The information covered below is for the period of July 21, 2023, through August 4, 2023. Due to the Congressional recess, EducationCounsel’s E-Update will publish less frequently for the month of August.

Highlights:

• On July 26, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) hosted the “National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education” with senior Biden Administration officials and national higher education leaders to discuss strategies and resources available to students to access higher education following the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings regarding race-conscious admissions policies.
• On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced with a 26-2 vote the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS) Appropriations bill, which proposes $79.58 billion for the USED – a decrease of $373 million or 0.47% below the FY2023 level.
• On July 27, the Senate Commerce Committee advanced with a voice vote, two bipartisan bills aimed at protecting children and teenagers online.

Budget and Appropriations:

Senate Appropriations Committee advances the FY2024 Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations Bill: On July 27, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced with a 26-2 vote the FY2024 Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations bill, which proposes $79.58 billion for the USED – a decrease of $373 million or 0.47% below the FY2023 level. The bill may be considered by the full Senate following the Congressional recess in August. Additionally, a Continuing Resolution (CR) is likely to be needed to extend federal funding beyond the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2023, while the House and Senate Appropriations Committees resolve the differences between their proposed FY2024 Labor/HHS Appropriations bills. Below are highlights of funding levels included in the FY2024 Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations bill and report for key education and early learning programs:

• Early Childhood Education: The bill provides a $1 billion increase for early learning programs above the FY2023 level. This includes a $700 million increase above the FY2023 level for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and $275 million increase above the FY2023 level for Head Start. The Preschool Development Grants Birth to Five Program would be reduced by $5 million below the FY2023 level to $310 million.
• K-12 Education: The bill provides an increase of $175 million above the FY2023 level for Title I funding to support disadvantaged students and an increase of $175 million above the FY2023 level for Special Education Grants to States.
• Student Financial Assistance and Higher Education: The bill provides a $250 increase to the maximum Pell Grant award for a total of $7,645 for the 2024-2025 school year. A rescission of $200 million to the Pell Grant surplus is also included in the bill.

Administration:

White House:

White House hosts a convening to call attention to commitments from technology leaders regarding managing the risks posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI): On July 21, the White House hosted a convening of leading AI companies, including Amazon, Anthropic, Google, Inflection, Meta, Microsoft, and OpenAI. Following the convening, the White House released a fact sheet outlining commitments from the companies aimed at managing the risks posed by AI that fall under three categories – safety, security, and trust. The companies agreed to conduct both internal and external reviews of AI systems prior to their release and make the capabilities and limitations of the systems public. The companies also committed to prioritizing research on the societal risks that AI programs can pose, including on avoiding harmful bias and discrimination and protecting privacy, particularly the privacy of children and teenage technology users. In remarks following the convening, President Joe Biden shared, “These commitments are a promising step, but … we have a lot more work to do together…In the weeks ahead, I’m going to continue to take executive action to help America lead the way toward responsible innovation. And we’re going to work with both parties to develop appropriate legislation and regulation.”

U.S. Department of Education (USED):

USED hosts summit regarding equal opportunity in higher education following U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings regarding race-conscious admissions policies: On July 26, the USED hosted the “National Summit on Equal Opportunity in Higher Education” with senior Biden Administration officials and national higher education leaders to discuss strategies and resources available to students to access higher education following the U.S. Supreme Court’s rulings regarding race-conscious admissions policies. Featured speakers included USED Secretary Miguel Cardona, USED Under Secretary James Kvaal, White House Domestic Policy Council Director Neera Tanden, and USED Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Assistant Secretary Catherine Lhamon, among others. Sessions at the event covered topics such as forward-looking promising practices for engaging and recruiting diverse students, an overview of the impact and legal obligations of the Supreme Court’s decision on the admissions process, opportunities to develop affordable postsecondary education pipelines for students, and equitable strategies for college completion.

In his remarks, Secretary Cardona stated, “In this recent ruling, the Supreme Court majority recognized the value of diversity, but seriously limited our ability to achieve it.” Secretary Cardona urged, “I believe one of the strategies for solving this shared challenge starts with a total reimagining of how our colleges and universities recruit students and connect with our K-12 system. We must blur the lines between K-12 and higher education to give our Black and Brown students earlier access to the opportunities that await them in college.” According to an article from The Chronicle for Higher Education, USED Assistant Secretary for the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Catherine Lhamon emphasized that, “Lawful avenues remain open for colleges and universities to pursue diverse classes.” Assistant Secretary Lhamon continued, “I have heard about groups who are not the Department of Education or the Department of Justice sending schools notifications about what they say the law is and what they want you to do. To be clear, Congress assigned the [USED] Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Justice the responsibility to enforce Title VI in schools. We will. And we do.” (Note: A subscription to The Chronicle for Higher Education is required to view this article.) More information on the Biden Administration’s actions following the Supreme Court’s ruling on race-conscious admissions policies is here.

USED’s OCR opens investigation into Harvard University’s donor and legacy admissions process: On July 24, the USED’s OCR opened an investigation into Harvard University’s admissions practices based on a complaint filed from Lawyers for Civil Rights, a Massachusetts-based organization that “works with communities of color and immigrants to fight discrimination and foster equity.” The investigation will specifically address “[w]hether the University discriminates on the basis of race by using donor and legacy preferences in its undergraduate admissions process in violation of Title VI and its implementing regulation.” The letter informing Harvard University of the investigation cites Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits “discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education.” According to the Lawyers for Civil Rights, the complaint asserts that “nearly 70% of Harvard’s donor-related and legacy applicants are white, and they receive a substantial boost based on their status.” The complaint continues, “Donor-related applicants are nearly 7 times more likely to be admitted than non-donor-related applicants, and legacies are nearly 6 times more likely to be admitted.” OCR noted in its letter to the university that the opening of the investigation does not imply that OCR has determined the merits of the complaint, as OCR is obligated to investigate all complaints it receives. The letter stated that OCR “is a neutral fact-finder, collecting and analyzing relevant evidence from the Complainant, the University, and other sources, as appropriate.”

USED opens grant competitions to support HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs and underserved students: Recently, the USED announced the launch of two grant programs to expand research infrastructure at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), and to increase completion and retention rates among underserved students. Through the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program, the USED will award $44 million to projects designed to scale evidence-based practices and reforms to improve postsecondary retention and completion rates among underserved students. In January 2023, the first round of $4.5 million in grants under the Postsecondary Student Success Grant program were issued to five HBCUs, MSIs, and community colleges in Florida, New Jersey, South Carolina, and Texas. The notice inviting applications for this next round of competition includes one competitive priority for institutions that can demonstrate a plan to improve student outcomes for underserved students by using data to continually assess and improve the effectiveness of funded activities and sustain data-driven continuous improvement processes at the institution after the grant period. The deadline to submit an application is September 25, 2023.

Additionally, the HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs Research and Development Infrastructure (RDI) Grant program will provide $50 million to HBCUs, TCCUs, and MSIs to implement transformational investments in research infrastructure, including research productivity, faculty expertise, graduate programs, physical infrastructure, human capital development, and partnerships leading to increases in external funding. The notice inviting applications for this competition includes one competitive priority for lead applicants whose Pell Grant recipients account for 50% or higher of their undergraduate student enrollment. The deadline to submit an application is October 2, 2023.

USED Secretary Cardona announces new Chief of Staff for USED: On July 31, USED Secretary Cardona announced that Lexi Barrett will serve as the new Chief of Staff for the USED. Barrett previously served as a senior advisor in the Office of the Secretary since October 2021, as well as a senior advisor for education in the Office of the First Lady. Prior to joining the Biden Administration, Barrett was most recently an associate vice president at Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit organization. During the Obama Administration, Barrett served as a policy advisor in USED’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education and as a senior policy advisor for the White House Domestic Policy Council focusing on the early education and K-12 education agenda. In announcing Barrett’s role, Secretary Cardona stated, “From advancing accountability in higher education in the U.S. Senate, to expanding access to early learning programs in the Obama-Biden White House, to reimagining college and career pathways in the Biden-Harris administration, Lexi’s deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities we face in education today will be an asset in our Department’s continued efforts to Raise the Bar for all students.”

USED announces new efforts to expand Registered Apprenticeships for educators: On July 27, the USED and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced several new efforts aimed at advancing teacher preparation programs and expanding Registered Apprenticeships for educators. The efforts include the following announcements:

• DOL approved new National Guidelines for Apprenticeship Standards (NGS) for Registered Apprenticeships for K-12 teachers that can guide states, school districts, and other apprenticeship sponsors in aligning their programs to quality standards for K-12 teachers. The guidelines were developed by The Pathways Alliance.
• USED issued a policy brief that highlights how states have worked to address the educator shortage through teacher agency, better working conditions, and competitive salaries.
• USED will invest $27 million to support educator preparation programs, including $14.5 million through the Teacher Quality Partnership program and $12.7 million through  Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) funds to enhance teacher preparation.
• DOL will invest more than $65 million to develop and scale Registered Apprenticeship programs in critical sectors, with 35 targeting education.
• DOL will partner with an industry intermediary, RTI International, to launch, promote and expand Registered Apprenticeship programs for K-12 educators.

In announcing the new efforts, USED Secretary Cardona noted, “Providing opportunities for future teachers to earn while they learn has created an affordable and exciting pathway into the teaching profession that can help states build a talented and diverse pipeline of educators at a moment when doing so has never mattered more.”

Biden Administration launches series of summits aimed at increasing and expanding access to high-quality career pathways in innovative industries: On July 25, the Biden Administration announced that it will hold a cross-agency summit series to increase and expand access to high-quality career pathways as part of an effort to help more young Americans pursue jobs in today’s in-demand fields and be prepared for careers of the future. The four summits will be hosted by the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Energy, Labor, and Transportation in partnership with the national education and workforce development organization Jobs for the Future (JFF). Four regional education-workforce convenings will highlight workforce priorities and opportunities for young people that are growing due to recent federal investments, like the Bipartisan Infrastructure law, Inflation Reduction Act, and CHIPS and Science Act. This includes expanding access to high-wage, high demand pathways and skills-based learning opportunities, including Registered Apprenticeships and community college programs, in sectors like advanced manufacturing, clean energy, construction, and cybersecurity. In a statement, USED Secretary Cardona emphasized, “Our Unlocking Pathways Summits will empower state and local leaders in K-12 and postsecondary education, government, and the private sector to Raise the Bar for career-connected learning that engages and supports our youth, meets America’s future workforce needs, and ensures our nation continues to lead the world.” The first summit, hosted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, took place on July 25, 2023, at Renton Technical College in Renton, Washington, and focused on construction and infrastructure pathway opportunities. The remaining summits will take place in Aurora, Colorado, Madison, Wisconsin, and Biloxi, Mississippi; dates have not yet been announced and more information is here.

USED is seeking peer reviewers for Full-Service Community Schools competition: USED is seeking panel moderators and reviewers with evaluation and content experience for review of applications to the Full-Service Community Schools competition in the coming month(s). The Full-Service Community Schools program provides support for the planning, implementation, and operation of full-service community schools that improve the coordination, integration, accessibility, and effectiveness of services for children and families, particularly for children attending high-poverty schools. Specifically, the USED is seeking individuals who have experience with community schools and related content areas including, integrated student supports, expanded and enriched learning time, active family and community engagement, collaborative school leadership, social emotional learning, school and community violence prevention, early learning and K-12 transitions, and post-secondary readiness. To apply as a reviewer, applicants should complete USED’s online peer reviewer training and send an email confirming the date training was completed to FSCS@ed.gov. The email should also include whether you are interested in serving as a moderator, evaluation reviewer, or content reviewer and include a resume. The deadline to submit an application is August 14, 2023.

USED’s OSERS issues new guidance and Dear Colleague letter regarding state actions required under the IDEA and announces availability of new funds for technical assistance: On July 24, USED’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) issued new guidance and a Dear Colleague letter to provide states with information on interpreting the general supervision requirements of states under the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act. The Dear Colleague letter was issued by Valerie Williams, Director of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and references OSEP data that indicated “over the past 15 years, [states have] not consistently met IDEA’s requirements,” and State general supervision systems need improvement to ensure districts and early intervention services (EIS) comply with the IDEA. The guidance addresses questions about a state’s responsibility to design and monitor district activities as part of their general supervision system and clarifies reasonable timelines for identifying noncompliance, including child-specific noncompliance. In conjunction with the guidance and letter, OSERS announced the availability of new funds for technical assistance to support states in collecting and analyzing IDEA data to address significant disproportionalities on the basis of race and ethnicity. Such disproportionalities include identification, placement, and disciplinary removal. Director Williams stated that, “OSEP is committed to supporting States in improving educational results and functional outcomes for all children with disabilities and to enhance the development of infants and toddlers with disabilities.”

Congress:

House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Foxx and Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy express concerns with USED response to requests for information on returning student loan borrowers to repayment: On July 27, the House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) issued statements alleging that USED Secretary Cardona is ignoring repeated Congressional requests for information on the Biden Administration’s plans to return student loan borrowers to repayment. Specifically, Ranking Member Cassidy stated that, “This stonewalling is unacceptable. The Biden administration has had years to prepare for borrowers to return to repayment and are either refusing to show their plan or worse, they have no plan at all.” Additionally, Ranking Member Foxx noted, “additional steps will be necessary to get answers for the American people, including subpoenas and depositions.” The Republican Members assert that the USED has failed to respond to a request for materials on the Biden Administration’s plan to return student loan borrowers to repayment, as well as a request for an in-person briefing no later than July 20, 2023, which were included in a letter of June 27, 2023, to the Secretary.

Democratic Senator Merkley and Democratic Representative Bowman introduce latest version of legislation to end legacy admissions: On July 26, Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) introduced the latest version of H.R. 4900/S.2524, the “Fair College Admissions for Students Act,” which would “prohibit institutions of higher education participating in Federal [S]tudent [A]id programs from giving admissions preference to students with legacy or donor status.” In announcing the bill, Senator Merkley stated, “Though the Supreme Court gutted race-conscious college admissions, make no mistake, affirmative action is still alive and well for children of alumni and major donors, and taxpayers shouldn’t be funding it. Children of donors and alumni may be excellent students and well-qualified, but they are the last people who should get an additional leg up in the complicated and competitive college admissions process.”

Senate:

Senate Commerce Committee advances two bipartisan bills aimed at protecting children and teens online: On July 27, the Senate Commerce Committee advanced with a voice vote two bipartisan bills aimed at protecting children and teenagers online. S. 1418, the “Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act,” would amend the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 to strengthen protections relating to the online collection, use, and disclosure of personal information of children. Specifically, S. 1418 would prohibit internet companies from collecting personal information from users who are 13 to 16-years-old without their consent and ban targeted advertising to children and teens. S.1409, the “Kids Online Safety Act,” would require social media platforms to prioritize the safety of children and young users when initially developing their programs and conduct an annual audit that assesses their program’s risks to minors. During the Committee markup of the bills, Senate Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell (D-WA) shared, “We know that children and teens are uniquely vulnerable in the online world and they can be overwhelmed with the complexities of online content that is manipulated and targeted at them. This bill strengthens protections, closes loopholes, and … helps protect and empowers teens, requiring consent before their data can be collected.”

House:

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott urges the USED to take steps to protect the civil rights of students: On July 31, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) sent a letter to USED Assistant Secretary of the Office for Civil Rights urging the USED to take steps to protect the civil rights of students following the Supreme Court’s rulings regarding race-conscious admissions policies. Specifically, the Ranking Member noted, “Now that the Supreme Court has determined that the consideration of race in admissions violates Title VI and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, the Department should fully investigate how race unjustly permeates many other policies and practices in our educational system.” The Ranking Member goes further stating, “Any honest assessment of the pervasiveness of race in that system would recognize that people of color consistently face unequal discriminatory treatment on the basis of their race, treatment that has been historically counterbalanced by affirmative actions, but now can only be eliminated with robust enforcement of Title VI.” Additionally, Ranking Member Scott calls for comprehensive guidance to ensure schools and institutions of higher education fulfill their Title VI obligations and address other factors in college admissions, “including standardized tests, legacy and developmental admits, and other admissions criteria—that disadvantage historically underrepresented students of color.” USED Assistant Secretary Lhamon has previously stated that comprehensive guidance could be issued by the USED regarding admissions policies as early as August.

House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee holds a hearing on accountability in postsecondary education: On July 27, the House Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “Lowering Costs and Increasing Value for Students, Institutions, and Taxpayers.” Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT) expressed that the hearing was intended to “examine how a market-based approach to accountability can help lower college costs, hold institutions accountable, and provide students and taxpayers with a greater return on their college investment.” The Subcommittee heard from four witnesses, including Michael Horn, Author and Co-Founder of the Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation; Stig Leschly, President and Founder of Postsecondary Commission; Stephanie Cellini, Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration and of Economics at George Washington University; and Andrew Gillen, Senior Policy Analyst at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

In his opening remarks, Chairman Owens stated that higher education is facing the challenges of “outdated measures of quality, coupled with virtually zero transparency of value,” and has resulted in “families [being] forced to choose a college without knowing the full price, and the government provides a loan without regard to a student’s ability to repay the principal or the predatory interest.” Chairman Owens emphasized that, “We need to understand that the devaluation of the 4-year college experience is exacerbated only by blanket federal bailouts, one-size-fits-all debt relief, and overburdensome regulations. Restoring the value of a college degree requires thoughtful, structural reform to the Higher Education Act.” Chairman Owens concluded, “I believe there is an opportunity for a bipartisan discussion,” and noted a focus of the hearing was to highlight innovative solutions and accountability for institutions. Republican Subcommittee Members spoke to the need to reduce higher education’s reliance on taxpayer dollars, while improving accountability measures to ensure students and families receive a return on their investment in higher education.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Frederica Wilson (D-FL) also spoke to the need for accountability, saying, “Taxpayers, students, and the economy as a whole stand to gain when improved accountability measures are put in place in higher education.” Additionally, Democratic Subcommittee Members highlighted the importance of improved student outcomes, particularly as it pertains to for-profit institutions, with Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) committing “to strengthening accountability for the for-profit sector and providing strong data on student outcomes to prevent underrepresented students from being targeted by this unscrupulous sector.” Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) also noted that, as a cosponsor of the College Transparency Act, she was interested in learning “how federal policymakers can better promote communication of outcomes data.” Democratic Subcommittee Members also used the hearing to call attention to the need for improved college affordability measures.

House Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee holds a hearing on the impact of pandemic-related school closures: On July 26, the House Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “Generational Learning Loss: How Pandemic School Closures Hurt Students.” In announcing the hearing, Subcommittee Chairman Aaron Bean (R-FL) shared, “While prolonged school closures are not the only reason students have fallen behind, they are a major contributor. We must fully examine the devastating impacts of this policy to develop solutions and prevent anything like this from happening again.” In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chairman Bean said that learning loss “...is the steep price our kids are paying for needless COVID school closures. In fact, the mass shuttering of schools throughout the pandemic is one of the greatest education policy failures in our nation’s history.” Subcommittee Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), in her opening remarks, countered that the “American Rescue Plan (ARP), that [Republicans] opposed, was what allowed our schools and districts to finally reopen safely.”

The Subcommittee heard from four witnesses, including Dr. Nat Malkus, Senior Fellow and Deputy Director of Education Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI); Mary-Patricia Wray, a parent; Derrell Bradford, President of 50CAN: the 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now; and Catherine Truitt, Superintendent of the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Dr. Malkus noted that “achievement gaps widened over the course of the pandemic, as low-income students, black and brown students, and students who entered the pandemic behind academically all fell further behind their peers.” Ms. Wray spoke in her testimony about the challenges of remote learning, particularly for students with disabilities, but also highlighted the importance of ARP funds, noting that, “Our district employed available funds to reach vulnerable families …[to ensure] that barriers to their learning did not interfere with their virtual school experience.” In his remarks, Mr. Bradford spoke about learning loss “...catalyzed by poorly delivered virtual instruction and schools that were closed for too long, predominantly in big cities and school systems that are highly unionized, as one of the great domestic policy failures of our lifetimes.” Superintendent Truitt shared about North Carolina’s recovery, noting that, “Our schools and districts have made incredible strides in helping so many of our students get back on track to their pre-pandemic performance, and while there is more to be done, we are on the path to recovery.”

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott introduces legislation to invest in K-12 school infrastructure: On July 27, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) and Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ) introduced H.R. 5049, the “Rebuild America’s Schools Act of 2023,” which would invest more than $130 billion into K-12 schools’ physical and digital infrastructure. In announcing the legislation, Ranking Member Scott referenced a 2020 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report on school infrastructure which found that 54% of school districts across the country indicated the need to replace or update major systems in more than half of school buildings. Specifically, the legislation would invest $100 billion in grants and $30 billion in bond authority to improve high-poverty schools with facilities that pose health and safety risks to students and staff. The bill would also require states to develop comprehensive public databases on the condition of public school facilities, as well as improve broadband and Wi-Fi in public schools.

Upcoming Events (Congress & Administration):

• On August 9 at 3:00 pm, the USED will host a webinar titled, “Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates.” The webinar will discuss a recent publication of the same name and is designed to enhance state and district strategies aimed at promoting safe, inclusive, supportive, and fair learning environments. More information and registration are here.
• On August 13 at 2:00 pm and August 31 at 2:00 pm, the USED is hosting webinars regarding applications for the 2023 Postsecondary Student Success Grant program. The webinars aim to provide technical assistance for the competition for funding that is currently open until September 25, 2023. Registration is here.
• On August 16 at 4:00 pm, August 23 at 4:00 pm, and August 30 at 4:00 pm, the USED’s Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO), through its Privacy Technical Assistance Center (PTAC), will host a three-day virtual webinar series on student privacy and data security. Sessions will include a discussion of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), data security, data breach incident response, vetting educational technology, and transparency. Registration for August 16 is here, August 23 is here, and August 30 is here.

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On August 9 at 3:00 pm, Attendance Works and the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) will host a webinar titled, “A Welcoming and Healthy Return to School: Ensuring Showing Up.” The webinar is the third in a series considering ways for schools to create a welcoming community for students and families. During this session, speakers will present strategies for reaching out to students, especially in transition grades, cultivating a school-wide culture of attendance, and ensuring positive conditions for learning are in place when school doors open. Speakers include: Kwesi Rollins, Vice President at IEL; Hedy Chang, Executive Director of Attendance Works; and Gloria Corral, President & CEO of the Parent Institute for Quality Education, among others. More information and registration are here.

Publications (Congress & Administration):

• On July 26, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) published a new report titled, “2019–20 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:20): First Look at Student Financial Aid Estimates for 2019–20.” The report presents findings from NPSAS:20, which is a national study of student financing of postsecondary education. Data showed that 72% of all undergraduate students received some type of financial aid, 64% received grants, and 36% received student loans. The report also indicates that the average total amount of financial aid for undergraduate students was $14,100, the average amount for grants was $9,300, and the average amount received from student loans was $7,900. Examining financial aid in different demographic groups, the analysis found that White undergraduate students received on average $8,800, Black undergraduate students and undergraduate students of two or more races received $9,700, and Hispanic or Latino, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, and American Indian or Alaska Native undergraduate students received between $7,000 and $7,500.

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On July 11, the Learning Policy Institute published a new report titled, “Federal Funding Sources for Community Schools.” Emphasizing how community schools can be a “core component of an equity strategy,” the report provides comprehensive information and a list of federal programs that could fund community schools. The available federal funds that the report highlights are not just limited to the USED, but also the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, and Transportation, among others. Additionally, the report maps the federal funding sources to the components of the Essentials for Community School Transformation, which was published in January 2023.
• On July 12, the Wallace Foundation published a new report titled, “A Culturally Responsive School Leadership Approach to Developing Equity-Centered Principals: Considerations for Principal Pipelines.” The report offers ideas for school districts to develop principal pipelines aimed at developing school leaders who can assist with advancing equity in education. Authors align domains of a principal pipeline to the Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) framework and the research behind culturally responsive instruction. The seven domains the report identified for a school leadership pipeline are: Leader Standards, High-Quality Pre-Service Principal Preparation, Selective Hiring and Placement, On-The-Job Support and Evaluation, Principal Supervision, Leader Tracking Systems, and Sustainability. Mapping to the CRSL framework, the report offers actions under each domain that could foster critical consciousness, inclusive school environments, culturally responsive instructional leadership, and culturally responsive community engagement.
• On July 27, the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center published a new report titled, “Persistence and Retention: Fall 2021 Beginning Postsecondary Student Cohort.” The report studied first-year persistence and retention rates for postsecondary students. In the report, persistence was measured by the percentage of students who returned to college at any institution for their second year, while the retention rate represented the percentage of students who returned to the same institution. The analysis found that the overall persistence rate for students who started college in fall 2021 was 75.7%. The persistence rate was up 0.9% from the previous year and matches the pre-pandemic average for the 2016 to 2018 entering classes. The report points to a primary driver of the increase, which is a higher share of students being retained at their starting institution into their second year. This is a change from the previous year’s trend, where persistence rates increased because of a higher percentage of students transferring from their initial institution.

Legislation:

Introduced in the House of Representatives:

H.R. 4850

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, to provide for a retroactive effective date of law regarding charge to entitlement to Department of Veterans Affairs educational assistance for individuals who do not transfer credits from certain closed or disapproved programs of education.

Sponsor: Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-FL)

 

H.R. 4900

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education participating in Federal student assistance programs from giving preferential treatment in the admissions process to legacy students or donors.

Sponsor: Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY)

 

H.R. 4903

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require reporting of certain accidents resulting in serious physical injuries or death at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT)

 

H.R. 4931

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to change certain Federal Pell Grant requirements for certain students with disabilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY)

 

H.R. 4944

A bill to restore certain non-monetary Federal benefits to remarried surviving spouses of members of the Armed Forces who die while serving on active duty, to provide student loan deferment for dislocated military spouses, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Elisa Stefanik (R-NY)

 

H.R. 4945

A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to raise public awareness for skilled trade programs, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-PA)

 

H.R. 4948

A bill to establish name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Lori Trahan (D-MA)

 

H.R. 4986

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate interest on student loans, establish the Education Affordability Trust Fund, increase annual and aggregate loan limits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT)

 

H.R. 4989

A bill to amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to allow infant food combinations and dinners under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-TX)

 

H.R. 4999

A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to require silent alarms in elementary schools and secondary schools, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)

 

H.R. 5000

A bill to amend the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 to provide funding for school resource officers, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ)

 

H.R. 5042

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for fiscal accountability, to require institutions of higher education to publish information regarding student success, to provide for school accountability for student loans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX)

 

H.R. 5049

A bill to provide for the long-term improvement of public school facilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA)

 

H.R. 5065

A bill to require the Secretary of Labor to establish a pilot program to provide grants for job guarantee programs.

Sponsor: Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)

 

H.Res. 615

A resolution condemning revisionist education and revisionist history as it relates to the African American experience.

Sponsor: Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL)

 

H.Res. 619

A resolution expressing support for July to be designated as "Disability Pride Month."

Sponsor: Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN)

 

Introduced in the Senate:

 

S. 2461

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require reporting of certain accidents resulting in serious physical injuries or death at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

 

S. 2467

A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide that children who have relocated from Puerto Rico to the States are fully considered for purposes of State allotments under the English Language Acquisition grants.

Sponsor: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

 

S. 2468

A bill to amend title III of division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 to prohibit the expenditure of funds on divisive concepts under the priorities noticed in the proposed rule submitted by the Department of Education relating to Proposed Priorities-American History and Civics Education.

Sponsor: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

 

S. 2469

A bill to authorize the Department of Education, in coordination with other relevant Federal agencies, to include a longitudinal component on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student outcomes and well-being on an existing longitudinal educational study.

Sponsor: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

 

S. 2495

A bill to protect student athletes, ensure fair competition and compensation, and preserve intercollegiate athletics, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV)

 

S. 2524

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to prohibit institutions of higher education participating in Federal student assistance programs from giving preferential treatment in the admissions process to legacy students or donors.

Sponsor: Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR)

 

S. 2530

A bill to address behavioral health and well-being among education professionals and other school staff.

Sponsor: Sen. Robert Casey (D-PA)

 

S. 2543

A bill to amend the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 to require the National Center for Education Statistics to collect, acquire, compile, and disseminate student attainment in languages other than English, and to require the National Center for Education Research to support research on attainment in languages other than English.

Sponsor: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR)

 

S. 2554

A bill to establish name, image, and likeness rights for college athletes at institutions of higher education, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT)

 

S. 2557

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate interest on student loans, establish the Education Affordability Trust Fund, increase annual and aggregate loan limits, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT)

 

S. 2581

A bill to extend the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000.

Sponsor: Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)

 

S. 2582

A bill to establish an integrated research, education, and extension competitive grant program and scholarship grant program for certain Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-serving agricultural institutions, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI)

 

S. 2608

A bill to provide for the long-term improvement of public school facilities, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)

 

S. 2624

An original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2024, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)

 

S. 2629

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for fiscal accountability, to require institutions of higher education to publish information regarding student success, to provide for school accountability for student loans, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT)

 

S. 2714

A bill to establish the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM)

 

S.Res. 313

A resolution designating September 2023 as "National Child Awareness Month" to promote awareness of charities that benefit children and youth-serving organizations throughout the United States and recognizing the efforts made by those charities and organizations on behalf of children and youth as critical contributions to the future of the United States.

Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)