The information covered below is from March 15, 2024, through March 28, 2024. Updated information for this week will be included in our next publication.

Highlights:

• On March 23, President Biden signed H.R.2882, the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” which provides federal funding for several agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, through the September 30, 2024.

• On March 22, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) within the U.S. Department of Education (USED) released a statement announcing an error in how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) formula was calculated and later issued an updated timeline for the processing of school year 2024-25 FAFSA forms.

• On March 21, the House Education and the Workforce Committee conducted a markup and reported out of the Committee several bills related to charter schools, college accreditation, and free speech on college campuses.

Administration:

White House:

White House holds “SAVE Day of Action” to promote enrollment in Administration’s income-driven repayment plan: On March 27, the White House launched a “SAVE Day of Action” to call attention to the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) income-driven repayment plan, first announced by the Administration in August 2023. Among other provisions, the SAVE Plan cuts in half the amount that undergraduate loan borrowers have to pay each month from 10% to 5% of discretionary income. The SAVE plan also raises the amount of income that is considered non-discretionary income, and therefore, is protected from repayment, guaranteeing that no borrower earning under 225% of the federal poverty level makes a monthly payment. During the “Day of Action,” organizations and businesses, such as, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the Kresge Foundation, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children agreed to widely share information on the benefits of the SAVE plan with their members and employees through webinars and other materials. Federal Student Aid Chief Operating Officer Richard Cordray also spoke throughout the day at a series of webinars across the country about the benefits of the SAVE Plan for federal student loan borrowers. USED will also co-host with other federal agencies a public webinar series for borrowers the week of April 22, 2024. Additionally, the Council of Economic Advisors released a new report that highlights how the SAVE Plan will help low- and middle-income borrowers, those in public service, and community college graduates, among other borrowers by lowering – and in many cases, eliminating – monthly payments, preventing balance growth, and potentially shortening time to forgiveness.

 

U.S. Department of Education (USED):

USED facing continued challenges with new FAFSA rollout, including FAFSA calculation errors, issues updated FAFSA processing timeline: On March 22, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) within USED released a statement announcing an error in how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) formula was calculated. Education Week highlighted “the miscalculation means colleges and universities have received incorrect financial information for ‘several hundred thousand’ applicants, according to the association that represents college and university financial aid officers.” The miscalculation impacts certain Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) delivered to institutions prior to March 21, 2024, according to the Department’s statement. Additionally, the Department stated, “To date, we have delivered over 1.3 million ISIRs to schools that are NOT affected by this issue, and schools can process those records as planned. The Department has also resolved the issue for all ISIRs delivered on and after March 21, 2024.” FSA explained that “the FAFSA Processing System (FPS) was not including all data fields needed to correctly calculate the Student Aid Index (SAI) for dependent students who reported assets… This resulted in an SAI that was lower than expected and an inaccurate total Student Contribution from Assets value.” Following the March 22 statement, National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NAFSAA) President & CEO Justin Draeger said in a statement, “This is another unforced error that will likely cause more processing delays for students. At this stage in the game and after so many delays, every error adds up and will be felt acutely by every student who is counting on need-based financial aid to make their postsecondary dreams a reality.”

Separately, on March 25, FSA issued an updated timeline for the processing of school year 2024-25 FAFSA forms. The updated timeline states that students will be able to make updates and corrections to their FAFSA forms in the first half of April, shortly after which USED will start reprocessing those forms. Additionally, FSA plans to issue EDExpress 2024–25 Release 2.0, which includes the Pell Grant and Direct Loan modules, during the second half of April. To date, USED has processed more than 4.3 million FAFSA forms and delivered ISIRs to the majority of schools, states, and designated scholarship organizations.

USED issues Dear Colleague letter to state education chiefs encouraging actions to address student chronic absenteeism: On March 22, USED Secretary Miguel Cardona issued a Dear Colleague letter to state education chiefs outlining three key actions to address chronic absenteeism of students. The letter references USED’s 2024 Improving Student Achievement Agenda, of which student attendance is one of three major focal points. Secretary Cardona writes that states can bolster student attendance efforts by supporting interventions identified in their state's Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) Consolidated State plan, accessing USED resources to identify the best methods to increase attendance, and investing any remaining American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in evidence-based attendance strategies. In conjunction with the Dear Colleague letter, Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and USED Deputy Secretary Cindy Marten met with members of the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) to discuss chronic absenteeism, as well as high-dosage tutoring and summer learning and out-of-school time learning, which are also key components of USED’s Student Achievement Agenda.

Biden Administration announces nearly $6 billion in student debt cancellation for public service workers: On March 21, the Biden Administration announced the approval of $5.8 billion in student debt relief for 77,700 public service workers through fixes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The debt relief will be issued to borrowers who qualified under the limited PSLF waiver, as well as regulatory improvements made to the program. President Biden said in a statement, “These public service workers have dedicated their careers to serving their communities, but because of past administrative failures, never got the relief they were entitled to under the law.” Total relief through PSLF is now $62.5 billion for 871,000 borrowers since October 2021.

Institute of Education Sciences (IES) Director term ends, USED expected to name an Interim Director: On March 28, the term ended for IES Director Mark Schneider. Schneider had served a six-year term after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate on March 23, 2018. In a blog released by Schneider, the former IES Director addressed the conclusion of his tenure. Schneider stated, “As many of you may know, I am approaching the end of my term as director of IES. As I myself was surprised to learn last week, my last day is March 28, and my government email will only be active until then. Although I am not sure exactly what the next step in my "journey" will be, I want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who took the time to read and comment on my blogs and for the generous support I have received over these past six years as I tried to prod IES into a more modern vision of education R&D.” USED is expected to name an Interim Director of IES in the coming days.

USED Secretary Cardona travels to Pennsylvania to discuss importance of Latino engagement, career pathways, apprenticeship programs, and Full-Service Community Schools: On March 20, USED Secretary Miguel Cardona traveled to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to meet with local leaders and discuss the need for increasing career pathways, especially in areas that support the Latino community. During the meeting, Secretary Cardona heard directly from members of the Latino community about their specific needs and ways to improve engagement. The Secretary then toured Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology where he learned about career and technical education (CTE) and apprenticeship programming at the school. Secretary Cardona also toured George Washington Elementary School, a full-service community school, where he heard from school leaders about enhanced mental health programming efforts and spoke to students about the connection between music and mental health. Secretary Cardona said of the program, “Through their community school strategy, Washington Elementary has woven together a variety of partnerships to provide students with the resources and supports they need to be successful.”

 

Congress:

Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 funding bills signed into law finalizing funding for all federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year: On March 23, President Biden signed H.R. 2882, the “Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” which provides federal funding for several agencies, including the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, through the September 30, 2024. The $1.2 trillion bill, which is a package of six individual appropriations bills, passed by a vote of 286-134 in the House, with 112 Republicans and 22 Democrats voting against the bill. In the Senate, the final vote on the measure was 74-24, with one Democrat, one Independent, and 22 Republicans voting against the bill in the Senate. Regarding the bill, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) stated, “I’m proud to be sending a $1 billion increase in funding for child care and early learning programs to President Biden’s desk.” After signing the bill, President Biden also issued a statement noting, “The bipartisan funding bill I just signed keeps the government open, invests in the American people, and strengthens our economy and national security…it rejects extreme cuts from House Republicans and expands access to child care, invests in cancer research, funds mental health and substance use care, advances American leadership abroad, and provides resources to secure the border that my Administration successfully fought to include.”

Below are highlights of funding levels included in the FY2024 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations bill for key education and early learning programs:

• Early Childhood Education:

  • Core early childhood education programs administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services received a combined increase of $1 billion compared to the FY2023 levels for these programs. Specifically, the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) received $8.7 billion, a $725 million increase over the FY2023 level, and Head Start received $12.3 billion, a $275 million increase over the FY2023 level.

  • The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) program was funded at $315 million, maintaining the FY2023 level.

• K-12 Education:

  • The FY2024 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill increased funding for the Title I program by $20 million over the FY2023 level to $18.4 billion.

  • For Special Education Grants to States (IDEA Part B), the FY2024 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill provided a $20 million increase over the FY2023 level to $14.2 billion.

• Student Financial Assistance:

  • The FY2024 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill maintains the maximum Pell Grant level at $7,395 for the 2024-2025 school year, including $6,335 in discretionary funding plus $1,060 in mandatory funding. There is no rescission from the Pell Grant surplus.

  • The Federal Work-Study program received level funding of $1.2 billion for FY2024.

Senate:

Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy requests hearing with USED Secretary Cardona: On March 21, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) wrote to Senate HELP Committee Chairman Bernie Sanders (I-VT) urging a Committee hearing to be held with USED Secretary Miguel Cardona to discuss the President’s FY2025 budget request for USED and “and the Department’s failure to fulfill its basic responsibilities as mandated by Congress.” The request expresses concern with the Department’s proposed budget request to “slash” funding for charter schools by $40 million, “limiting families’ options to find the best education for their children.” Ranking Member Cassidy continues that USED “has shown a concerning track record of spending taxpayer money on politically motivated projects rather than implementing congressionally-mandated programs meant to increase Americans’ access to education.” Specifically, Ranking Member Cassidy takes issue with the Department’s “fail[ure] to properly implement the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program.” The request states that “a full public hearing” will allow the Committee to “engage with Secretary Cardona directly about the administration’s budget priorities and the serious issues plaguing the Department.”

House:

House Education and the Workforce Committee advances legislation related to charter schools, college accreditation, and free speech on college campuses: On March 21, the House Education and the Workforce Committee conducted a markup and reported out of the Committee several bills, including:

• H.R. 6418, the “Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act,” which allows states to award pre-planning subgrants to aspiring charter school leaders.

• H.R. 3724, the “Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023,” which prohibits higher education accreditors from assessing an institution’s commitment to any ideology, belief, or viewpoint for the purposes of receiving accreditation for Higher Education Act (HEA) funding.

• H.R. 7683, the “Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act,” which aims to make free speech on college campuses a condition of receiving Title IV funds under the HEA, requiring all institutions to disclose annually First Amendment policies held by the institution.

During her opening remarks, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) stated, “These bills are a stake in the ground. They say: the Committee will not surrender our schools to either the woke ideologues or the ballooning education bureaucracy.” In contrast, Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) emphasized that the bills would “fuel culture wars” and “jeopardize public schools,” as well as “shirk our responsibilities to students and their families.”

Regarding H.R. 6418, the “Empower Charter School Educators to Lead Act,” Chairwoman Foxx noted that the bill would “unleash the full potential of charters by allowing a modest amount of federal funds to aid the application process,” while Ranking Member Scott called the bill “another demonstration of the Majority’s efforts to expand school choice instead of improving public schools while ignoring the need for guardrails and exposing children to low-quality educational experiences.” The bill, as modified by the amendment in the nature of the substitute, advanced by a vote of 22-13. Prior to reporting the bill, Ranking Member Scott offered an amendment that would require the initial plan for a charter school to include an assessment of segregation in the community, as well as a strategy for how the proposed charter school will effectively address desegregation in the community. Representative Haley Stevens (D-MI) also offered an amendment that would “place guardrails” on the expansion of the planning grants. Both Democratic amendments failed by a vote of 13-22.

H.R. 3724, the “Accreditation for College Excellence Act of 2023,” as modified by the amendment in the nature of the substitute, advanced by a vote of 24-14. During his remarks on the legislation, bill author and Chairman of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee Burgess Owens (R-UT), shared that political ideologies, such as “diversity, equity, and inclusion frameworks,” can be divisive, and that the bill would ensure “that accreditors cannot require, encourage, or coerce institutions to violate any right protected by the Constitution.” Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) offered an amendment to the bill that would mandate institutions to implement a consumer protection disclosure to require full transparency to students and faculty when any institution seeks an exemption from the core curricular component required by an accrediting agency. The Bonamici amendment failed by a vote of 14-23.

The Committee also advanced H.R. 7683, the “Respecting the First Amendment on Campus Act,” as modified by an amendment in the nature of a substitute, by a vote of 24-14. Representative Brandon Williams (R-NY), who introduced the bill with Chairwoman Foxx and Representative Glenn Thompson (R-PA), stated in his remarks that “free speech is under attack at our colleges and universities” and that the bill “prohibits institutions from forcing students, faculty or applicants to take political litmus tests.” Representative Cathy Manning (D-NC) offered two amendments. The first Manning Amendment would require college orientations to include an explanation of students’ protections under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the procedures for filing a discrimination claim with USED’s Office for Civil Rights. The second Manning amendment would clarify that the bill does not prohibit an institution from taking adverse action against a student organization that shows “support or resources to an organization designated as a foreign terrorist organization.” Both amendments were adopted by voice vote.

Republican House Education and the Workforce Committee Members, led by Committee Chairwoman Foxx, and Senate Republicans submit comments on proposed apprenticeship regulations: On March 18, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) , was joined by 11 Republican Committee Members, in submitting a comment letter to U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) Acting Secretary Julie Su requesting DOL withdraw the proposed apprenticeship rule issued on January 17. According to the Biden Administration, the proposed rule would “revise the regulations for registered apprenticeship by enhancing worker protections and equity, improving the quality of registered apprenticeship programs, revising the State governance provisions, and more clearly establishing critical pipelines to registered apprenticeship programs, such as registered career and technical education (CTE) apprenticeships.” Chairwoman Foxx writes, “Amidst this transition into a skills-based economy, the Department [of Labor] is proposing to move apprenticeships in the opposite direction by eliminating the competency-based approach.” The letter expresses concern over “how 'diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility' (DEIA) can be embedded into the registered apprenticeship system,” continuing, “The line between promoting voluntary practices and compelling employers and apprenticeship sponsors to adhere to DEI policies is blurred when it is the Department [of Labor] that has the final word on program registration.” The letter concludes by requesting that the Biden Administration rescind the proposed rule, stating, “If the proposed rule is finalized, states, local workforce leaders, and employers will simply disengage and forgo the federal government’s tarnished stamp of approval as they set out to build their own apprenticeship systems that are responsive to the ever-changing demands of the economy.”

Additionally, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) led a letter, signed by 22 Republican Senators, expressing “deep concerns with the Biden Administration’s partisan and misguided changes to the National Apprenticeship System.” The letter also states, “This proposed rule imposes unnecessary and detrimental regulations on registered apprenticeships,” and urges the Biden Administration to withdraw the proposed rule. The proposed rule received over 2,000 public comments, which by law must be reviewed and responded to before issuing a final regulation.

House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Granger announces early departure from leadership of the Committee, as former House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Cole announces candidacy: On March 22, House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Kay Granger (R-TX) announced that she would step down from the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee ahead of the end of her term given her plans to retire at the end of this Congress. Chairwoman Granger said in a letter to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) that “an election year often results in final appropriations bills not getting enacted until well into the next fiscal year,” and the early selection of a new Chairperson would allow for a “seamless transition.” Following the Chairwoman’s announcement, former House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) announced that he is seeking the position of Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. In doing so, Representative Cole expressed that he will ensure appropriators have the opportunity to inform appropriations deals and emphasized the importance of engaging with every member on the legitimate needs and interests of the districts they represent. Representative Cole also stated that if Congress is going to achieve a balanced budget as he hopes that it will require “serious discussions on how to fund and reform our entitlement programs, which make up approximately 60% of all spending.” According to Politico, nine Appropriations Subcommittee Chairs sent a letter on March 22 to Republican leadership recommending Representative Cole to be the next Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee (Note: Subscription required to access the article). The only current Republican Subcommittee Chairs of the House Appropriations Committee refraining from signing the letter were Representatives Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD) and Robert Aderholt (R-AL). The Republican Steering Committee is expected to recommend the next Chairman when the House returns from recess. Additional candidates for the Chairmanship of the House Appropriations Committee may still come forward.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Becerra testifies at House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the FY2025 President’s HHS budget request: On March 20, the House Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing to examine the FY2025 President’s budget request for HHS, during which HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra testified. Subcommittee Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) delivered opening remarks stating, “I was disappointed to see that your budget proposal for the next fiscal year continues out-of-control government spending, which only adds to our already-high inflation rates.” In her opening statement, Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) shared her support for child care and early learning, stating, “We must support child care and early education for our nation's children from all walks of life, so that they can reach their potential and become the best learners that they can be so that families, parents and children together can thrive.”

During HHS Secretary Becerra's opening statement, he highlighted the Administration's commitment to child care and early education, noting, “The FY2025 budget invests in the future of our nation’s children through high-quality early childhood education. The budget proposes to guarantee affordable child care to low- and middle-income working families from birth until kindergarten and offer preschool to all four-year-olds, making early care and education programs affordable and available where families live and work, and increasing wages for early childhood education workers.” Additionally, Secretary Becerra noted that the FY2025 HHS budget request would make preschool “free and the average family would pay no more than $10 per day for childcare until their child starts kindergarten, saving them over $600 per child, per month.”

HHS Secretary Becerra received several questions related to early learning during the hearing, including one from Ranking Member DeLauro, who sought more information on how the budget request addresses staffing and pay for the childcare workforce. Secretary Becerra offered his support for childcare workers, responding, “part of the resources that we're investing would be to increase wages [and] provide better benefits to people because we'd like them to know that we believe in them as professionals to do the work.” In her closing remarks, Ranking Member DeLauro also reiterated, “I'm pleased with the priorities in the President's budget…childcare and Head Start…we need to continue to build on the investments of the last few years in our critical health and human services programs.”

 

Upcoming Events (Congress & Administration):

• On April 4 and 5, the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans will host a hybrid meeting. The agenda includes a discussion of the Commission's function and mission; votes on Commission business, as needed; panels by subject matter experts on topics that reflect the priorities outlined in the Executive Order creating the Commission; and working group updates and presentations. The public comment period will begin immediately following the conclusion of panel discussions. The meeting will be held at the Laborer’s District Council Training and Learning Center located at 1333 N. Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19122. Information on attending virtually can be found here.

• On April 10, 17, and 24 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., the USED’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO), through its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), will host a webinar series on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The first session on April 10 will cover the basics of FERPA and provides training on current data security best practices for education data systems. The second and third sessions will consider privacy scenarios faced by schools and districts and lead participants through a simulated data breach and explore how to assess online educational technology for privacy protections and general FERPA compliance. More information on the first session can be found here and information on the series is here.

• From April 12 to 14, the USED will host the Spring Teach to Lead Summit, titled, “Leading for the Future: Improving the Educator Experience and Expanding Opportunities to Elevate the Profession.” The Spring summit will convene teams of PK-12 educators from across the country to engage in focused planning and thought partnership around innovative ideas to improve the educator experience and strengthen the education profession. Sessions at the summit will provide teams with collaboration time, skills development, and professional consultation to help teams plan for implementation and seek additional partners and support for their work. More information is here.

• On April 17 at 10:15 a.m., the House Committee on Education and the Workforce will hold a hearing titled, “Columbia in Crisis: Columbia University’s Response to Antisemitism.” The Committee will examine how Columbia University’s leadership and the school are addressing antisemitism on its campus. Witnesses include: Dr. Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, President of Columbia University; Claire Shipman, Board of Trustees Co-Chair at Columbia University; and David Greenwald, Board of Trustees Co-Chair at Columbia University. The hearing will be held in 2175 Rayburn House Office Building and livestreamed here. More information is here.
   

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On April 3 at 4:00 p.m., the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) will host a webinar titled, “Getting Early Childhood Right.” AEI’s Frederick Hess and Michael McShane will present a conservative approach to affordable, family-friendly, community-centered early childhood education, as detailed through their new book, Getting Education Right: A Conservative Vision for Improving Early Childhood, K–12, and College. Speakers also include: Emily Anne Gullickson, Deputy Secretary of Education for the State of Virginia; Patrick Murray, Vice President of Government Affairs at KinderCare Education; and Celia Hartman Sims, President at Abecedarian Group. More information and registration are here.

• On April 9 at 4:00 p.m., the AEI will host a webinar titled, “The Case for Curriculum Reform.” The webinar will feature a discussion on curriculum reform efforts and the promise they hold to further the goals of American education. A panel will be moderated by Robert Pondiscio, Senior Fellow at AEI, and include: Barbara Davidson, Executive Director for the Knowledge Matters Campaign at StandardsWork; Kristen McQuillan, Partner at TNTP; Orlando Riddick, Division Superintendent a Houston Independent School District; and David Steiner, Executive Director at Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. More information and registration are here.

• On April 11 at 3:00 p.m., the National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE), the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and Edunomics Lab will co-host a webinar titled, “State Strategies for Sustaining Pandemic Recovery Efforts Beyond ESSER.” As the final obligation deadline for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) approaches, the webinar discussion will feature information about the emerging risks for students when districts face large deficits and ways state leaders can help districts navigate significant budgets shifts and leverage recurring federal funding to sustain high-impact investments. The discussion will be moderated by Paolo DeMaria, President & CEO of NASBE, and include: Marguerite Roza, Research Professor at Georgetown University and Director of the Edunomics Lab; Austin Estes, Program Director of COVID Relief Data Project at CCSSO; and Peter Zamora, Director of Federal Relations and Policy at CCSSO. More information and registration are here.

 

Publications (Congress & Administration):

• On March 19, the Institute for Education Sciences (IES) published new findings from its School Pulse Panel. The School Pulse Panel (SPP) is an ongoing study collecting information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic from a national sample of elementary, middle, high, and combined-grade public schools. The new findings, from the January 2024 SPP release, provide information on public school facilities and topics related to college and career readiness, world language programs, school crime and safety, and principal autonomy during the 2023-2024 school year, as reported by school staff in U.S. public schools. Findings showed that 86% of public high schools reported offering career and technical education and 62% of public high schools reported having graduation requirements that included college and career readiness. Additionally, 54% of public schools reported having sworn law enforcement officers and 98% of public schools reported providing safety training to classroom teachers.

• On March 27, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a new report titled, “Bureau of Indian Education: Improved Oversight of Schools' COVID-19 Spending is Needed.” This report examined how the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and schools spent their federal COVID relief funds, BIE's guidance to schools on fund use, and the extent to which BIE oversees schools' fund use. GAO surveyed a generalizable sample of 85 BIE schools, with 70 schools responding, and found that schools used federal COVID relief funds mainly to support distance learning and prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools. The 70 responding schools indicated that they prioritized their COVID funds for laptops and tablets and for personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, and COVID tests. The GAO made four recommendations to the BIE, including establishing mechanisms to document and report on COVID relief fund monitoring of high-risk schools and build capacity for fiscal monitoring of high-risk schools, among others.

 

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On March 19, The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) published two new papers titled, “White-Labeling and Contract Considerations for Online Program Management (OPM).” According to the papers, Online Program Management (OPM) services often provide the same curriculum under the brand names of multiple institutions. The papers examine this growing practice, as well as the contracts between institutions and OPMs that the authors assert can leave gaps in consumer protections for students. The papers include policy recommendations to strengthen accountability for OPMs and institutions, including disclosing specific outsourced companies and services or products, requiring disclosure of OPM services and products to students, and distinguishing core and periphery services, among other recommendations.

• On March 26, Moms First and Boston Consulting Group published a new report titled, “The Employee Benefit That Pays for Itself.” The report studied the return on investment (ROI) when companies invest in childcare benefits for their employees. Specifically, the report examined financial analysis, personal interviews, and survey responses from nearly 1,000 US-based employees at five companies: Etsy, Fast Retailing, Steamboat Ski Resort, Synchrony, and United Parcel Service (UPS). The childcare benefits offered included stipends, on-site or near-site care, and backup care to increase access and lower costs. The study found positive ROIs across all of the organizations, ranging up to 425%. Additionally, 86% of working parents indicated that they were more likely to stay with their employer because of childcare benefits.

• On March 21, the Urban Institute published a new brief titled, “Head Start and Early Head Start Teacher Salaries.” The study aimed to better understand workforce salaries and existing disparities by examining salaries of Head Start and Early Head Start teachers by state, staff type, and education level. Findings showed that salaries varied considerably - up to $53,000 in Head Start programs and $20,000 in Early Head Start programs - and variations were also present across different education levels. The report noted that further research is needed that accounts for hours worked (e.g., full-time vs. part-time) in Head Start and Early Head Start educators’ salary variation and compares Head Start and Early Head Start teacher salaries against other early childhood educators, among other topics.

 

Legislation:

Introduced in the House of Representatives:

 

H.R. 7683

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require institutions of higher education to adopt and adhere to principles of free speech, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY)

 

H.R. 7704

A bill to require the Secretary of Education to conduct a study and submit a report on the effect of education policies during the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic achievement and functional performance of students with an individualized education program, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Marcus Molinaro (R-NY)

 

H.R. 7712

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution of higher education that employs unauthorized aliens from receiving funds from Federal student assistance or Federal institutional aid and to require institutions of higher education to participate in the E-Verify Program in order to be eligible to participate in any program authorized under title IV of such Act.

Sponsor: Rep. Jim Banks (R-IN)

 

H.R. 7725

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit graduate medical schools from receiving Federal financial assistance if such schools adopt certain policies and requirements relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Sponsor: Rep. Greg Murphy (R-NC)

 

H.R. 7731

A bill to direct the Secretary of Education to award grants for new agricultural education programs in secondary schools.

Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

 

H.R. 7735

A bill to require institutions of higher education participating in Federal student aid programs to share information about title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including a link to the webpage of the Office for Civil Rights where an individual can submit a complaint regarding discrimination in violation of such title, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Kathy Manning (D-NC)

 

H.R. 7748

A bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act to establish a pilot program promoting scratch cooking in school meal programs.

Sponsor: Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT)

 

H.R. 7761

A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create evidence-based student success programs designed to increase participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

Sponsor: Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM)

 

H.R. 7773

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide additional entitlement to Post-9/11 Educational Assistance to certain veterans and members of the Armed Forces who require extra time to complete remedial and deficiency courses, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Steven Horsford (D-NV)

 

H.R. 7790

A bill to increase the participation of historically underrepresented demographic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and industry.

Sponsor: Rep. Marilyn Stickland (D-WA)

 

H.R. 7796

A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to authorize the use of Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants for the development and maintenance of school and community gardens, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Shontel Brown (D-OH)

 

H.R. 7804

A bill to establish the Proprietary Education Interagency Oversight Coordination Committee and facilitate the disclosure and reporting of information regarding complaints and investigations related to proprietary institutions of higher education eligible to receive Federal education assistance.

Sponsor: Rep. Jeff Jackson (D-NC)

 

H.R. 7810

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to clarify the clock hour requirements for certain eligible programs under title IV of such Act.

Sponsor: Rep. Lloyd Smucker (R-PA)

 

H.R. 7811

A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create evidence-based student success programs designed to increase participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

Sponsor: Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-NM)

 

H.R. 7813

A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to require an individual to provide a social security number to claim the child tax credit.

Sponsor: Rep. Jefferson Van Drew (R-NJ)

 

H.R. 7831

A bill to impose a financial penalty on certain institutions of higher education with high percentages of students who default or make insufficient payments on Federal student loans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX)

 

H.Res. 1095

A resolution expressing support for designation of March 2024 as Music in Our Schools Month.

Sponsor: Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)

 

Introduced in the Senate:

 

S. 3970

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to ensure that the Secretary of Veterans Affairs repays members of the Armed Forces for certain contributions made by such members towards Post-9/11 Educational Assistance, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

 

S. 3978

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit an institution of higher education that employs unauthorized aliens from receiving funds from Federal student assistance or Federal institutional aid and to require institutions of higher education to participate in the E-Verify Program in order to be eligible to participate in any program authorized under title IV of such Act.

Sponsor: Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH)

 

S. 3980

A bill to award grants to local educational agencies to operate after school programs in certain areas with a high rate of juvenile crime.

Sponsor: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

 

S. 3990

A bill to provide subsidized summer and year-round employment for youth who face systemic barriers to employment and viable career options and to assist local community partnerships in improving high school graduation and youth employment rates, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA)

 

S. 3995

A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to create evidence-based student success programs designed to increase participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students.

Sponsor: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

 

S. 3997

A bill to prioritize funding for an expanded and sustained national investment in basic science research.

Sponsor: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

 

S. 4008

A bill to authorize workforce development innovation grants for the implementation, expansion, and evaluation of evidence-based workforce programs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO)

 

S. 4028

A bill to increase the participation of historically underrepresented demographic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and industry.

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

 

S. 4041

A bill to support local educational agencies in addressing the student mental health crisis.

Sponsor: Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

 

S. 4058

A bill to require that the regulations related to SAVE Plan shall have the force and effect of enacted law.

Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)