E-Update for March 13, 2023

The information covered below is from March 3, 2023 to March 9, 2023.

Highlights:

• On March 9, President Biden released his fiscal year (FY2024) budget request, which puts forth the administration’s priorities and goals for the coming fiscal year, and includes a nearly 14% increase for education programs.
• On March 8, the House Education and the Workforce Committee debated and advanced the Parents Bill of Rights Act on a party-line vote. The full House is expected to take up the bill in the coming weeks.
• On March 9, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders introduced the Pay Teachers Act, which would ensure that public school teachers earn at least $60,000 annually.

Budget & Appropriations:

President Biden releases his Fiscal Year 2024 budget request: On March 9, President Biden released his fiscal year (FY2024) budget request, which puts forth the administration’s priorities and goals for the coming fiscal year, including for USED. Specifically, President Biden requests $90 billion for USED in FY2024, which is an increase of $10.8 billion or 13.6% above the FY2023 level. Aligned to USED Secretary Miguel Cardona’s priorities for the upcoming year, the Biden Administration calls for prioritizing funding in FY2024 to address learning and funding gaps between more and less advantaged students, bolster mental health supports for students, expand access to high-quality preschool, and improve connections between the K-12 system, higher education, and the workforce.

Below are highlights of funding levels included in the President’s FY2024 budget request for key education and early learning programs:

• Early Childhood Education:
  • For core early childhood education programs with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – including Child Care and Development Block Grants (CCDBG), Head Start, and Preschool Development Grants Birth through Five (PDG B-5) – a combined increase of $2.1 billion is proposed, compared to the FY2023 levels for these programs. Specifically, CCDBG would receive a nearly $1 billion increase, Head Start a $1.1 billion increase, and Preschool Development Grants Birth to Five (PDG B-5) a $45 million increase.
  • The budget request proposes $500 million for a new demonstration program within USED to incentivize school districts to establish or expand free and high-quality preschool in school and community-based settings, including Head Start, for children eligible to attend Title I schools.
  • President Biden also once again requests mandatory funding for a universal preschool initiative. The initiative would support a federal-state partnership to provide high-quality, free preschool to all four-year-old children, with the flexibility for states to expand preschool to three-year-old children once high-quality preschool is fully available to four-year old children.
• K-12 Education:
  • The FY2024 budget request includes a $2.2 billion increase for Title I above the FY2023 level, for a total recommended amount of $20.5 billion.
  • For Special Education Grants to States (IDEA Part B), President Biden is proposing a $2.1 billion increase above the FY2023 level, for a total of $16.8 billion.
• Student Financial Assistance:
  • The President’s FY2024 budget request would set a maximum award of $8,215, an increase of $820 above the FY2023 level. The Biden Administration also once again proposes to double the maximum Pell Grant award by 2029 through mandatory funding.
  • The budget request proposes $500 million for a new grant program to support grants to community colleges to provide two-years of free community college. The program is described as laying the groundwork for the Biden Administration’s renewed mandatory funding proposal to create a federal-state partnership to provide two years free of community college to certain students. Additionally, the Biden Administration proposes through mandatory funding to provide two years of subsidized tuition for students from families earning less than $125,000 enrolled in a four-year Historically Black College and University (HBCU), Tribally Controlled College and University (TCCU), or Minority-Serving Institution (MSI).

Administration:

White House:

First Lady Jill Biden speaks about the benefits of and the Administration’s support for community colleges: On March 6, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden spoke at the Ivy Tech Community College campus in Valparaiso, Indiana to highlight the value and benefits of community colleges, specifically naming dual enrollment courses, apprenticeships, and partnerships with businesses to train workers for growing industries and well-paying jobs. Ivy Tech Community College has 43 locations across Indiana, including 19 “full-service” campuses and 24 satellite locations. Dr. Biden, who was joined by President Biden’s nominee for Secretary of Labor, Julie Su; Valparaiso Mayor Mike Murphy; Congressman Frank Mrvan (D-IN); and Deputy Secretary of Energy Dave Turk , toured the campus’ Flex Lab and met with students. These students are training for careers in clean energy and, according to Dr. Biden, “…building solar power systems and being trained to operate wind turbines…to wire homes and fix downed power lines. This program is giving them good paying jobs and protecting the planet for the next generation.” She highlighted the Administration’s funding for clean energy and infrastructure projects through the CHIPS and Science Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act.

Congress:

Senator Jeff Merkley, Representatives Jamaal Bowman and Frederica Wilson lead 15 Congressional Democrats in letter encouraging USED to increase expanding the collection of college admissions data: On March 7, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Representatives Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and 15 additional Congressional Democrats wrote a letter to USED Secretary Miguel Cardona urging the Department to better address racial and ethnic gaps in higher education access and attainment by expanding the collection of college admissions data. The letter calls attention to the “shrinking” gap in high school diploma attainment against the persistent gap in Bachelor’s degree attainment between Black, Hispanic, and Native American adults and white adults. It highlights that USED does not currently collect disaggregated data for applicants or admitted applicants based on race or ethnicity, nor other indicators of that have shown to negatively impact diversity and equity at the colleges, including on legacy preferences, early decision, or early action admissions. The letter urges USED to expand college admissions data collection to include:

1. Racial and ethnic demographic data for applications and admits, not just enrollments.
2. Whether an institution of higher education considers an alumni relation in its admissions process and, if it does, the number of applications, admits, and enrollments that fall under this category, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status when possible.
3. Whether an institution of higher education offers an early decision or early action plan as part of its admissions process and, if it does, the number of applications, admits, and enrollments that fall under this category, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status when possible.

The lawmakers conclude, “The inclusion of these three components would allow for stakeholders to track racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities throughout the entirety of the admissions process and see how the practices of legacy admissions and early decision impact access and diversity in higher education.”

Senate:

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders introduces legislation to provide a minimum salary of $60,000 to all teachers nationwide: On March 9, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the Pay Teachers Act, which would ensure that public school teachers earn at least $60,000 annually. The bill follows a town hall that Chairman Sanders held with teachers and teachers’ union leadership in February highlighting the low pay and working conditions for many teachers. The legislation, which had seven Democratic co-sponsors at introduction, would also significantly increase funding for federal education programs – including a tripling of Title I and rural education program funding – and for, according to the accompanying fact sheet, “diversifying and expanding the teacher pipeline and strengthening leadership and advancement opportunities for educators.” For states currently with an average starting salary less than $45,000 or where half of the teachers earn less than $60,000, the bill provides flexibility to allow teacher salaries to increase over time to reach the minimum $60,000 stipulated in the bill. The bill also includes “maintenance of equity” requirements into Title I, to ensure sufficient funding in high-need school districts. In a statement, Senator Sanders said, “It is simply unacceptable that, in the richest country in the history of the world, many teachers are having to work two or three extra jobs just to make ends meet.” Sanders also noted that “Wages for public school teachers are so low that in 36 states, the average public school teacher with a family of four qualifies for food stamps, public housing and other government assistance programs.”

House:

House Education and Workforce Committee advances “Parents Bill of Rights” legislation: On March 8, the House Education and Workforce Committee advanced H.R. 5, known as the “Parents Bill of Rights,” on a 25-17 party line roll call vote. The legislation was introduced on March 1, and has five pillars: (1) right to know what’s being taught in schools and to see reading material; (2) right to be heard; (3) right to see school budget and spending; (4) right to protect their child’s privacy; and (5) right to be updated on any violent activity at school. Specifically, the bill, which had 73 Republican co-sponsors at introduction, would, among other provisions, require school districts to post curriculum publicly and allow parents to review it, affirm a parent or guardian’s right to address school boards, and require schools to provide parents a list of books available in the school and classroom libraries.

In her opening remarks of the bill’s markup, Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) expressed that parents’ “right to speak freely and publicly without threat of government retaliation…is under attack.” She continued, “Parents have the right to know what schools are teaching. Parents have the right to protect their child’s privacy. Parents have a right to be heard.” During his opening remarks, Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) used his opening remarks to call the legislation “another example of Republicans’ track record of putting politics over people.” Ranking Member Scott said that Democrats supported family engagement, but “H.R. 5 does not take any meaningful steps to increase or support parental engagement.” He added that it would “create unnecessary and burdensome reporting requirements on schools” and referenced a publication from conservative think-tank the CATO Institute, calling the legislation “unconstitutional” and that “it would not give parents real power.”

Committee Republicans affirmed their support for the bill, with Congresswoman Julia Letlow (R-LA) noting that parents “should always have a seat at the table” and implied that Democrats’ opposition shows that they don’t want transparency for parents. Congressman Burgess Owens (R-UT) stated that “Parents rights are non-negotiable…a God-given right that parents shouldn’t relinquish to their children.”

Throughout the bill markup, Committee Democrats voiced opposition to the bill for a number of reasons, first calling attention to the rights of parents that already exist at the federal, state, and local level, and indicating that the legislation is duplicative and unnecessary. Members expressed frustration that the Committee was considering legislation that they believed did not address the current issues facing public education and ensuring that all students have access to high-quality education. Additionally, Democrats noted that the bill would create new mandates and reporting requirements that could have an undue burden on school leaders, and vagueness in parts of the bill’s language related to student data privacy provisions could have greater implications.

A number of amendments were offered by both sides of the aisle. Some of the Republican amendments passed include:

• An amendment from Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) that requires schools to obtain parental consent for using a student’s preferred name or pronouns, or notify parents if the school allows a student to use locker rooms or bathrooms that align with their gender identity.
• An amendment from Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) which states, “Educators, policymakers, elected officials, Executive Branch officials and employees … should never seek to use law enforcement to criminalize the lawfully expressed concerns of parents about their children’s education.”
• An amendment from Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) to support opportunities to learn about the history of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism, which received bipartisan support.
• An amendment from Rep. Eric Burlison (R-MO) which ensures that parents have the right to review teacher professional development materials.
• An amendment from Rep. Joe Courtney (R-CT) which prohibits federal control over curriculum.

Some of the Democratic amendments passed include:

• An amendment from Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC) which notes that all schools should have access to broadband.
• An amendment from Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) that allows video conferencing as an option for parents to meet with teachers.

Republicans blocked most of amendments offered by Democrats, including one offered by Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) that would substitute the legislation for a resolution encouraging all stakeholders in the education system to work together to support students and providing a list of comprehensive rights for parents under federal law that already encourage parent engagement and thus render H.R. 5 unnecessary. Other amendments offered by Democrats that were defeated included: support to boost diversity in schools, grants for teacher training, increasing access to school meals, prohibiting book bans and censorship in schools, and prohibiting banning ethnic and gender studies courses, including those on LGBTQ+, Latino, Native American and Black history, among other issues.

During the March 8 session, the Committee also marked up H.R. 734, the “Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2023,” which would explicitly update the Education Amendments of 1972 to codify that “sex” shall represent a “person’s reproductive biology and genetics at birth.” Chairwoman Foxx stated that the bill would “strengthen the law’s existing protections for women” while Ranking Member Scott called the bill part of an “extreme agenda” to “[politicize] students’ education.” H.R. 734 also passed on a 25-17 party line roll call vote and both pieces of legislation now head to the House for a vote. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise indicated that the vote will take place in the next two weeks.

House Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott leads Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Democrats in introducing legislation to lower cost of college: On March 9, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), Higher Education and Workforce Development (HEWD) Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (D-FL), and seven additional House Democrats introduced legislation aimed at lowering the cost of college for student borrowers and their families. Named the “Lowering Obstacles to Achievement Now (LOAN) Act,” the bill would:

• Double the federal Pell Grant by increasing the maximum award over five years to $14,000;
• Improve the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PLSF) program by shortening the time to forgiveness and broadly codifying the current PSLF waiver;
• Make loans less expensive by expanding access to subsidized loans, eliminating capitalization of interest including after forbearance and deferment, and creating a safety net for vulnerable borrowers; and
• Lower interest rates by tying interest rates for all new Federal student loans to the ten-year Treasury note—but ensuring that no new loan has an interest rate higher than five percent—and allowing both federal and private borrowers to take advantage of these lower rates.

Announcing the legislation, Ranking Member Scott said, “By making loans cheaper to take out and easier to pay off, the LOAN Act will help improve the lives of student loan borrowers—both now and in the future.” A fact sheet on the LOAN Act is here and a title-by-title explanation for the LOAN Act is here.

Upcoming Events (Congress & Administration):

• On March 14 from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm, the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders will conduct an open meeting. The commission will meet to discuss full and draft recommendations by the Commission’s six Subcommittees on ways to advance equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. The Subcommittees are: Belonging, Inclusion, Anti-Asian Hate, Anti-Discrimination; Data Disaggregation; Language Access; Economic Equity; Health Equity; and Immigration and Citizenship Status. The agenda for the meeting has not yet been released. More information is here.
• On March 23, the House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee will hold a public witness hearing. Witnesses have yet to be announced. Written testimony to be included as part of the hearing record will be accepted until March 23. More information and instructions for submitting written testimony are here.
• On March 30 from 9:00 am PST/12:00 pm EST to 4:00 pm PST/7:00 pm EST, the Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship within the U.S. Department of Labor will conduct an open meeting. The primary purpose of the meeting will be an in-depth focus on non-traditional apprenticeship programs in Tech, Early Childhood Education, and the Care Economy. The discussion will include an early educator apprentice panel, insights on tech apprenticeship site visits, and barriers to expanding apprenticeship in the care economy. More information is here.

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On March 13 at 4:00 pm, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host an event titled, “The Role of Implicit Bias in Early Childhood Settings.” Walter Gilliam, the recently named executive director of the Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the University of Nebraska, will present research on implicit bias and the implications it has on the early childhood workforce and children in early learning settings. Linda Smith, Director of the Early Childhood Initiative at BPC will also speak on methods to tackle implicit bias in early education. More information and registration are here.
• On March 14 from 3:00 to 4:30 pm, the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) will host a webinar titled, “Summer and OST: Smart Investments Outside of School to Accelerate Learning.” The session will deep dive into the research demonstrating the impact of out of school time (OST) programs and explore the trends in state and district investments. Presenters will also provide background into what constitutes high-quality programming that ensures students are engaged in learning and having fun. The webinar will be moderated by John Gomperts at CGLR and feature insights from Brodrick Clarke, National Summer Learning Association; Jen Rinehart, Afterschool Alliance; Kate Landes, GA Statewide Afterschool Network; Dan McNeil, Spring Forward, IL; Sarah Resch, Camp Whitcomb/Mason, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee; and Kathy Ruggeberg. Ph.D., Rock Island-Milan School District. More information here.
• On March 14 at 2:00 pm, SchoolHouse Connection and Poverty Solutions at the University of Michigan will host a webinar titled, “Data to Action: How to Use New Searchable Data Profiles to Improve Practice and Policy for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness.” The webinar will explore recently-released data to educate community members, educators, and policymakers about the prevalence and the impact of child and youth homelessness, and explore whether local school districts may be under-identifying children and youth experiencing homelessness. Additionally, participants will learn how to understand patterns of federal funding and its impact on youth identification for support. More information is here.
• On March 15 at 1:00 pm, the Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) will host a webinar titled, “Recession-Proofing Higher Education.” The webinar will feature a discussion about how economic recessions disrupt state budgets and spending on higher education, further driving up the cost of college. Presenters include: Sophia Laderman, Associate Vice President at State Higher Education Executive Officers; Michele Shepard, Senior Director of College Affordability at The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS); and Natalie Butler, Research Analyst at BPC. More information and registration here.
• On March 16 at 2:00 pm, Education Week will host a webinar titled, “How to Motivate All Students and Keep Them Engaged.” The webinar will highlight strategies schools and educators from across the country are using to keep K-12 students engaged, motivated, and on track academically. More information and registration here.

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On March 6, the Learning Policy Institute published a new report titled, “Evidence for Social and Emotional Learning in Schools.” The report follows 12 independent meta-analyses of school-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, and presents the evidence on the effects of social and emotional learning programs in PreK–12 schools. Key findings show that SEL programs promote the development of social and emotional competencies, which in turn facilitates positive, prosocial behaviors and positive relationships with others. The report also showed that SEL programs reduce disruptive behavior problems and emotional distress, and increase students’ engagement in learning, improving students’ cognitive and academic performance. Author Mark T. Greenberg made recommendations for future SEL research, including studies that would examine impacts for SEL programs on development over time and identify the best ways for programs to promote equity and cultural competence.
• On March 9, Navigator Research released new poll results in a report titled, “Americans are Prioritizing Safety and Quality Education While Rejecting Book Bans and Restricted Curriculums.” The results showed that “Keeping children safe from gun violence” is the top priority for both Democratic and Republican parents, which polled at 51 percent. Other major priorities include making sure children learn the things they need to know to be successful (51%), and protecting children’s mental health (36%). Additionally, “Children not learning the material they need to know to be successful” is the top concern across party lines and among parents.
• On March 9, Excelencia in Education released a new fact sheet titled, “Latinas at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs).” The fact sheet provides an overview of the Latina population in the U.S., and analyzes college enrollment and educational attainment of Latinas at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). Key findings show that degree attainment for Latinas at HSIs increased by 52 percent between 2015 and 2020 compared to 44 percent for Latinos. The analysis also showed that in 2021, 53 percent of Latina adults had earned a high school diploma or less as their highest educational attainment, while 29 percent had earned an associate degree or higher. Additionally, by 2020, 43 percent of all women earning degrees at HSIs are Latinas, up from 35 percent in 2015.

Legislation:

Introduced in the House of Representatives:

H.R. 1371
A bill to improve Federal student loan disclosures, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)

H.R. 1374
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit the imposition of COVID-19 vaccine mandates by institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-NY)

H.R. 1387
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to increase civics education programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)

H.R. 1403
A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a new national program to support mid-career workers, including workers from underrepresented populations, in reentering the STEM workforce, by providing funding to small- and medium-sized STEM businesses so the businesses can offer paid internships or other returnships that lead to positions above entry level.
Sponsor: Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA)

H.R. 1415
A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants to hire and retain school social workers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)

H.R. 1424
A bill to amend the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 to extend additional reimbursement rates for certain child nutrition programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA)

H.R. 1429
A bill to provide for a Federal partnership to ensure educational equity and quality.
Sponsor: Rep. David Trone (D-MD)

H.R. 1436
A bill to provide additional funding for scholarships for students at 1890 institutions.
Sponsor: Rep. David Scott (D-GA)

H.R. 1477
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit certain expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials to be treated as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts.
Sponsor: Rep. Robert Wittman (R-VA)

H.R. 1516
A bill to establish Department of Homeland Security funding restrictions on institutions of higher education that have a relationship with Confucius Institutes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX)

H.R. 1524
A bill to provide for equal protection of the law and to prohibit discrimination and preferential treatment on the basis of race, color, or national origin in Federal actions, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-WI)

H.Res. 203
A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week beginning March 5, 2023, as “School Social Work Week”.
Sponsor: Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)

Introduced in the Senate:

S. 656
A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to revise the rules for approval by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs of commercial driver education programs for purposes of veterans education assistance, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE)

S. 662
A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a new national program to support mid-career workers, including workers from underrepresented populations, in re-entering the STEM workforce, by providing funding to small- and medium-sized STEM businesses so the businesses can offer paid internships or other returnships that lead to positions above entry level.
Sponsor: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

S. 667
A bill to provide for a Federal partnership to ensure educational equity and quality
Sponsor: Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD)

S. 673
A bill to allow nonprofit child care providers to participate in certain loan programs of the Small Business Administration, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

S. 704
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for interest-free deferment on student loans for borrowers serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program.
Sponsor: Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV)

S. 722
A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to permit certain expenses associated with obtaining or maintaining recognized postsecondary credentials to be treated as qualified higher education expenses for purposes of 529 accounts.
Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

S. 749
A bill to ensure that the National Advisory Council on Indian Education includes at least 1 member who is the president of a Tribal College or University and to require the Secretaries of Education and Interior to consider the National Advisory Council on Indian Education’s reports in the preparation of budget materials.
Sponsor: Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE)

S. 754
A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to modify requirements for local school wellness policies.
Sponsor: Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)

S. 766
A bill to ensure that teachers are paid a livable and competitive salary throughout their career, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Bernie Sander (I-VT)

S. 768
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to disclose certain ties to organizations affiliated with the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and the People’s Liberation Army, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA)