News and Press - EducationCounsel

E-Update for the Week of September 14, 2020

Highlights:

On September 10, the Senate failed to move forward with debate on S.178, the “Delivering Immediate Relief to America’s Families, Schools and Small Businesses Act,” which is the latest targeted or “skinny” coronavirus relief bill drafted by Senate Republicans.
On September 10, the House Education and Labor Civil Rights and Human Services Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “On the Basis of Sex: Examining the Administration’s Attacks on Gender-Based Protections.” The hearing focused on implementation of federal law and regulations related to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
On September 4, a third federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) interim final rule related to equitable services provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act was illegal and that USED Secretary Betsy DeVos lacked the authority to add conditions to the funding appropriated by Congress.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of September 11. Given the fast-moving nature of congressional and […]

September 14, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of September 7, 2020

Highlights:

On September 3, U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Betsy DeVos sent a letter to chief state school officers regarding the Department’s plans to not issue waivers for federal requirements related to statewide assessments. In the letter, Secretary DeVos notes that several states have already inquired or submitted waiver requests for the 2020-2021 school year; however, the Secretary says that states “should not anticipate waivers being granted” this school year.
On September 2, USED announced that it intends to offer waivers to State education agencies (SEAs) to allow the use of federal funding under the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) program to provide services during the school day for the 2020-2021 school year.
On August 31, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Department would extend flexibilities related to the Summer Food Service Program and the Seamless Summer Option through December 31, 2020. The flexibilities will allow schools to continue serving meals to students, even if a school remains closed due to the pandemic.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus […]

September 8, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of August 31, 2020

Highlights:

On August 26, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) urging the Department to reverse its decision to not extend school meal flexibilities through the entire 2020-2021 school year.
On August 26, House Education and Labor Committee Ranking Member Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and 24 Republican Members sent a letter to USDA urging the Department to extend the flexibilities needed for schools to continue providing meals to students while schools remain closed.
On August 26, a second federal judge blocked implementation of U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Betsy DeVos’s interim final rule regarding equitable services provisions for funding received as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of August 28. Given the fast-moving nature of congressional and administrative actions to address the growing pandemic, we will do our best to update this […]

August 31, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of August 24, 2020

Highlights:

On August 21, U.S. District Court Judge Barbara J. Rothstein granted the state of Washington’s motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the implementation of the interim final rule issued by U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Betsy DeVos regarding the distribution of Coronavirus Aid, Relief & Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to private schools.
On August 18, Republicans released a draft proposal to provide coronavirus relief funding which would be a scaled-back or “skinny” version of the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protections & Schools (HEALS) package introduced by Senate Republicans in July.
On August 18, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued guidance formally declaring teachers as essential workers.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of August 21. 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:
Scott, Murray seeking more guidance on supporting the child care sector: House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) […]

August 24, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of August 17, 2020

Highlights:

On August 13, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) notified Yale University that the Department, “has determined that the university has violated, and is continuing to violate, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by discriminating on the basis of race and national origin in its undergraduate admissions with respect to domestic non-transfer applicants to Yale College.”
On August 13, the Senate went into recess until September 8. The Senate joins the House, which has been in recess since August 7, in leaving Washington without a deal on a next coronavirus relief package.
On August 12, the White House held an event titled, “Kids First: Getting America’s Children Safely Back to School.” Relatedly, later that day, the White House issued a brief set of recommendations for how schools can reopen safely.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of August 14. 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 […]

August 17, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of August 10, 2020

Highlights:

On August 6, President Donald Trump tweeted that he has directed his staff to begin drafting several Executive Orders so that he can take action on extending student loan relief, offering enhanced unemployment insurance benefits, and extending a federal moratorium on evictions.
On August 6, the House Oversight Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis held a remote hearing titled, “Challenges to Safely Reopening K-12 Schools.” The Subcommittee heard testimony from former U.S. Department of Education (USED) Secretary Arne Duncan and from educators.
On July 31, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) met to discuss how to recommend the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) should prepare for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The Board approved a resolution advising IES to continue preparing to administer the NAEP in 2021 for reading and math unless “accurate reporting… is not technically possible.”

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of August 7. Given the fast-moving nature of congressional and administrative actions to address the growing pandemic, we will do […]

August 10, 2020 E-Update

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 […]

August 3, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of July 27, 2020

Highlights:

On July 22 and 23, details began to emerge for what Senate Republicans will include in their proposed fourth coronavirus relief bill. According to multiple reports, including POLITICO, the $1 trillion package will include $15 billion for childcare and $105 billion for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education programs.
On July 23, the CDC published new guidance to support child care and schools in planning to reopen. The CDC published supplemental guidance, to its earlier publications, focused on how schools should consider the latest science related to transmission risk, and the costs and benefits of opening schools.
On July 20, the House Appropriations Committee announced that the full House will consider a seven-bill minibus including various fiscal year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills. The minibus, H.R.7617, will include the FY2021 spending bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS).

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of July 24. Given the fast-moving nature of congressional and administrative actions to address the growing pandemic, we […]

July 27, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of July 20, 2020

Highlights:

On July 14, Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released the “Back to Work Child Care Grants Act of 2020.”
On July 13, the full House Appropriations Committee completed a markup of the FY 2021 Labor/HHS appropriations bill. The bill was reported favorably out of Committee by a 30-22 partisan vote.
On July 13, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) sent a Dear Colleague Letter to outline the House floor schedule for the rest of July. Included in the letter, the Majority Leader indicated that during the week of July 27, the House could consider the next coronavirus relief package, which will be dependent on action in the Senate.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of July 17. 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:
Congressional Democrats calls for investigation into USED implementation of CARES: Senate Health, Education, Labor, […]

July 20, 2020 E-Update

E-Update for the Week of July 13, 2020

Highlights:

This week, the White House called attention to the importance of reopening schools for in-person classes this fall through a series of events, briefings, and statements.
On July 7, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) authored an Op/Ed in USA Today advocating, “any additional financial relief considered by Congress to businesses to aid in the economic recovery should prioritize child care providers and schools.”
On July 7, attorneys general for Michigan, California, the District of Columbia, Maine, New Mexico, and Wisconsin filed a complaint against the interim final rule issued by USED outlining how schools could comply with the equitable services requirement for funding included in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Coronavirus (as related to education issues):
Note that all information related to the coronavirus (or COVID-19) is up to date as of July 10. 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:
House:
House higher education panel explores future of postsecondary education: The House Education and Labor Subcommittee […]

July 13, 2020 E-Update