DC Digest: April 26-May 2

Last week was a big week for education. President Biden gave his first address to a joint session of Congress, where he highlighted the release of his $1.8 trillion “American Families Plan.” The package includes proposals for two years of universal prekindergarten, paid family and medical leave, free community college, increased teacher pipeline and preparation funding, several proposals to make childcare more affordable, expanded subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, unemployment insurance reform, an extension of new federal efforts to fight poverty, and other lofty proposals. Read more on our full blog. Here are some other notes from last week:  

• Department of Labor Announces New Grants for Women in Registered Apprenticeships: The Department of Labor announced the availability of $3.5 million in funding to award up to 10 grants to increase and retain the number of women in registered apprenticeship programs and nontraditional occupations, such as manufacturing, infrastructure, cybersecurity and healthcare industries. The grants seek to address the underrepresentation of women in apprenticeships and high-wage STEM occupations. The deadline for grant applications are June 4, 2021, 4 PM ET. 
   
• Additional Agencies Announce Grant Funds: Several additional grant programs, applicable to specific sectors of CTE, were also recently announced, including: 
  • Investments in “Telehealth Technology-enabled Learning Programs” 
  • Support for building STEM programs and articulation agreements between two-year and four-year programs at Hispanic Serving Institutions 
  • New GEAR Up (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs) grants for states and local partnerships that include work-based learning as a priority 
  • The third round of grants for the Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative targeting Appalachia and the Mississippi Delta. 

• Department of Education Launches Summer Learning and Enrichment Collaborative: The Department of Education (ED) launched a new national Summer Learning and Enrichment Collaborative, a partnership between the Department, the Council of Chief State School Officers, the National Governors Association and others, to address the lost instructional and extracurricular time due to the pandemic. The Collaborative will bring together stakeholders to design summer programs that support states and school districts as they usee American Rescue Plan and other federal pandemic funding to provide these summer programs, especially for students disproportionately affected by COVID-19.  

• Department of Education Highlights Best Practices for Safely Re-opening Schools: Also this week, the ED launched the Safer Schools and Campuses Best Practices Clearinghouse, highlighting the innovative work underway nationwide in continuing to reopen K-12 schools, early childhood centers and higher education institutions. The website includes resources targeting the needs of students on three key topics: safe and healthy environments; supports for students; and teacher, faculty, and staff well-being, professional development and supports.  

• Department of Education Announces Semifinalists for 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program: The ED published the list of semifinalists for the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, which honors some of the nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors. Nationwide, 55 students were recognized as semifinalists for the U.S Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education award, and four additional students were recognized as semifinalists for both the general U.S. Presidential Scholar and the U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education awards.   

• House Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Department of Labor 2022 Budget: The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education held a hearing which focused on the Administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 Budget Request for the Department of Labor. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh testified at the hearing, and workforce development as well as job training programs were large topics of discussion given the backdrop of the jobs crisis caused by the pandemic. Read more on our full blog. 

• House Education Committee Holds Hearing on Investing in School Infrastructure: On Wednesday, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing titled “Building Back Better: Investing in Improving Schools, Creating Jobs, and Strengthening Families and our Economy.” In Chairman Bobby Scott’s (D-VA) opening statement, he stressed the need for investments in infrastructure for childcare centers, schools and the workforce in order for students and school staff to learn and work effectively.  

• Lawmakers Reintroduce America’s College Promise Act: Chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Congressman Andy Levin (D-MI), and Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) reintroduced the America’s College Promise Act. This legislation would create a new federal-state partnership to provide two years of tuition-free access to community or technical college programs and significant tuition and fee grant aid for two years at an eligible four-year year historically Black college or university (HBCU) or minority-serving institution.

• FCC Announces Rules for E-RATE Emergency Connectivity Fund: On April 30, the Federal Communications Commission released draft guidelines for the $7 billion provided under the American Rescue Plan Act for expanded connectivity at schools and libraries. The proposed rules describe how schools can be reimbursed for devises and broadband service.