Recently Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), co-chair of the Senate Career and Technical Education Caucus, introduced the Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students (JOBS) Act, legislation that would amend the Higher Education Act by expanding Pell Grant eligibility to students enrolled in short-term job training programs. Under current law, Pell Grants –needs-based grants for low-income and working students–can only be appliedRead More

The U.S. Department of Education announced yesterday that it has awarded $28.4 million in Advanced Placement (AP) grants to 38 states, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands as part of its efforts to boost college-and career readiness for historically underserved students. The grants will help defray the costs of taking advanced placement tests for low-incomeRead More

Just and Fair Schools Fund (JFSF) grantee partners, Youth Justice Coalition and Community Organizing for Family Issues, were among the Dignity in Schools Campaign (DSC) members from over 20 organizations representing 11 states that convened in Washington, DC to share stories of school pushout with legislators and give recommendations for how the reauthorization of the Elementary and SecondaryRead More

This week likely marked the beginning of the end for the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The U.S. Senate began debate on the Every Child Achieves Act, its bill to rewrite NCLB, while the U.S. House of Representatives made plans to take up the Student Success Act, its bill to rewrite NCLB. Watch today’s special editionRead More

On July 17, join CLASP for its annual forum on boys and young men of color. Investing in Young Men of Color as Community Assets will feature dynamic thought leaders discussing concrete solutions that can close the gaps in education, employment, and health outcomes for boys and young men of color. Recent events in communities across the nationRead More

On June 25, on a party-line vote, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill to fund the U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, which administer the education and workforce programs that serve low-income people, for fiscal year 2016. The Senate majority bill, much like last week’s House bill, makes majorRead More

Watch this four minute June 19th Update from the Alliance for Excellent Education to quickly learn what’s happening with the rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and federal education spending. 

Voices of Youth in Chicago Education May 20, 2015 Legislative effort led by high school students takes aim at harsh and unjust school discipline practices. Update to previous post on this issue. CHICAGO – A bill passed today by the Illinois House of Representatives will require sweeping changes in the use of punitive school disciplineRead More

Watch the Alliance for Excellent Education’s May 8th Federal Flash for a run-down of negotiations on the Hill.

On April 16, the U.S. Departments of Education and Labor published draft WIOA regulations in the Federal Register. There will now be a 60-day period for public comment ending June 15, 2015. The Departments will analyze all public comments and then issue Final Rules implementing WIOA in early 2016. The draft regulations come in fiveRead More