Colleges should step up diversity efforts after affirmative action ruling, the government says
Read full article: Colleges should step up diversity efforts after affirmative action ruling, the government saysThe Biden administration is asking America’s colleges to step up their efforts to make campuses more racially diverse.
After cancellation, Dems look to reduce future student debt
Read full article: After cancellation, Dems look to reduce future student debtHouse Democrats are proposing new legislation that would increase federal student aid, lower interest rates on loans and take other steps to make college more affordable.
US education chief seeks action to prevent school shootings
Read full article: US education chief seeks action to prevent school shootingsEducation Secretary Miguel Cardona says he's ashamed the United States is "becoming desensitized to the murder of children” and he's calling for action to prevent more lives from being lost in school shootings like the one in Uvalde, Texas.
Feds: Thousands may have student debt that should be erased
Read full article: Feds: Thousands may have student debt that should be erasedA new federal report finds that record-keeping failures by the Education Department may have left thousands of Americans stuck with student debt that should have been forgiven.
McAuliffe's backslapping political brand put to test in 2021
Read full article: McAuliffe's backslapping political brand put to test in 2021Terry McAuliffe won Virginia’s 2013 governor’s race by embracing his own brand of personal politics that rely on decades-old friendships, backslapping charisma and tell-it-like-it-is authenticity.
Black colleges' funding hopes dim amid federal budget battle
Read full article: Black colleges' funding hopes dim amid federal budget battleOfficials at historically Black colleges thought they might finally have a pipeline for long-term funding from the federal government after the Biden administration included at least $45 billion for them in its multitrillion dollar economic package.
Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increase
Read full article: Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increaseThe plan faces opposition from Republicans who want to tie new school funding to reopening. Biden's plan for $130 billion in school funding is in addition to more than $8 billion from previous relief packages. Stop ruining their futures and stop playing games.”Scott countered that schools can't make changes needed to reopen safely unless they get the funding in Biden's plan. AdRepublicans also signaled a fight over standardized testing, backing a proposed change to prevent relief funding from being used on academic assessments. The $350 billion portion of the bill before the committee also includes Biden's plan to raise the minimum wage from $7.25, where is has been since 2009.
Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increase
Read full article: Dems attempt to push through school funding, wage increaseThe plan faces opposition from Republicans who want to tie new school funding to reopening. Biden's plan for $130 billion in school funding is in addition to more than $8 billion from previous relief packages. Stop ruining their futures and stop playing games.”Scott countered that schools can't make changes needed to reopen safely unless they get the funding in Biden's plan. AdRepublicans also signaled a fight over standardized testing, backing a proposed change to prevent relief funding from being used on academic assessments. The $350 billion portion of the bill before the committee also includes Biden's plan to raise the minimum wage from $7.25, where is has been since 2009.
Dems propose $1,400 payments as part of Biden virus relief
Read full article: Dems propose $1,400 payments as part of Biden virus reliefLess than three weeks into his presidency, Biden has declared that vanquishing the virus and resuscitating the economy are his top priorities. AdHouse Education and Labor Committee Democrats also previewed their plans Monday. Couples who make up to $150,000 would be entitled to $2,800 relief payments, which would gradually diminish and fully disappear for those earning $200,000. Biden has said he will not allow the per-person payments to fall below $1,400 but has indicated flexibility on the income thresholds. A federal law known as COBRA already allows them to temporarily keep their old employer’s health plan, but they typically have to pay prohibitively high premiums.
Trump eases rules for religious social service providers
Read full article: Trump eases rules for religious social service providersThe Trump administration on Monday moved to loosen Obama-era restrictions on religious organizations that receive federal money to provide social services. It also removes a rule telling religious groups to give clients written notice about their rights, including that they can’t be forced to participate in religious activities. Trump also vowed to protect prayer in public schools and bolster the rights of religious groups on college campuses. “The Trump administration has worked diligently to push back against policies that would diminish the faith of any American." Religious groups applauded the changes, while civil rights groups said they opened the door for discrimination.
Trump, DeVos raise school choice in appeal to vexed parents
Read full article: Trump, DeVos raise school choice in appeal to vexed parentsDeVos and President Donald Trump have repeatedly invoked school choice as the solution to parents’ woes. And in fact, we are.”In nearly every public appearance she has made during the pandemic, DeVos has used the spotlight to draw attention to school choice. Her focus on school choice has drawn sharp opposition from Democrats and public school leaders. And supporters of school choice say DeVos is right to press for the issue now. “I’m focused on students, not on school buildings, school systems or any word that comes before school,” DeVos said.
US Sen. Stabenow urges USDA to extend food program waivers
Read full article: US Sen. Stabenow urges USDA to extend food program waiversThe U.S. Department of Agriculture will not continue to provide food program waivers that have ensured students are fed while schools are closed during the coronavirus pandemic unless Congress acts, U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan warned Tuesday. Some children get their only meals at school. Should Congress choose to go in this direction, USDA stands ready to provide technical assistance.The USDA did not return a request for further comment Tuesday. She said she hoped it was not coming from the Trump administrations push to put students back in schools for in-person instruction. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
Democrats say White House blocking CDC head from testifying
Read full article: Democrats say White House blocking CDC head from testifyingDirector of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield, speaks during a White House Coronavirus Task Force briefing at the Department of Education July 8, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)WASHINGTON House Democrats are criticizing the White House for blocking the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from testifying at a public hearing on safely reopening the nation's schools. Democrats said they invited CDC officials, including director Robert Redfield, to testify at a hearing next Thursday but were rebuffed by the White House. A committee spokesperson said the panel asked for any CDC official to testify but was rejected. A White House spokesperson said Friday that Dr. Redfield has testified on Capitol Hill at least four times over the last three months.
DeVos defends policy boosting virus aid for private schools
Read full article: DeVos defends policy boosting virus aid for private schoolsThe policy has drawn backlash from Democrats and state education leaders who say it reroutes money from needy public schools to wealthier private ones. The legislation tells states to divide the funding among public schools based on the number and share of low-income students they teach. It also tells public schools to use a portion of the money to provide services, such as busing or tutoring, to students who attend local private schools. On April 30, however, DeVos issued new guidance telling public schools to divide the coronavirus aid based on the total number of students at local private schools, not just low-income ones. In the state's Orleans Parish, at least 77% of its relief allotment would end up going to private schools.
Half a million students could lose free school lunches
Read full article: Half a million students could lose free school lunchesThe proposed change would curtail a policy which makes it easier for Americans with somewhat higher incomes and more savings to receive food stamps. WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Trump administration has acknowledged that its proposed changes to the food stamp program could leave nearly 500,000 children without access to free school lunches. Another 40,000 students from families with higher incomes would have to pay for their meals. Republicans have long argued that this expanded eligibility option is a "loophole" that permits those with higher incomes and assets to get public assistance. Rep. Bobby Scott, a Virginia Democrat, first raised concerns in July that half a million kids could be affected by the proposed rule.
'It's just so disappointing': Food stamp changes put local students at risk
Read full article: 'It's just so disappointing': Food stamp changes put local students at riskRADFORD, Va. - Hundreds of thousands of children are at risk of losing access to the free lunch program. More than 500,000 low-income children could lose free lunch. "Ill tell you, that's the first Ive heard of it and it's just so disappointing," said Rob Graham, superintendent for Radford City Schools. The possibility is alarming for many school districts, including Radford City Schools. Because of high poverty levels, every student in all but two Roanoke city schools gets free lunch.
Half million students could lose free meals due to food stamp changes
Read full article: Half million students could lose free meals due to food stamp changesAndrew Burton/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON, D.C. - Rep. Bobby Scott says the US Department of Agriculture concealed data showing that its recent proposed changes to the food stamp program could result in more than 500,000 low-income students losing free meals. Scott writes that "the proposed rule will impact not only SNAP eligibility, but will also affect children's eligibility for school meal programs." The program, Scott noted, "allows schools to provide free meals to all students in high-poverty communities." The proposed rule, released last week, could end up stripping more than 3 million people of their food stamp benefits. It would curtail so-called broad-based categorical eligibility, which makes it easier for Americans with somewhat higher incomes and more savings to participate in the food stamp program.