learners.” The webinar will explore inequitable access to bilingual learning opportunities and the persistent status quo of “English-only” instruction. This is the fourth and final part of a four-part series. More information and registration are here.

Publications (Congressional and Administration):

• On July 29, the USED Office of Civil Rights (OCR) published a report titled, “Annual Report to the Secretary, the President, and the Congress for Fiscal Year 2019.” The report outlines progress made by the Office related to processing complaints, closing cases, and requiring schools to protect students’ civil rights. Key accomplishments for FY2019 noted in the report include identifying that the Office launched over 700 proactive investigations focused on improving outcomes for students with disabilities; reduced the number of complaints older than 180 days in every one of the Office’s 12 regional offices; and conducted “landmark regulatory reform” by proposing the final rule for Title IX, as related to claims of sexual misconduct. A press release is here. The full report is here.
• On July 29, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) published a report titled, “Parent and Family Involvement in Education: 2019.” The report summarizes a study of various aspects of parent involvement and reasons for choosing a child’s school. The report notes that the data represents circumstances before implementation of restrictions related to the pandemic, including school closures. Key findings of the report include identifying that 89 percent of parents reported they received a communication from their child’s school in the form of a schoolwide-newsletter, memo, e-mail, or notice; that 40 percent of parents reported that they received a call specific to their child’s experience; and that about 77 percent of parents reported that the amount of homework for their child was “about right.” The full report is here.

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On July 30, the Century Foundation published a report titled, “Should States Make the FAFSA Mandatory?” The report summarizes a review of states that require students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the impacts of such requirements. Key findings of the report include identifying that in Louisiana, 4 in 5 students completed the FAFSA compared to only 1 in 3 students prior to a statewide requirement; and, that in Louisiana, many students, particularly in lower-income, more diverse school districts, submitted an application but were never assessed for financial aid eligibility. The full report is here.
• On July 29, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) published a report titled, “State and local governments have lost 1.5 million jobs since February.” The report summarizes an analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national jobs report and the associated state-level jobs report. Key findings of the report include identifying that there were 14.7 million fewer jobs in June compared to before the pandemic; that of those lost jobs, 1.5 million were in state and local government; and that most government jobs exist in the education sector, resulting in 17 states having more than 10 percent of their education workforce. The full report is here.

Legislation:

H.R.7804
A bill to provide for grants to support the provision of child care by reopening and maintaining the operation of child care programs.
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY)

H.R.7813
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require disclosures of foreign gifts by entities affiliated with institutions of higher education.
Sponsor: Rep. John Joyce (R-PA)

H.R.7831
A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a pilot program to provide selected States with an increased reimbursement for school lunches that are comprised of locally-grown and unprocessed foods, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-NY)

H.R.7842
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve protections against foreign influence at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC)

H.R.7848
A bill to divert Federal funding away from supporting the presence of police in schools and toward evidence-based and trauma informed services that address the needs of marginalized students and improve academic outcomes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA)

H.R.7872
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to authorize institutions of higher education to limit the amount of a Federal loan that an enrolled student may borrow.
Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-WI)

H.R.7887
A bill to reimburse school food authorities at the free rate for meals served during school year 2020-2021 under the school breakfast program and the school lunch program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)

S.4322
A bill to help Americans safely get back to school and back to work, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)

S.4342
A bill to establish a National Child Abuse Hotline.
Sponsor: Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)

S.4360
A bill to divert Federal funding away from supporting the presence of police in schools and toward evidence-based and trauma informed services that address the needs of marginalized students and improve academic outcomes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)

S.4388
A bill to address mental health issues for youth, particularly youth of color, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ)