The information covered below is from September 22, 2023, to October 5, 2023.

Highlights:

• On October 3, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a Motion to Vacate the Speaker on a vote of 216 to 210.
• On September 27, the U.S. Department of Education (USED) released an unofficial version of final regulations covering programs that provide gainful employment in a recognized occupation (GE) and new financial value transparency (FVT) regulations for all programs enrolling students that receive Title IV financial aid.
• On September 28, the USED released a new report to support states and institutions of higher education in increasing diversity and opportunity.

Administration:

White House:

The White House and the USED release report on strategies for increasing diversity and opportunity in higher education: On September 28, the USED released a new report to support states and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in increasing diversity and opportunity. The report outlines evidence-based strategies to advance diversity in outreach, admissions, financial aid, and college completion following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in SFFA v. Harvard/UNC. Specifically, the report details steps that IHEs can take to enhance their socioeconomic and racial diversity in the following areas:

• Investing in targeted recruitment, outreach, and pathway programs, including with K–12 schools, community colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities, and Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs);
• Giving meaningful consideration in admissions to the adversity students have faced -- including a students’ financial means, where a student grew up or attended high school, and personal experiences of hardship and discrimination, including racial discrimination -- and ending practices that hinder socioeconomic and racial diversity;
• Increasing affordability, including through need-based aid, and ensuring transparency and simplicity in student aid application processes; and
• Cultivating welcoming and supportive environments for students and providing comprehensive support programs that increase retention and completion rates.

In conjunction with the release of the report, Director of the Domestic Policy Council Neera Tanden and USED Secretary Miguel Cardona hosted an event to hear from institutional leaders about how they have increased socioeconomic and racial diversity through adopting best practices in admissions, targeted recruitment and pathways, financial aid, and student success completion efforts that have contributed to the diversity of their campus communities. Secretary Cardona used the event to call attention to examples of partnerships between four-year universities and community colleges, targeted student outreach, and the need for professional development for admissions representatives to learn how to make these practices effective. Director Tanden and Secretary Cardona “underscored how this moment demands leadership, innovation, and collaboration from leaders at every level to break down barriers for underserved students and reimagine pathways into higher education.”

White House holds event announcing $9 billion in student debt forgiveness through changes to income-driven repayment (IDR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) programs: On October 4, the White House held an event to announce $9 billion in loan forgiveness through changes to the IDR and PSLF programs. Specifically, the announcement noted that the changes to the PSLF program have led to $5.2 billion in debt relief for 53,000 borrowers. The USED stated that $2.8 billion in relief will be issued to 51,000 borrowers through “fixes to the [IDR] program” for those “who made 20 years or more of payments but never got the relief they were entitled.” Finally, $1.2 billion will be issued to nearly 22,000 borrowers who have a total or permanent disability. In his remarks at the event, President Biden said, “This kind of relief is lifechanging for individuals and their families, but it’s good for our economy as a whole as well. By freeing millions of Americans from the crushing burden of student debt, it means they can go and get their lives in order.”

Following the Administration’s announcement, Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and House Education the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a joint statement expressing, “The Department still refuses to share with Congress what statutory authority they are claiming to justify this expenditure of taxpayer dollars. This is part of a pattern of the Biden Administration illegally acting without congressional approval, costing the American people hundreds of billions of dollars.” Chairwoman Foxx added, “The Department of Education acts as if hardworking taxpayers are both willing and able to foot a tab worth billions of dollars that they do not owe. Either the Department is blissfully ignorant of its own binding legal constraints, or it is purposefully evading Congress’ approval and pushing forward with its own illegal charade – the latter is the obvious answer.”

President Biden and Vice President Harris remark on importance of investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs): On September 25, President Biden and Vice President Harris met with the President’s Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities. In his remarks prior to the event, President Biden stated that the Biden Administration has invested $7 billion in HBCUs, “including research investments [and] the largest increase in Pell Grants in over a decade.” President Biden also emphasized that updates to the student loan repayment program has cut “the total lifetime payment per dollar borrowed for Black students and families…in half.” Vice President Harris stated, “we know that our HBCUs are also pipelines for very extraordinary young people to enter the fields of work…to supply us with the innovative approaches that will allow us to continue to work on the strength, prosperity, and security of our nation.” Vice President Harris added that among many needs in innovation is Artificial Intelligence (AI), noting that “we want to ensure that machine learning adapts to and includes the experiences of all people” and that benefits to HBCU graduates are included in that decision-making process. Vice President Harris concluded her remarks stating that the Administration will continue to dedicate efforts and investments to HBCUs stating, “We need our HBCUs. They benefit everyone in our country.”

U.S. Department of Education (USED):

USED releases final regulations on gainful employment and financial value transparency: On September 27, the USED released an unofficial version of final regulations covering programs that provide gainful employment in a recognized occupation (GE) and new financial value transparency (FVT) regulations for all programs enrolling students that receive Title IV financial aid. The final regulations are expected to be officially published the week of October 10, and will take effect beginning on July 1, 2024. A fact sheet on the regulations can be found here.

According to the USED, the “revitalized and strengthened” GE regulations (versions of which were initially issued during the Obama Administration and were rescinded under the Trump Administration) are designed to protect students and taxpayers from career training programs that persistently leave them with low earnings or unpayable debt. Covered GE programs, which include all programs at proprietary institutions and nondegree certificate programs at public and nonprofit institutions, would be required to provide the majority of their graduates with (1) sufficient earnings to pay off their student debt and (2) earnings higher than high school graduates in their state. Programs that do not do both in two out of three consecutive years would lose eligibility to disburse Title IV financial aid.

The new FVT regulations (introduced for the first time by the Biden Administration) are designed to provide the public, students, institutions, and policymakers with debt and earnings information for every program in the country, to better inform individual choice and future policy decision-making.  The same metrics are used in FVT as in GE— whether the earnings were sufficient to repay the student debt incurred for the program and whether a program’s median student has earnings above a high-school graduate in the state—but the rates will be published on a new “program information website” and not carry the threat of losing Title IV financial aid eligibility.

The first earnings and debt measures on career programs will be published in 2025, and programs will first become subject to GE loss of eligibility or required to make disclosures to students beginning in 2026.

In response to the final rule, Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a statement in opposition to the regulations expressing, “For an agency that purports to serve the needs of veterans, minorities, and other disadvantaged students, the Department’s announcement today is steeped in hypocrisy.” Chairwoman Foxx stated that the regulations “[attack] proprietary institutions through flawed and arbitrary regulations while giving a pass to the thousands of low-value programs at institutions serving the vast majority of students.” Ranking Member Bobby Scott’s (D-VA) statement applauded the regulations noting, “The Gainful Employment rule is a critical tool to address low-quality career programs that frequently leave graduates with crushing debt and no meaningful career prospects. The final rule issued today is the strongest initiative yet to hold career programs accountable to the promises they make to their students.”

USED releases issue paper on student loan debt relief with policy considerations for negotiated rulemaking in advance of first meeting: On September 29, the USED released an issue paper with policy considerations for upcoming negotiated rulemaking sessions of the Student Loan Relief Committee on October 10-11. The considerations cover five categories of affected borrowers for which the USED is seeking feedback, including: (1) borrowers whose balances are greater than what they originally borrowed; (2) borrowers whose loans first entered repayment decades ago; (3) borrowers who attended programs that did not provide sufficient financial value; (4) borrowers who are eligible for relief under programs like income-driven repayment but have not applied; and (5) borrowers who have experienced financial hardship and need support, but for whom the current student loan system does not adequately address; however, the USED is not foreclosed from attempting to provide student debt relief to borrowers beyond the five categories enumerated.

Negotiated rulemaking on student loan debt relief follows the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in June which found that the Biden Administration does not have the legal authority to broadly cancel student loan debt under the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students (“HEROES”) Act. The HEROES Act grants the USED authority to waive laws around the federal student loan program in the case of a national emergency. The Biden Administration had cited HEROES Act authority stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic to propose student loan forgiveness of $10,000 for borrowers earning less than $125,000 annually and $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients. In response to the Supreme Court ruling, the Biden Administration announced the upcoming negotiated rulemaking process aimed at opening an alternative path to debt relief for as many borrowers as possible. The issue paper released in advance of the first meeting does not explicitly address the Biden Administration’s previous student loan forgiveness proposal. Additional negotiated rulemaking sessions are expected to be held on November 6-7 and December 11-12.

USED publishes updated non-regulatory guidance outlining importance of evidence in education investments: On September 28, the USED released an updated version of non-regulatory guidance titled, “Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments,” which was first issued in 2016. The purpose of the guidance is “to provide information to State educational agencies, local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, schools, educators, partner organizations, and other partners to assist them in selecting, using, and building evidence-based activities, strategies, and interventions, as defined in Title VIII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965.” The updated version of the guidance retains but reframes the structure of the original guidance to clarify “that the cycle of continuous improvement and evidence definitions have applicability beyond programs authorized by ESEA, including career and technical education, postsecondary education, and special education.” In addition, this version of the guidance provides current information about the evidence provisions in the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Through the guidance, the USED emphasizes the use of evidence-based activities, strategies, and interventions (collectively referred to as “project components”) in the design of education programs. The guidance is intended to assist organizations in “choos[ing] and implement[ing] evidence-based project components that are designed to improve outcomes for learners.”

USED Secretary Cardona visits San Antonio to highlight multilingual programming: On October 4, USED Secretary Cardona visited Mark Twain Dual Language Academy in San Antonio, TX, to learn about the school’s multilingual learning. After a tour of the school, Secretary Cardona met with Principal David Garcia, San Antonio Independent School District Board of Trustees President Christina Martinez, and University of Texas at San Antonio Dean of the College of Education and Human Development Dr. Mario S. Torres, Jr. The meeting included a discussion of how programs in San Antonio are providing students with the opportunity to develop the effective language skills, strong cognitive and academic skills, and cross-cultural understanding that will enable them to achieve their potential. In a tweet following the visit, Secretary Cardona shared, “When we invest in multilingualism, we invest in our students’ being able to engage with the world.”

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS):

Biden Administration announces more than $200 million to programs to support youth mental health: On September 25, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), announced $206 million in grant awards to support youth mental health. Specifically, SAMHSA is awarding $131.7 million in grant programs that connect youth and families to behavioral health services, HRSA is awarding $55 million to expand access to mental health care for young people, and ACF is awarding $20 million to improve the quality of mental health services provided to children involved in the child welfare system. HHS also announced that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will make more Medicaid funding available for school-based health services in Virginia (which could serve as a model for other states) to improve healthcare access, including mental health services.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

USDA finalizes rule expanding access to school meals: On September 26, the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) announced its final rule expanding the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) by increasing the number of K-12 school districts eligible to participate in the program. Specifically, the final rule lowers the minimum identified student percentage (ISP) from 40% to 25%, giving “states and schools greater flexibility to offer meals to all enrolled students at no cost when financially viable.” The Federal Register notice states that the rule allows for “increasing students' access to healthy, no-cost school meals; eliminating unpaid meal charges; reducing stigma; and streamlining Program administration and meal service operations.”

In response, House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx (R-NC) issued a statement opposing the rule stating, “Committee Republicans believe that students who need free lunches should be able to receive them. Period. That is not what this rule does. USDA’s rule grossly expands the welfare state and allows middle- and upper-income students to take advantage of a program that should be limited to those most in need.” Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) “applauded” the rule stating that CEP “has proven to be a critical tool in fighting against child hunger. At a time when far too many children are continuing to go hungry, it is imperative that we maximize the potential of this program and expand access to healthy school meals.”

Congress:

Continuing Resolution (CR) extends federal funding through November 17: On September 30, President Biden signed a CR to extend federal government funding, including for the USED and the HHS, through November 17. Earlier, on September 30, the House passed the CR with bipartisan support by a vote of 335 to 91 – including with the support of all but 1 Democrat and 126 Republicans – to avoid a federal government shutdown, following a prolonged debate among Republicans, which centered on whether cuts to federal spending should be included in the CR, border security, and the process for considering annual appropriations bills individually in the House. The CR passed the Senate with a bipartisan vote of 88 to 9. The CR through November 17 continues federal funding at fiscal year (FY) 2023 levels and includes $16 billion in disaster aid.

Senate:

Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy discusses legislation to lower the cost of higher education: On September 27, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) spoke at an event hosted by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) titled, “A Conversation with Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) on the Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act.” Ranking Member Cassidy opened the event by summarizing a few reasons why student loan debt has increased in recent decades, expressing that the loans are easy to access and often result in low-paying degrees. He also noted institutions have taken advantage of the ability to easily access student loans by charging high tuition. Addressing legislation which he has sponsored, S. 1972, the “Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act,” Ranking Member Cassidy stated that the overall goal is to make sure that students and borrowers are “more informed consumers.” The legislation was first introduced on June 14, 2023, as a package of five bills unveiled by Republicans to address the increasing cost of higher education. One of the bills included in the package was the bipartisan, S. 1349, the “ College Transparency Act (CTA),” which proposes changes to the postsecondary data reporting system to improve the information that families and students can use to inform their postsecondary educational decisions around schools and programs. When asked about the CTA at the event, Ranking Member Cassidy emphasized that it has bipartisan support, and because it would disaggregate student outcomes based on different demographics like race and gender, it allows students to make better decisions and would help address one of the root causes of the debt crisis.

Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Cassidy pens op-ed expressing opposition to Biden Administration’s Income-Driven Repayment regulations: On September 29, Senate HELP Committee Ranking Member Bill Cassidy (R-LA) wrote an op-ed in the Washington Examiner explaining his opposition to the Biden Administration’s new income-driven repayment (IDR) rule. The Biden Administration’s new IDR plan, the Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, cuts in half the amount that undergraduate loan borrowers have to pay each month from 10% to 5% of discretionary income and raises the amount of income that is considered non-discretionary income, and therefore, is protected from repayment, among other changes. Ranking Member Cassidy wrote that, “Just like Biden’s original student debt cancelation scheme, this IDR rule does not ‘forgive’ debt. It transfers the burden of $559 billion in federal student loans to the 87% of Americans who don’t have student loans – including to those who earn far less than some who took the loans.” Ranking Member Cassidy also lifted up in the op-ed, S. 1972, the “Lowering Education Costs and Debt Act,” which is legislation that he has sponsored as “a commonsense solution that actually addresses the root causes of our student debt crisis…[by] improv[ing] transparency and ensur[ing] students have all the tools available to pick the college that is best for their future, both educationally and economically.” The op-ed concludes, “The president’s student loan policies are not a fix — they are merely a Band-Aid that forces taxpayers to shoulder the responsibility of paying off someone else’s debt.”

Senators Warren, Blumenthal, Markey, and Van Hollen request information from student loan servicers regarding readiness to serve borrowers as student loan repayments restart: On September 28, Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) sent a letter to four federal loan servicers – MOHELA, Nelnet, EdFinancial, and Maximus Federal Services Inc. – requesting updated information regarding the servicers’ preparedness to support borrowers with repayment beginning on October 1. A group of Senators had previously sent a letter to servicers regarding this issue in July 2023, and based on the responses they received, the Senators expressed that they were “deeply worried” about servicers’ preparedness. The Senators acknowledged that the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is facing a “daunting challenge” in returning to repayment, but that “as of August, loan servicers had not been in contact with millions of borrowers.” Additionally, the Senators referenced a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) report indicating that when millions of borrowers were transferred to new servicers over the past few years, many experienced mistakes due to “incorrect balances, missing payments, improper claims of delinquency, [and] revised amortization schedules that resulted in higher monthly payment.” The letter requests information on current average call wait time for borrowers to speak with a representative, the current average email response time, and the number of borrowers who have complained about errors in calculating their monthly payment amounts.

House:

House votes to remove Kevin McCarthy as Speaker of the House: On October 3, the U.S House of Representatives passed a Motion to Vacate the Speaker on a vote of 216 to 210. Eight Republicans joined all present Democrats in passing the Motion to Vacate. The vote followed former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) decision to allow consideration of a Continuing Resolution (CR) to extend federal funding until November 17, which ultimately passed with bipartisan support. The business before the House will now be the election of a Speaker until a new Speaker is elected. Representative Patrick McHenry (R-NC) was named Speaker Pro Tempore. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-LA) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) have announced they are seeking the nomination to be Speaker of the House, with other candidates possible. In a Dear Colleague letter, Majority Leader Scalise highlighted that as a member of the House’s leadership team he helped to “ensure that parents have a say in their children’s education through the passage of H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights.” Representative Jordan in a Dear Colleague letter cited concerns with the actions of the Biden Administration, including federal agencies “targeting parents at school board meetings,” which the House Judiciary Committee has been investigating. Representative Jordan also went on to say regarding federal investments, “We must get our fiscal house in order and reduce spending so that we can leave more to the next generation than a crushing deficit.” The House could move to consider vote(s) for a new Speaker beginning as early as the week of October 10.

House Subcommittee holds hearing to discuss college admissions, following Supreme Court ruling on race-conscious admissions: On September 28, the House Education and the Workforce Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Development held a hearing on college admissions in the wake of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on race-conscious admissions policies in SFFA v. Harvard/UNC.

Subcommittee Chairman Burgess Owens (R-UT), in his opening statement, argued that, “...our country has accepted that black Americans are overall incapable of intellectually competing against white Americans through merit. Affirmative action has been the Trojan Horse for that message. Again, we see the soft bigotry of low expectations.” Chairman Owens closed by saying that, “Tomorrow’s admissions processes must not resemble yesterday’s. Further, we will watch as the ruling disrupts the landscape of other race-based institutions across America, as they have all been put on notice.”

Full Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA), in his opening remarks, countered that, “the nation still has a compelling interest in fostering diverse campuses and the recent Supreme Court decision does not change that.” He pointed out that, while race has been a factor in admissions, “Of the approximately 4,200 degree-granting institutions, less than 100 consider race in admissions and only 10 consider it as an important factor.” Scott also shared concerns about the impact of legacy admissions for children of university alumni and noted that at Harvard University, children of alumni accounted for “5% of applicants…but 30% of those admitted.”

The Subcommittee heard from four witnesses, including Alison Somin, Legal Fellow at the Pacific Legal Foundation; Yukong Mike Zhao, President of the Asian American Coalition for Education; Delano Squires, Research Fellow at the Heritage Foundation; and David Hinojosa, Director of the Educational Opportunities Project at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law. Witnesses and members raised and discussed a number of issues around college admissions, including other factors that can be used in admissions, the use of race or “race-proxies,” Democratic objections to legacy admissions, and Republican concerns about “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” programs in higher education, among other issues.

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott hosts roundtable on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace: On September 29, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) hosted a roundtable to consider the potential short-term and long-term risks of AI across the labor market. Additionally, experts considered the concept AI more broadly, its benefits and harms, and possible solutions to protect workers in the labor market. During the event, Ranking Member Scott remarked that “while AI has the potential to increase efficiency, productivity, revenue, and error reduction, researchers and experts have found that these technologies also pose risks to workers and their livelihoods.” Ranking Member Scott continued, “​​The rise of AI in the workplace—as with any new technology—may displace jobs, violate workers’ privacy, pose obstacles to workers’ right to organize and collectively bargain, and exert a disparate impact on people of color, women, older people, and people with disabilities. But our job in Congress is to do everything we can to ensure that the changing economy does not undermine the financial security, civil rights, and labor-market opportunities of American workers.”

House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Scott participates in school safety event: On September 27, House Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) participated in an event hosted by the Learning Policy Institute (LPI), AASA, and the Education Commission of the States titled, “Safe Schools, Thriving Students: School, District, State, and Federal Policy Lessons.” The event was held in response to recent increases in school shootings to share effective policy approaches and high-impact investments that can help create schools that foster student well-being and academic and social emotional learning. During the event, Ranking Member Scott shared, “Regrettably, slogans and sound bites have been ruling the day in crime policy and a lot of education policy.” Speaking to the inequities in discipline practices that disproportionately impact students with disabilities and Black students, Ranking Member Scott said, “We know that schools should be safe & welcoming for all students, but we know that’s not the case for many.”

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Smith and House Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman LaHood request GAO report on use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds: On September 25, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) and House Work and Welfare Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood (R-IL) wrote a letter to Government Accountability Office (GAO) Comptroller General Gene Dodaro requesting an review of non-assistance spending in the TANF program. Chairmen Smith and LaHood wrote that, “Recently, concerns have emerged that TANF non-assistance funds, which make up about 78% of combined federal and state spending, lack guardrails and are not focused on helping people transition from welfare to work.” The Chairmen referred to a July 12, 2023, House Ways and Means Committee hearing where “Members heard from witnesses about problems in current law that open the door for diversion of funds away from TANF’s core purposes and creates an environment ripe for waste, fraud, and abuse.” Chairmen Smith and LaHood requested the review of four major areas of interest, including state budgeting and expenditure reporting practices, populations served and performance metrics, federal and state audits, and transfers and direct spending.

House Subcommittee holds hearing on child welfare: On September 28, the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Work and Welfare Subcommittee held a hearing titled, “Modernizing Child Welfare to Protect Vulnerable Children.” Witnesses at the hearing included, Dr. David Sanders, Executive Vice President of Systems Improvement at Casey Family Programs; Tracy Gruber, Executive Director at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services; Cherie Craft, Founding Executive Director at Smart from the Start; Katherine Marquart, Recruitment Manager at FosterAdopt Connect; and Prudence Beidler Carr, Center Director at the American Bar Association’s Center on Children and Law.

In his opening statement, Subcommittee Chairman Darin LaHood (R-IL) stated that the hearing was being held to evaluate “challenges faced by America’s most vulnerable children within our nation’s child welfare system.” Chairman LaHood described federal funding to support child welfare programs (also known as Title IV-B) as “play[ing] a pivotal role in family preservation and providing flexible funding to states and tribes to promote the safety, permanence, and well-being of children in foster care;” however, the Chairman also urged its modernization through reauthorization. Chairman LaHood noted that he has met with Administration on Children, Youth, and Families (ACF) Commissioner Rebecca Jones Gaston and other stakeholders to discuss how to improve the Title IV-B program, including improving outcomes for the 19,000 youth aging out of foster care each year; supporting the grandparents and family members caring for the 2.5 million children who might otherwise enter foster care; and strengthening the capacity of family courts and ensuring legal representation and transparency for parents, among others.

Subcommittee Ranking Member Danny Davis (D-IL) expressed appreciation for the bipartisan effort to develop reauthorization legislation of the Title IV-B program. Ranking Member Davis stated, “I believe we must do even more to strengthen families, reduce time in care, and address racial disparities – for example: by providing legal services to parents and children to represent their interests; by preserving the bonds between children and their incarcerated parents; and by providing mentors with lived experience to youth and parents.”

Upcoming Events (Congress & Administration):

• On October 26-27, the USED will host a convening to promote educator diversity titled, “Conference on Equity in Opportunity,” in Denver, CO. The convening aims to “bring together researchers, practitioners, and policy leaders to discuss priorities for a diverse workforce in education.” The conference will also support leaders in identifying challenges in developing a diverse workforce and highlight promising practices and available grant funding. More information is here.
• On October 27, the USED will host a second convening on educator diversity titled, “Powered by Teach to Lead Summit,” in Denver, CO. The convening is part of a series of “Teach to Lead” summits being hosted by the USED, during which teams of educators collaborate to develop approaches to investing in diverse teacher pipelines. More information is here.

Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):

• On October 16 at 10:00 a.m., The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS) will host a briefing titled, “Congressional Briefing on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) & Education Beyond High School.” Higher education and workforce development leaders will consider the intersection between SNAP eligibility and access and completion of education beyond high school. Register by October 12 at 5:00 p.m. More information is here.
• On October 16 at 3:00 p.m., The New Teacher Project (TNTP) will host a webinar titled, “The Empty Seat Epidemic: Overcoming Chronic Absenteeism and Discipline Challenges in Schools.” A panel of experts will consider how school systems can effectively address challenges with chronic absenteeism and discipline. Speakers include Dr. Jason Okonofua, Assistant Professor at University of California, Berkeley, and Kevin Haynes, Director of Analytics and Community Engagement at TNTP. More information and registration are here.
• On October 17 at 2:00 p.m., Results for America (RFA) and Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) will host a webinar titled, “State Lessons for Implementing Evidence-Based Postsecondary Success Programs.” The event will feature two panels of state and national leaders to discuss postsecondary success implementation stories from a state-level perspective. Speakers on the first panel include: Cynthia Armendariz, Director of the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative; Dr. Lane Glenn, President of Northern Essex Community College in Massachusetts; Lutful Khan, SUCCESS Senior Project Director at the Massachusetts Association of Community Colleges; Kim Poast, Chief Student Success and Academic Affairs Officer at the Colorado Department of Higher Education; and Patrick Carter, Vice President and State Practice Lead at RFA. Speakers on the second panel will share reflections and insights for states to consider and feature: John Lane, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Equity Initiatives at the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO); Ellie Eckerson Peters, Director of Research and Policy at IHEP; Kent Phillippe, Vice President of Research & Student Success at the American Association of Community Colleges; and Kelly McManus, Vice President of Higher Education at Arnold Ventures. More information and registration are here.

Publications (Congress & Administration):

• On October 5, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) published a new report titled, “Additional Data Could Help Early Intervention Programs Reach More Eligible Infants and Toddlers.” The report studied how 16 states identified and developed appropriate services for students with disabilities and found demographic disparities in the percentage of children who were referred for services and were later enrolled. The GAO recommended that Congress provide the U.S. Secretary of Education with authority to collect demographic data from states on children throughout the process of receiving early intervention services (also known as Part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and require the USED to use these data to better assist states to identify and rectify gaps in access to services.  GAO also recommended that the USED should encourage all states to use demographic data they already collect to maximize children's access to early intervention services.

Publications (Outside Organizations):

• On October 5, The Education Trust published a new report titled, “’Segregation Forever?’: The Continued Underrepresentation of Black Undergraduates at the Nation’s 122 Most Selective Private Colleges and Universities.” The report studied Black student enrollment in 2000 and 2020 at some of the nation’s most selective private colleges and universities relative to the demographics of Black residents in the states from which the students came. It found that though Black student enrollment grew in nearly 75% of the selective institutions from 2000 to 2020, enrollment wasn’t representative of the demographics of the states from which students came. Authors made four recommendations that education leaders and policymakers can make to increase access for Black students, including developing recruitment strategies that increase access, assessing and improving campus racial climates, and leveraging and increasing accountability at the federal level and from accreditors and accreditation organizations.
• On October 5, Education Reform Now began a new set of briefs titled, “Public School Choice Series.” The series is designed to highlight a wide array of perspectives and help deepen the connection between public school choice options and bettering the future for families and students. The first brief, written by Colorado Governor Jared Polis, elevated Colorado’s open-enrollment system, which the Governor shared “can decouple the link between school assignment and home address.” The second brief, written by the ERN K-12 Policy team of Charlie Barone, Prateek Dutta, and Rianna Saslow, provided information on the differences between Republican and Democratic approaches to school choice, and stated that the series will “serve as a menu of policy options that leaders and advocates can draw from and advance in their states, adapted to their own specific conditions.”

Legislation:

Introduced in the House of Representatives:

H.R. 5857
A bill to amend the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to provide training services linked to employment demand through skills training grants, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ)

H.R. 5876
A bill to amend part A of title IV of the Social Security Act to provide funding to sustain and increase the supply and quality of child care, access to child care, and the child care workforce, and for other purposes.

Sponsor: Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL)

H.Res. 743
A resolution expressing support for the designation of September 2023 as "National Workforce Development Month.”

Sponsor: Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)

H.Res. 748
A resolution expressing support for the designation of the week beginning on November 6, 2023, as "National School Psychology Week.”

Sponsor: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)