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E-Update for December 2, 2016

02 Dec

E-Update for December 2, 2016

E-Update

Highlights

  • On November 23, President-elect Donald Trump selected American Federation for Children Chairwoman Betsy DeVos as his nominee for the next Secretary of Education and Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) for the next Secretary of Health and Human Services.
  • On November 28, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) issued final regulations on accountability, data reporting, and state plan provisions for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
  • On November 30, USED announced that 18 states will receive over $247 million in awards under the Preschool Development Grant program to expand access to high-quality preschool.

U.S. Congress

Rep. Virginia Foxx Selected as House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman: Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) was selected as the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Chairwoman for the 115th Congress. Upon the announcement, Rep. Foxx stated her commitment to advancing opportunities for students, workers, and employers.
December 2, 2016

Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen Selected as House Appropriations Committee Chairman: Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-NJ) was selected to serve as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee for the 115th Congress. Current Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) congratulated Rep. Frelinghuysen, noting his 21 years of service to the committee.
December 2, 2016

Rep. Virginia Foxx Details Potential Agenda as Chairwoman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee: Rep. Virginia Foxx conducted an interview for Politico in which she highlighted her potential agenda for the House Education and the Workforce Committee in the next Congress. Rep. Foxx emphasized her desire to diminish the role of the federal government in education.
December 1, 2016

House Democrats Call for Changes to Federal Student Loan Debt Collection: A group of House Democrats, including Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), sent a letter to USED Secretary John King calling for federal student loan debt collection changes. Specifically, members called for the Administration to streamline access to income-driven repayment plans in order to protect student loan borrowers from defaulting on their loans.
November 28, 2016

Current and Former Members of Congress File Amicus Brief in Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District: 118 current and formers members of Congress, including Ranking Member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott filed an amicus brief in the case of Endrew F. v. Douglas County School District, which focuses on what Congress intended when it required that school districts provide students with disabilities a “free appropriate public education” under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The brief argues “that the statute clearly intended to provide meaningful and material educational benefits to students with disabilities so that they may reach their full potential and live independent lives.”
November 21, 2016

Administration

USED Releases ESSA Final Regulations on Accountability, Data Reporting, and State Plan Provisions: USED issued final regulations on accountability, data reporting, and state plan provisions for ESSA. The final rules included some important changes to note, including new state plan submission dates of April 3, 2017 and September 18, 2017, a change from the original submission dates of March 2017 and July 2017. USED also extended the timeline for states to identify schools for comprehensive support and improvement and additional targeted support and improvement until the 2019-20 school year. The press release can be found here, a summary of the regulations here, and the full text of regulations here. The state template is available here, assurances template here, and the Dear Colleague letter here.

  • Chairman of the Senate HELP Committee Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released a statement noting that he will review the final law before deciding the appropriate action to take.
  • Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee John Kline (R-MN) released a statement noting that while the final rule reflects some improvements from initial drafts, the regulation is still flawed.
  • Ranking Member of the Senate HELP Committee Patty Murray and Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee Bobby Scott released a statement noting that while the final rule did not go as far as they would have hoped, they commend USED for listening to stakeholder feedback in crafting the final rule.

November 28, 2016

USED Secretary King Announces Resources for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System: USED Secretary King announced new resources for young people involved with the juvenile justice system, including a Dear Colleague letter to state and local leaders, a guide to help young people transition out of juvenile justice facilities, and a document outlining the biggest challenges faced by this population. The Dear Colleague letter is available here, the guide here, and the document of challenges here.
December 2, 2016

USED Awards Funding for Preschool Development Grants: USED announced that 18 states would receive over $247 million in awards under the Preschool Development Grant program. The grants are the 3rd year of awards to states working with local communities to expand access to high-quality preschool. In conjunction with the announcement, USED released a national report on Preschool Development Grants which provides a progress update, along with individual state progress reports. USED and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) also released a joint report to assist states in using existing data from early childhood programs to improve services for young children and their families. USED’s national report is available here, the state progress reports here, and USED and HHS’ joint report here.
November 30, 2016

USED Secretary King Urges States to End Corporal Punishment in Schools: USED Secretary King sent a letter to state leaders urging them to end the use of corporal punishment in schools. In the letter, USED Secretary King emphasized that in research, corporal punishment is associated with poorer academic outcomes, an increase in aggressive and defiant behavior among students, and negative effects on cognitive functions.
November 22, 2016

USED Releases Non-Regulatory Guidance for ESSA Fiscal Changes and Equitable Services Requirements: USED released non-regulatory guidance for fiscal changes and equitable services requirements under ESSA. The guidance discusses the specific changes made to parts of Title I, Title II, and Title VIII in ESSA, including Title I, Part A within-state allocations.
November 21, 2016

Presidential Transition

President-elect Trump Nominates Betsy DeVos as Next Secretary of Education: President-elect Donald Trump selected Betsy DeVos as his nominee for the next Secretary of Education. DeVos serves as the chairwoman of the American Federation for Children, which advocates for school choice. She was also a member of the board of the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd).

  • Chairman of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce John Kline released a statement applauding the nomination, calling DeVos a “tireless advocate for ensuring every child has an opportunity to receive an excellent education.”
  • Ranking Member of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Bobby Scott issued a statement congratulating DeVos and highlighting his continued commitment to protecting and promoting students’ civil rights.
  • Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander released a statement complimenting the President-elect’s choice and noted that he is looking forward to working with DeVos to reauthorize the Higher Education Act.
  • Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray issued a statement saying that she looks forward to learning more about DeVos’ positions and plans, including for early learning, and plans to engage in a robust vetting process.

November 23, 2016

President-elect Trump Nominates Rep. Tom Price as Next Secretary of Health and Human Services: President-elect Trump selected Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) as his nominee for the next Secretary of Health and Human Services. Rep. Price serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee.

  • Chairman of the House Education and the Workforce Committee John Kline released a statement applauding the choice of Rep. Price to serve as Secretary, noting that Rep. Price understands how to strengthen the social safety net and help more families achieve success.
  • Ranking Member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee Bobby Scott issued a statement adding his hope that Rep. Price will use his position as Secretary to advance evidence-based policies and work with members on both sides of the aisle.
  • Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander released a statement lauding Rep. Price as having a thorough understanding of health care policy and noted that he is looking forward to working with Rep. Price on many issues.
  • Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray released a statement noting that while she and Rep. Price have differences in their views about many issues, she is interested in hearing how Rep. Price will assist vulnerable children and families better afford and access health care.

November 29, 2016

Events

On December 12-15, USED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Texas Education Agency will conduct a series of listening sessions to hear the public’s comments regarding timely identification, evaluation, and appropriate provision of special education and related services to all eligible children with disabilities under IDEA. The press release can be found here.

On December 2-4, USED, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards and ASCD are hosting a Teach to Lead Summit on Inclusion, Equity, and Opportunity in Chicago, IL. More information can be found here.

Publications

GAO Releases Report on USED’s Income-Driven Repayment Plan Budget Estimates: The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report citing that USED should improve its income-driven repayment plan budget estimates. The report noted that USED’s income-based student loan repayment plan will cost twice as much as initially expected, largely due to the increase in popularity of the plan.
November 2016

NCES Releases New TIMSS Data: USED’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released new Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) data. The data shows that fourth and eighth grade students have made gains in math since 1995 and 2011, respectively.
November 29, 2016

NCES Examines Use of Private Education Loans: NCES released a brief examining the use of private education loans by undergraduate and graduate students. The data are drawn from three administrations of the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS).
November 29, 2016

NCES Releases Brief on Immigrant and Second Generation Undergraduate Students: NCES released a brief profiling the demographic and enrollment characteristics of undergraduates who are immigrants or children of immigrants. The report examines how proportions of this population of students have changed over time.
November 29, 2016

What Works Clearinghouse Releases a Post-Secondary Practice Guide: USED’s What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) released a practice guide for college and university administrators, advisors, and faculty. The guide includes six evidence-based recommendations for improving the success of students who are academically underprepared for college.
November 2016

Legislation:

H.Res.936
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that all students should have access to the digital tools necessary to further their education and compete in the 21st century economy.
Sponsor: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] (Introduced 11/29/2016) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and the Workforce

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