E-Update for September 18, 2015
U.S Congress
Kline and Foxx Issue Joint Statement on Administration’s Federal Student Aid Announcement: House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN) and Higher Education and Workforce Training Subcommittee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a joint statement regarding the Administration’s change to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It reads as follows: “Streamlining the federal student aid process has long been a bipartisan priority. This change will help students and families make smarter, timelier decisions about paying for a college education. But make no mistake, this announcement comes at a cost to taxpayers, and it seems the administration has no responsible plan to pay for it.”
September 14, 2015
Murray Issues Statement Supporting Administration’s Plan to Simplify the Financial Aid Process: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a statement in support of the Administration’s action to allow students and families to apply for financial aid earlier and use tax information from the prior-prior year to finalize their FAFSA. “Allowing students to apply for aid earlier and with more accurate financial information will help students and their families find affordable college options more easily and make better informed decisions about their educational careers,” said Senator Murray.
September 14, 2015
House Education and Workforce Committee Republicans Grade Administration’s Scorecard Incomplete: The House Education and the Workforce Committee released an article questioning the value of the Administration’s new College Scorecard. The article claimed the Scorecard was, judging by the reviews, “incomplete” due to its “confusing, misleading, and, in some cases, irrelevant information.”
September 16, 2015
Murray Releases GAO Report Highlighting the Importance of Income-Driven Repayment Plans: Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) released a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that highlights the importance of borrower relief options for students struggling to repay their loans. The report found that the majority of participants in income-driven repayment plans are low-income, and that borrowers using these plans are much less likely to default.
September 16, 2015
Delaney Introduces Legislation to Create Nationwide Access to Pre-K: Congressman John Delaney (D-MD) introduced legislation, The Early Learning Act, to create nationwide access to free pre-K for four-year-old children. The bill would provide federal funding to state governments to establish or expand their pre-K programs. The bill would be funded by a 1.5% increase on individual income, dividends, and capital gains above $500,000.
September 17, 2015
Members of Congress Introduce Bill to Restore Pell Eligibility for Students: Members of Congress, led by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) introduced the Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2015. The bill would restore Pell Grant eligibility for students who attended an institution of higher education that closed due to certain violations. “Students who are defrauded by an unethical college or who lose their academic credits when a school closes are entitled to student loan relief, but under current law they cannot restore their eligibility for Pell Grants,” said Secretary Duncan.
September 16, 2015
Scott and Murray Introduce WAGE Act to Strengthen Protections for Workers: Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) introduced the Workplace Action for a Growing Economy (WAGE) Act, which would amend the National Labor Relations Act to strengthen protections for workers who seek to raise wages and improve workplace conditions. Further, it aims to crack down on employers who break the law when workers exercise their right to collective action.
September 16, 2015
U.S Department of Education
White House Releases Fact Sheet on President’s Plan to Simplify Federal Financial Aid: The White House released a fact sheet that detailed President Obama’s plan for improving college choice and helping more American’s pay for college. As part of the plan, the President announced a new initiative to allow students and families to apply for financial aid earlier, starting in October as the college application period begins, rather than in January. Also, students will be able to electronically retrieve tax information filed for a prior-prior year, rather than waiting until tax season to complete their applications. President Obama also renewed his call for Congress to further simplify the FAFSA by removing questions regarding savings, investments, and net worth, and eliminating questions related to untaxed income that are not reported to the Internal Revenue Service.
September 13, 2015
USED Releases New College Scorecard: USED announced the release of their new College Scorecard. The College Scorecard is in place of the College Ratings system proposed by USED. They released both an extensive dataset and a tool to provide students reliable data on college cost, graduation, debt, and post-college earnings. The dataset includes information from the Department of the Treasury on student loan repayment rates, and the IRS on post-college income. By combining those data with existing information on graduation rates and costs, students, parents, and advisors are able to examine outcomes in ways that were not previously feasible. Scorecard.
September 13, 2015
USED and HHS Urge Early Learning Programs to Include Children with Disabilities: USED and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released guidance urging early learning programs to include children with disabilities. The guidance recommends states, districts, schools, and public and private early childhood programs prioritize and implement policies that support inclusion, improve their infrastructure, and offer professional development to strengthen and increase the number of inclusive high-quality early childhood programs nationwide. “Meaningful inclusion supports children with disabilities in reaching their full potential. We know that children with disabilities, including those with the most significant disabilities and the highest needs, can make significant developmental and learning progress in inclusive settings,” said Linda K. Smith, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Development , U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “Children without disabilities who are in inclusive settings can also show positive gains in developmental, social and attitudinal outcomes.”
September 14, 2015
USED Announces First-Ever Open Education Adviser: The Department of Education (USED) announced the hiring of Andrew Marcinek as an Open Education Advisor, a new position created to focus on helping K-12 and higher education connect with teaching, learning, and research resources in the public domain that are freely available to anyone over the web.
September 16, 2015
President Obama Signs Executive Order to Leverage Behavioral Science for Federal Programs: President Obama signed an executive order that directs Federal agencies to use behavioral science insights to better serve the American people. The order also formally established the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team (SBST), which aims to translate findings and methods from the field into improvements for Federal policies and programs. Along with the order, the Administration released the first SBST Annual Report, which contains results from SBST’s initial portfolio of projects with Federal agencies. One of the findings was that reminder emails to Federal student-loan borrowers who missed their first payment led to a 29 percent increase in the number of borrowers making a payment.
September 15, 2015
USED Supports Symposium on Asian American and Pacific Islander Data Disaggregation: USED announced the start of the iCount: Equity through Representation symposium, which convened representatives from a variety of institutions and organizations to bring attention to the need for data disaggregation to better represent and support the unique needs of a diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) student population in education. “AAPIs face the challenge of the model minority myth—an assumption of uniformly high achievement—when in fact AAPI communities often face barriers to education due to socioeconomic factors, refugee status, limited English proficiency, and poverty,” said Kiran Ahuja, executive director of the White House Initiative on AAPIs.
September 14, 2015
Secretary Duncan Issues Statement on National Hispanic Heritage Month: U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the start of the nation’s annual observation of Hispanic Heritage Month. “This occasion affords us an opportunity to recognize the vital and increasingly important role that Hispanics play in the nation’s education system and the tremendous progress they have made in education,” said Duncan. “Numbering more than 54 million people, which includes a quarter of our preK-12 student population, and more than 2 million students in higher education, Hispanics are the largest, youngest, and fastest-growing population in the country. They are an ever-larger segment of the American workforce, so it is critical that we make investments that increase access to a quality education, and support postsecondary completion.”
September 15, 2015
Secretary Duncan Announces Principal and Teacher Ambassador Fellows: Secretary Duncan announced the four principals to be the Department’s Principal Ambassador Fellows for the 2015-2016 school year. “The inaugural class of Principal Ambassador Fellows made tremendous contributions to our work at the Department,” said Duncan. “I am excited to work with this new team to bring attention to the essential role of great school leaders in creating great school environments for students. We must do more to recognize our school principals and their work, especially on behalf of students coming from some of the most challenging circumstances.” This announcement follows the Secretary’s announcement on September 11 of the nine teachers selected to be Teaching Ambassador Fellows. Press release on principals. Press release on teachers.
September 15, 2015
Events
On September 22, the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus will host a Congressional briefing entitled, “Postsecondary Pathways to Success: Strengthening Career and Technical Education in the Higher Education Act.” The briefing will include a panel of practitioners and policymakers who will identify the opportunities and challenges faced by postsecondary career and technical education programs and institutions. The event will begin at 2:30 in room 385 of the Russell Senate Building. RSVP to Sean Lynch.
On September 22, ASCD will host a conversation on how to best use data from the 2015 CCSS-aligned assessments with the following panelists: Aimee Guidera, CEO of the Data Quality Campaign; Dallas Dance, Superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools; and Michael Kirst, President of the California State Board of Education. Register here.
New Legislation
H.R.3474 : Christopher Bryski Student Loan Protection Act
Sponsor: Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-9] (introduced 9/10/2015) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Financial Services; House Education and the Workforce
H.R.3502 : Tribal Nutrition Improvement Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Lujan Grisham, Michelle [NM-1] (introduced 9/11/2015) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
H.R.3512 : Pell Grant Restoration Act of 2015
Sponsor: Rep Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [VA-3] (introduced 9/16/2015) Cosponsors (48)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
S.2014 : Next Generation Researchers Act
Sponsor: Sen Baldwin, Tammy [WI] (introduced 9/9/2015) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.2037 : A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to clarify the Federal Pell Grant duration limits of borrowers who attend an institution of higher education that closes or commits fraud or other misconduct, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Boxer, Barbara [CA] (introduced 9/16/2015) Cosponsors (4)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.2043 : A bill to revise counseling requirements for certain borrowers of student loans and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] (introduced 9/16/2015) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
S.2050 : A bill to provide for the establishment of a mechanism to allow borrowers of private education loans to refinance their loans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Heitkamp, Heidi [ND] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
H.R.3542 : To provide support for pre-kindergarten education through an Early Education Trust Fund, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Delaney, John K. [MD-6] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce; House Ways and Means
H.R.3551 : To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require additional reporting on crime and harm that occurs during student participation in programs of study abroad, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Maloney, Sean Patrick [NY-18] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
H.R.3532 : To amend the fresh fruit and vegetable program under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to include canned, dried, frozen, or pureed fruits and vegetables.
Sponsor: Rep Poliquin, Bruce [ME-2] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
H.R.3535 : To promote and ensure delivery of high quality special education and related services to students with visual disabilities or who are deaf or hard of hearing or deaf-blind through instructional methodologies meeting their unique learning needs; to enhance accountability for the provision of such services, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Cartwright, Matt [PA-17] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (8)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
H.R.3540 : To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to make improvements to the food safety education program carried out under such Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Cardenas, Tony [CA-29] (introduced 9/17/2015) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: House Agriculture
H.R.3514 : WAGE Act
Sponsor: Rep Scott, Robert C. “Bobby” [VA-3] (introduced 9/16/2015) Cosponsors (38)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
S.2042 : WAGE Act
Sponsor: Sen Murray, Patty [WA] (introduced 9/16/2015) Cosponsors (9)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Publications
Comparing Success Rates for General and Credit Recovery Courses Online and Face to Face: Results for Florida High School Courses: This report describes the results of a REL Southeast study comparing student success in online credit recovery and general courses taken online compared to traditional face-to-face courses. Credit recovery occurs when a student fails a course and then retakes the same course to earn high school credit. This research question was motivated by the high use of online learning in the Southeast, particularly as a method to help students engage in credit recovery. The results show that the likelihood of a student earning a grade of C or better was higher when a course was taken online than when taken face-to-face, both for general courses and credit recovery courses. However, it is not possible to determine whether these consistent differences in course outcomes are attributable to greater student learning, other factors such as differences in student characteristics, or differences in grading standards.
September 15, 2015