The information covered below is from February 20, 2026, through March 5, 2026.

Highlights:

• On February 23, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) announced that it has entered into two more interagency agreements (IAAs) to transfer significant functions and funds out of USED, adding to the seven previously announced ones.
• On February 27, USED released, Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences: A Strategy for Relevance and Renewal, a report on the future of the Institute of Education Sciences.
• On March 4, the Senate passed S.836, its version of the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) via unanimous consent, including many significant amendments to the decades-old bill to protect the privacy of minors and their data on the internet.

Our newest resource, Overview & FAQs of GSA’s Proposed Changes to the Required Certifications by Recipients of Federal Funds, summarizes changes proposed by the Trump Administration that would seek to contractually bind almost all federal grantees—across all agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education—to the Administration’s interpretations of what is lawful or unlawful regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion; immigration; public safety; and religious liberty. 

Administration

White House:

President Trump delivers State of the Union, largely absent of education-related issues: On February 24, President Trump delivered the State of the Union, which focused on issues such as the state of the economy and national security, and did not devote significant attention to education-related topics. President Trump included brief remarks on some issues related to early childhood, praising the expanded child tax credit and new Trump Accounts enacted through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act announcing that Vice President JD Vance will lead a “war on fraud,” referencing alleged fraud in social and child care programs in Minnesota. President Trump also praised First Lady Melania Trump’s efforts to lead the Presidential AI Challenge. Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger gave the Democratic response, which also did not heavily focus on education, but she emphasized how costs for child care and other needs have risen.

U.S. Department of Education (USED):

USED announces two more interagency agreements to transfer functions to other federal agencies: On February 23, USED announced that it has entered into two more interagency agreements (IAAs) to transfer significant functions and funds out of USED, adding to the seven previously announced ones. These IAAs are the first to be announced following the enactment of the FY26 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations law, which includes a number of provisions emphasizing statutory limits on the Administration’s ability to dismantle USED by transferring its funds and functions to other agencies.

One of the new agreements transfers a number of family engagement and school support grant programs from USED to the U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS), including School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV), School Safety National Activities, Ready to Learn Programming, Full-Service Community Schools, Promise Neighborhoods, and Statewide Family Engagement Centers. The latter four of these programs were previously included in an earlier IAA moving most of the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education’s grant programs to the U.S. Department of Labor. USED and Labor have amended that IAA to reflect the Administration’s decision to instead transfer these programs to HHS.

The other new IAA focuses on USED’s responsibility in ensuring that institutions of higher education disclose foreign gifts and contracts pursuant to Section 117 of the Higher Education Act of 1965. According to the IAA, the U.S. Department of State will support USED in managing its new foreign funding reporting portal and “review and assess the industry’s compliance with the law, share data with the public and federal stakeholders, and identify potential threats.”

For more information, see this USED site for links to all of the IAAs and their accompanying fact sheets.

USED releases report outlining future priorities for IES: On February 27, USED released, Reimagining the Institute of Education Sciences: A Strategy for Relevance and Renewal, a report on the future of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) prepared primarily by now-former USED official Amber Northern. USED’s press release noted only that the “Department looks forward to considering the recommendations.” The report begins by identifying the following six “Big Shifts” that should guide future changes to IES.

1. “Rather than spreading resources across many disconnected projects, IES should focus on the most urgent education challenges, informed by state and district leaders.”
2. “Instead of funding multiple data collections and longitudinal surveys that may be redundant or outdated, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) should develop a streamlined and coordinated data strategy while preserving and strengthening its vital core functions, such as the Nation’s Report Card.”
3. “Rather than focus on individual or project-specific grants within a single state, institution, or jurisdiction, IES should prioritize multi-state awards to help scale the most promising interventions, resources, and policies.”
4. “Direct the focus of the research work towards practicality, innovation, and relevance.”
5. “IES should build mechanisms by which the applied research and technical assistance work of its Regional Educational Labs (RELs) is responsive, timely, and coordinated, as well as shared across the country.”
6. “Narrow the scope of the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) to the development of practice guides and tools and ensure that its evidence base is better utilized.”

Before turning to specific recommendations for each of IES’s four centers, Northern notes that “Executing on the big shifts…will be a heavy lift. The specific recommendations for each of the four centers comprise the bulk of the report and include 17 recommendations for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES); 15 recommendations for the National Center for Education Research (NCER); 3 recommendations for the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE); and 3 recommendations for the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER). The report also includes the following four appendices with a standalone list of report recommendations, suggestions for internal improvements, and changes for future ESRA reauthorization. In publishing the report, the Administration did not address whether IES would hire more staff following last year’s massive reduction-in-force or whether all or parts of IES would move to other federal agencies via IAAs.

Acting IES Director Matt Soldner also published a blog post in conjunction with the report, writing that the report is a “call for change” while naming that “the challenge that lies ahead is operationalizing elements of [the report.” Solder outlines three key areas of IES’ work ahead: ensuring IES’ work responds to states’ and districts’ greatest needs, producing more rapid research and data collection, and emphasizing evidence-based products and programs.

USED issues proposed priorities and requirements for Comprehensive Centers Program: On March 3, USED published a notice of proposed priorities, requirements, and definitions for the Comprehensive Centers program and invited public comments. The Comprehensive Centers (CCs) provide technical assistance and “capacity-building services” to states, districts, and schools to “improve educational opportunities and outcomes, close achievement gaps, and improve the quality of instruction for all students, and particularly for groups of students with the greatest need.” The notice proposes to redesign the program to “ensure that States, tribes, and local education communities are the primary voice driving the Department's technical assistance investments; that the Department's technical assistance resources are easier to access and navigate…; and that we reduce administrative burden on State agencies to receive technical assistance from Department programs.”

The notice is not an application for new proposals but rather a set of priorities, requirements, and definitions that USED can use in its next competition, which has not yet been announced. USED is proposing three priorities for types of centers, which align with how the existing program is organized: a National Center, a set of Regional Centers, and a set of Content Centers. These proposed priorities differ from the existing priorities (last updated in 2024) primarily in three ways:

• The notice frames the National Center as serving as “a concierge-style support to intake, assess, and direct technical assistance requests” to the appropriate CC or other resources across the federal government;
• Instead of providing a proposal for how the Regional Centers will be divided, the notice directs questions to the public for input on the configuration, size, and other factors USED will use in launching any CC competition; and
• Rather than designate substantive topics for the Content Centers (e.g., English learners, educator workforce), the notice includes two focus areas: “Field-Initiated” centers that will focus on needs identified by states, and “Emerging Need” centers that will focus on needs announced in the actual grant competition.

Comments on the proposal are due by April 2, 2026.

National Assessment Governing Board meets on NAEP administration: On March 5, the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) met for its quarterly meeting, during which NAGB Executive Director Lesley Muldoon and National Commission for Education Statistics (NCES) Commissioner Matt Soldner gave reports and updates. Executive Director Muldoon stated that researchers are studying the long-term trends from 2025 assessments, as well as how different populations and school sectors vary in assessment results between states. NCES Commissioner Soldner shared that the administration of the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) is underway for 2026, including assessments for mathematics, reading, civics, and U.S. history. Additionally, Commissioner Soldner confirmed that NCES has onboarded five new staff members to the NAEP team, and that additional staffing offers will be issued in the coming weeks.

USED Under Secretary Kent reiterates forthcoming changes to accreditation in remarks at conference: On February 27, USED Under Secretary Nicholas Kent gave remarks at the annual American Council on Education conference where he reiterated the Administration’s focus on changes to accreditation. According to Higher Ed Dive, Kent described the current accreditation system as one that allows for “low-performing legacy institutions,” and has fueled “skyrocketing costs.” Under Secretary Kent remarked that the changes will “[break] up a stagnant and sleepy system while maintaining necessary quality indicators that ultimately lead to student success, like stronger graduation rates, better workforce alignment and higher wages.”

USED releases interpretive rule to allow for new accreditation agencies: On February 26, USED issued an interpretive rule aimed at reducing existing barriers for new accrediting agencies to apply for recognition. Specifically, the interpretive rule offers clarification on USED’s recognition process, including shortening the review process of agencies and clarifying timelines on which accreditors must conduct two years of accrediting activities before recognition. Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent said that the rule aims to address “stagna[tion]” in the accreditation market, pointing to “increased competition [to] spur innovation.” Note that this is an interpretive rule and thus does not create new regulations or change existing regulations, but it does give a clear signal of the Department’s plans to regulate accreditation at the upcoming negotiated rulemaking beginning in April.

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ):

DOJ seeks to intervene in suit challenging Los Angeles schools desegregation effort: On February 18, DOJ filed a motion to intervene in a case brought by the private 1776 Foundation against the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), alleging violations of the 14th Amendment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and the state constitution. LAUSD’s Predominately Hispanic, Black, Asian, or Other (PHBAO) Program is intended to combat segregation, supporting racially diverse magnet school enrollment and allowing PHBAO schools (that are at least 70% students of color) to offer smaller class sizes and other benefits. The 1776 Project alleges that, in allocating resources in this way, “the District engages in – and publicly touts – a program of overt discrimination against a new minority: White students.” DOJ, in its motion to intervene, agreed with the 1776 Project and asserted that this is a case of “general public importance.”

Congress

Congressional Democrats release report on impact of COVID relief funds: On February 27, Senate Appropriations Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Education and Workforce Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) released a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act’s (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Maintenance of Equity provision. The report studied the implementation of ESSER’s Maintenance of Equity (MOEquity) requirement, which prohibited states and districts from disproportionately cutting funds from districts or schools serving high percentages of low-income students. Studying data from six states, the GAO found that USED “lacked reliable data on how states implemented the MOEquity requirements,” and therefore “could not determine if states paid appropriate districts or the total amounts paid in supplemental payments because of data reliability issues, such as duplicative or missing data.” GAO made multiple recommendations to USED, including establishing procedures to ensure quality of data and technical assistance training.

Senate:

Senate passes Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0): On March 4, the Senate passed S.836, its version of the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0) via unanimous consent. The Senate bill includes many significant amendments to the decades-old bill to protect the privacy of minors and their data on the internet, including: a revised “actual knowledge” standard that would no longer allow platforms to ignore the presence of children and teens on their platform, modernized protections under COPPA to adapt to social media, algorithms, and other platforms and design features, and preemption of any state laws that are weaker than the federal standard established by COPPA 2.0 while not precluding the ability of states to establish laws that are stronger than the federal standard.

The bill also moves to distinguish between commercial purposes and educational purposes when a website operator has an agreement with an educational agency or institution, and it requires the operator to limit the use of children’s personal information to only educational purposes and be subject to various forms of oversight from the educational agency or institution. It also requires representatives of the educational agency or institution (as well as the agency/institution itself) to explicitly state that they are authorized to collect the personal information of children, and mandates transparency from the educational agency or institution to notify parents and the public of its data sharing agreement with an operator.

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee advance legislation on STEM education and recognition of high school graduates that are homeschooled: On February 26, the Senate HELP Committee held a markup and advanced four bills, two of which impact education. S. 1602,  the Mathematical and Statistical Modeling Education Act, was agreed to by a roll call vote of 22-1 and aims to coordinate federal research and development efforts focused on modernizing mathematics in STEM education through mathematical and statistical modeling. In his statement at the start of the markup, Committee Chair Bill Cassidy (R-LA) expressed his support for each bill, noting that S.1602 “modernizes how math is taught to better prepare students” in hopes of addressing the “mismatch” between current math instruction and the pace of the evolving needs of employers. S. 3747, the Home School Graduation Recognition Act, was advanced by a roll call vote of 23-0, and would allow for recognition of students who have completed secondary school education in a home school setting as high school graduates. As noted below, a similar bill passed the full House on March 3.

House:

House Energy and Commerce Committee advances legislation on children’s online safety: On March 5, the House Energy and Commerce Committee held a markup and advanced three bills related to children’s online safety, age verification, data privacy, and the rights of parents to wield influence over their children’s online interactions, among other topics. The legislation advanced included:

• H.R. 7757, the Kids Internet and Digital Safety (KIDS) Act, which advanced on a party-line vote of 28-24. The bill combined 12 partisan bills, including the House version of the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), aimed at protecting young people online.
• H.R. 2657, Sammy’s Law, which advanced by bipartisan vote of 36-16. The bill would allow parents or legal guardians to delegate control over their children’s online interactions, content, and account settings to third party providers.
• H.R. 3149, the App Store Accountability Act, which advanced by a vote of 26-23. The bill would require age verification on app stores before allowing minors to purchase or download apps.

The Committee also considered H.R. 6291, the Children and Teens’ Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA 2.0), which expands the scope of the nearly 30-year old COPPA statute by broadening data protections for children and teens, adding a requirement for large social media companies to reasonably know (instead of just actually know) that a user is a minor, therefore increasing accountability for platforms to know that minors are using their platforms and therefore be held accountable for any harms to minors. Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ) reached an agreement to not vote on this bill, opting instead to continue bipartisan negotiations toward a deal.

Committee Democrats unanimously opposed the KIDS Act, taking issue with what they alleged is restrictive language in the bill preempting any conflicting state laws, language making kids less safe, and language that does not stop data brokers from profiting from the sale of kids’ data. Democratic members also accused Republicans of acting in bad faith by packaging 12 bills at the last minute into the KIDS Act. Ranking Member Pallone and Committee Democrats, both through their statements and amendments, indicated four main areas of concern with the KIDS Act: a belief that the KIDS Act’s version of KOSA lets big tech off the hook by maintaining the “actual knowledge” standard that only holds online platforms accountable for verifiably knowing that minors are using their platform instead of also reasonably believing that minors are using their platform and being subjected to harms (“constructive knowledge”).

House passes bill to ensure recognition of high school graduates that are homeschooled: On March 3, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6392, The Homeschool Graduation Recognition Act, by voice vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mark Harris (R-NC), addresses how homeschool graduates are classified in federal education law by updating language in the Higher Education Act that previously referred to homeschooled students as individuals who had not graduated from high school, even though they may have been eligible for federal student aid. The bill revises this language to state that students who complete a homeschool education in accordance with applicable state laws are considered high school graduates for federal education purposes. Full committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) said, upon passage of the bill, “Home school graduates are high school graduates. Yet for too long, homeschoolers have been treated as second-rate in the college application process.” Related legislation, S. 3747, was passed unanimously by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on February 26, and awaits full consideration by the full Senate.

House passes legislation ensuring students in U.S. Territories are eligible for in-state tuition at state universities: On March 4, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 6472, the Territorial Student Access to Higher Education Act, sponsored by Delegate James Moylan (R-Guam). The bill passed by a bipartisan vote of 351-72, with 71 Republicans and one Democrat in opposition. The bill requires public colleges and universities in the fifty states that receive federal funding to offer in-state tuition rates to eligible students from U.S. territories, including Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Currently, many of these students pay higher out-of-state tuition when attending institutions in the fifty states. House Education and the Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) said, upon passage in the House, “Students in U.S. territories face unique challenges that make it harder to attend college or pursue credentialing opportunities. [This bill helps] lower costs so more students can acquire degrees and high-quality credentials.” The bill now moves to the Senate for possible consideration. 

House Education Committee considers a number of bills aimed at “preventing fraud” in federal child care programs: On March 5, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce held a markup to consider a package of eight bills aimed at strengthening oversight and preventing fraud in federally-funded child care programs. The eight bills included: H.R. 7720, Child Care Payment Integrity and Fraud Accountability Act; H.R. 7721, Combating Regulatory Abuse, Closing Known Deficiencies, and Overseeing Waste Nationwide (CRACKDOWN) Act; H.R. 7722, Child Care Integrity Monitoring Act; H.R. 7723, Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars in Child Care Act; H.R. 7724, No Waivers for Fraud Act; H.R. 7725, Stop Child Care Fraud Act; H.R. 7677, Closing the Provider Fraud Gap Act; and H.R. 7726, No Funds for Repeat Child Care Violations Act. These proposals are largely in response to reports of alleged improper payments and fraudulent activity in programs supported by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant, which provides subsidies to help families afford child care. Several bills would require stronger data monitoring, restrict waivers in cases involving fraud, prevent providers with repeated violations from receiving funds, and enhance federal and state oversight of payments to providers. At the markup, Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI), claimed, “CCDBG only serves approximately 10 percent of children in the private-sector child care market. That makes waste, fraud, and abuse – like what has been found in Minnesota – even more untenable.” Most of the bills passed on party-line votes, with H.R. 7725 and H.R. 7677 passing unanimously.

House Democrats criticize proposed changes to student loan programs: On March 2, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) led 85 Democrats in comments on USED’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) focused on the implementation of the federal student loan-related provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The Reimagining and Improving Student Education (RISE) negotiated rulemaking committee reached consensus on the proposed regulations in January, which, among other provisions, propose limits on graduate student loans and redefine what qualifies as a “professional” degree. The Members wrote in their comments that the “new structure of federal graduate lending will further restrict higher education access, particularly for low- and middle-income borrowers.” Commenting broadly on the OBBBA’s changes to higher education, the Members note that the law has potential to “destabilize our higher education system and [harm] students struggling to afford college by restricting access to federal student aid and eliminating affordable loan repayment plans.”

House Education Subcommittee holds hearing on the impact of AI on teaching: On February 24, the House Committee on Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education held a hearing titled, “Building an AI-Ready America: Teaching in the AI Age.” The hearing heard from four witnesses: Michele Blatt, State Superintendent of Schools for the West Virginia Department of Education; Aneesh Sohoni, the CEO of Teach for America; David Slykhuis, Dean at the Dewar College of Education at Valdosta State University (GA), and Allyson Knox, Senior Director of Education and Workforce Policy at Microsoft.

Subcommittee Chair Kevin Kiley (R-CA), in his opening remarks, emphasizing both the promise and challenges of integrating AI into classrooms. Chair Kiley stressed that AI tools have the potential to significantly reduce teachers’ administrative burdens, by assisting in analyzing student performance, creating lesson plans, and tailoring instruction - which could free up valuable time for direct teaching and interacting with students. He cited surveys showing that a growing majority of teachers are already using AI tools but that many feel underprepared and unsupported. Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), in her opening remarks, acknowledged common ground with Chair Kiley on the importance of preparing educators and students for the AI era and said that while opportunities exist, policymakers must also consider equity and safeguards. Ranking Member Bonamici’s comments reflected concerns by other Democratic Members around ensuring that AI adoption supports all students and does not exacerbate existing disparities.

The four witnesses brought a range of perspectives on AI in education. They highlighted real-world classroom use cases where AI tools, with sufficient guardrails, have helped personalize instruction, improve learning outcomes, and engage parents and students alike. Witnesses generally echoed that while AI can be a powerful supportive tool, it requires federal guidance, teacher preparation, and safeguards to ensure it benefits students without undermining core educational objectives. And all witnesses underscored that AI should be used to support teachers, not supplant them.

Allyson Knox, from Microsoft, shared survey results showing that many teachers are actively using AI to streamline lesson planning, personalize instruction, and reduce administrative burdens. Knox outlined that teachers want AI literacy, responsible use guardrails, and classroom-ready tools and she stressed the importance of professional development so that educators feel confident integrating these technologies. Michele Blatt, the State Superintendent in West Virginia, described how her state issued early and evolving guidance on responsible AI use in schools to train teachers and align tools with classroom standards. She emphasized that such guidance helps teachers use AI as a tool rather than a replacement for instruction, and noted that students’ engagement improved when AI was integrated thoughtfully into lessons, such as vocabulary development. Blatt also highlighted the need for clear policies around student safety, privacy, and academic integrity. Aneesh Sohoni, CEO of Teach for America, told Members that AI cannot replace excellent educators, but instead must be introduced in ways that enhance the expertise teachers bring to classrooms.

Member comments and questions focused on how schools are protecting academic integrity and preventing cheating, how educators are trained to use AI, and how AI can be used to support learning while safeguarding students’ data and critical thinking development. Full Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) asked witnesses about positive real-world impacts of AI, while Rep. Burgess Owens (R-UT) spoke about the need for industry and schools to partner on training programs and certifications that reflect classroom needs. Full Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) asked about the importance of state and local guidance for AI use for teachers and how to ensure responsible and appropriate use.

Members from both parties acknowledged the transformative potential of AI, while also noting the practical and ethical questions educators face as these technologies become more integrated into teaching and learning. Republican Members were generally more positive about the potential of AI, while Democratic Members spoke about the need for more protections to ensure the benefits of AI are shared broadly across diverse schools and student populations.

House Education and Workforce Subcommittee holds hearing on employer-led training for AI: On March 4, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing titled, “Building an AI-Ready America: Strengthening Employer-Led Training”. The hearing was the fifth in a series examining the impact of AI on teaching, learning, skills development, and employment, and its intended focus was to highlight the need for employers to lead and invest in efforts to upskill a workforce for the age of AI. The Committee heard from four witnesses: Tim House, Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at the Wireless Infrastructure Association; Dr. Scott Ralls, President at Wake Technical Community College; Brent Parton, President at CareerWise; and Mary Kate Morley Ryan, Managing Director for Talent & Organization at Accenture.

In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chair Burgess Owens (R-UT) discussed how the increase in use and implementation of AI underscore the need for the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to better support employer-sponsored and industry-driven training models that enable workers to quickly acquire in-demand skills. Members’ questions for much of the hearing focused on expanding opportunities for workers to access registered apprenticeship programs, and Democrats on the Subcommittee notably moved quickly from discussing AI to criticizing the Trump Administration’s Interagency Agreement (IAA) to move the Adult Education program authorized under Title II of WIOA from USED to the Department of Labor.

House Appropriations Subcommittee holds hearing on community colleges: On March 4, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies held a hearing titled, “Preparing for the Future: America’s Community Colleges.” The subcommittee heard from four witnesses: Dr. Patricia G. Sims, President, Drake State Community & Technical College; Dr. Brad Hall, President, Blackfeet Community College; Shawn M. Morgan, Vice President of Workforce and Strategic Initiatives, Bevill State Community College; and Shalin Jyotishi, Founder and Managing Director, Future of Work and Innovation Economy Initiative, New America.

In his opening remarks, Subcommittee Chair Robert Aderholt (R-AL) spoke about the value community colleges deliver to students and local economies, providing learning opportunities without the high cost associated with four-year colleges, flexibility around course schedules, connections to K-12 schools, and dual enrollment programs. He also noted the growing workforce needs due to challenges like worker shortages caused by aging populations or those present in rural areas.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) also spoke about the rising cost of education and the benefits community colleges provide through flexibility to work while in school and programs designed to meet worker needs and regional economies. Ranking Member DeLauro expressed her support for the Federal Registered Apprenticeships program and workforce Pell Grants, later mentioning how the Trump Administration attempted to eliminate many investments in community colleges and Pell Grants. Finally, Ranking Member DeLauro called for increasing funding for WIOA.

House Oversight Committee holds hearing on alleged fraud in Minnesota: On March 4, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing titled, “Oversight of Fraud and Misuse of Federal Funds in Minnesota: Part II,” at which Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison testified. Opening the hearing, Committee Chair James Comer remarked that the Committee’s examination of the state’s social programs uncovered billions of dollars in fraud, asserting “it happened because state leadership failed, repeatedly, to intervene.” While Governor Walz used his remarks to name that “Minnesota's programs have overwhelmingly achieved their intended purposes, they're not immune from fraud,” he stated that the investigation and “the people of Minnesota have been singled out and targeted for political retribution at an unparalleled scale, including blocking Medicaid reimbursements to our state.” In conjunction with the hearing, the Committee released a report with preliminary findings of the investigation, citing specific programs and timing when Governor Walz and Attorney General Ellison were aware of alleged fraud.

U.S. Courts

Federal judge denies USED request for more time to consider forgiving student loans: On February 24, a federal judge denied a request from USED for additional time to consider loan forgiveness for borrower defense claims. In November, USED requested an additional 18 months to review the claims, but the court directed USED to notify borrowers by January 28 whether their application had been approved, or to automatically grant the forgiveness. According to the order, USED attested that the backlog of cases stands at approximately 169,900. USED has appealed the ruling.

Upcoming Events (Congress & Administration):

• On March 12 at 10:00 a.m., the Senate HELP Committee will hold a hearing titled, “Transparency and Trust: Exposing Malign Foreign Influence in Higher Education.” Witnesses have not yet been announced. The hearing will be held in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building and livestreamed here.

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On March 11 at 12:00 p.m., InnovateEdu will host a webinar titled, “The New SAM.gov Landscape? Navigating New Federal Funding Conditions.” Amanda Dallo, Principal at EducationCounsel, will cover the legal and operational implications of the proposed certification requirement from the General Services Administration (GSA) which could be applied to nearly all federal funding. The webinar will consider how these updated "representations and certifications" align with the Trump Administration’s anti-DEI efforts, and why these changes may expose schools, nonprofits, and research institutions to significant liability under the False Claims Act. More information and registration are here.
• On March 16 at 2:00 p.m., the Chronicle of Higher Education will host a webinar titled, “Preparing Students for the AI Work Force.” Experts will consider how AI has changed the job market for entry-level workers, what skills and competencies employers are looking for in entry-level workers, and how colleges and universities are changing curricula to include AI. Ian Wilhelm, Deputy Managing Editor at the Chronicle, will host the webinar, and the panelists are Margaret Moffett, author and higher education writer, and Jessica Stansbury, Director of the Center for AI Learning and Community-Engaged Innovation at the University of Baltimore. More information and registration are here.

Publications (Congress & Administration):

• On January 29, the U.S. Government Accountability Office published a report titled, “K-12 Education: Lessons Learned from Implementing COVID-19 Relief Funding Provisions Could Improve Future Grant Monitoring.” The report assesses actions taken by USED to oversee state efforts to meet the COVID-19 grant provisions set out by Congress to protect low-income students from state funding cuts once the federal grants ended. It found that USED could have improved these efforts, and included recommendations such as recommending the Secretary of Education establish procedures to ensure that quality and reliable data is collected for grant oversight and technical assistance purposes.
• On February 27, the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute for Education Sciences (IES) published a report titled, “Reimagining The Institute Of Education Sciences: A Strategy For Relevance And Renewal.” The report contains recommendations for IES on how to ensure that the research data it provides states, policymakers, and education stakeholders is actionable and relevant. Some recommendations include having IES direct research toward focusing on practicality, innovation, and relevance; having resources focus on urgent education challenges informed by state and district leaders; and developing a streamlined and coordinated data strategy while maintaining and strengthening its core functions.

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On February 25, The Burning Glass Institute published a report titled, “Which Skills Matter Now?: A Data-Driven Framework for K-12 in the Age of AI.” The report proposes three core themes on how necessary skills are changing because of AI. First, students now need to understand principles enough to instruct AI and its outputs while identifying when it is incorrect. Next, every subject contains a mix of learning objectives that remain foundational while others need to be taught differently, however no discipline has lost overall relevance due to AI. Finally, the focus of evaluations should shift from evaluating the product of student work to evaluating the process and judgment behind it, a shift that can be enabled by AI.
•  On February 3, Bellwether released a report titled, “Designed for Distance: How State K-12 Finance Systems Can Support Rural Districts.” The report offers options for policymakers to address operational funding and support for rural districts, which often experience unique funding constraints. Some unique challenges facing rural districts include diseconomies of scale due to the operation of multiple smaller schools, transportation costs, and geographic isolation.

Legislation:

Introduced in the House of Representatives:

H.R. 7637

A bill to amend the Head Start Act to improve the Act.
Sponsor: Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI)

H.R. 7660

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand the definition of a historically Black college or university to include schools established prior to November 8, 1965, so long as such schools meet all other required criteria, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Richard McCormick (R-GA)

H.R. 7671

A bill to amend the Consumer Financial Protection Act of 2010 to establish the position of the Assistant Director and Student Loan Borrower Advocate of the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, to provide a framework for the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection and the Department of Education to coordinate in providing assistance to and serving borrowers seeking to resolve complaints related to their private education or Federal student loans, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

H.R. 7676

A bill to amend the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 to authorize States to develop directories of career and technical education programs of study and career pathways, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Jennifer McClellan (D-VA)

H.R. 7689

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide basic and emergency supplemental living assistance grants under the student support services program.
Sponsor: Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

H.R. 7690

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the maximum stipend amounts provided under Upward Bound projects.
Sponsor: Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

H.R. 7691

A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to provide grants to local educational agencies to cover the costs of challenges to determinations not to discontinue the use of specific instructional materials, or the availability of specific school library materials, in public elementary and secondary schools, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-FL)

H.R. 7798

A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to provide grants to hire and retain school social workers, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI)

H.R. 7810

A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to set interest rates for Federal student loans made on or after July 1, 2026, at 2 percent, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA)

H.R. 7826

A bill to amend the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Act of 2020 to provide for a special allocation of certain awards of financial assistance to historically Black Colleges and Universities relating to national artificial intelligence research institutes, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Valerie Foushee (D-NC)

H.R. 7855

A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to expand access to school-wide arts and music programs, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY)

H.Res. 1078

A resolution of inquiry requesting the President and directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to transmit, respectively, certain documents to the House of Representatives relating to the "Defend the Spend" freeze on child care payments to all States, Tribes, and Territories.
Sponsor: Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA)

Introduced in the Senate:

S. 3957

A bill to support National Science Foundation education and professional development relating to artificial intelligence.
Sponsor: Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS)

S. 3993

A bill to amend title 38, United States Code, and title 10, United States Code, to eliminate those provisions relating to veterans educational assistance that disadvantage eligible individuals who choose to pursue programs of apprenticeship or other on-job training instead of a four-year college degree, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT)

S.Res. 618

A resolution recognizing the importance of career and technical education ("CTE") educators and work-based learning coordinators in delivering high-quality CTE, preparing students for success in the workplace, the classroom, and in life, and supporting dynamic workforce pipelines that enable the United States to grow and lead in critical economic sectors.
Sponsor: Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE)

S.Res. 624

A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week of March 2 through March 6, 2026, as "National Social and Emotional Learning Week" to recognize the critical role social and emotional learning plays in supporting the academic success and overall well-being of students, educators, and families.
Sponsor: Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)