This week in Washington was again dominated by negotiations to raise the debt ceiling before a June 1 default date. As of late this week, some progress has been made toward reaching a deal, but the House is set to leave town for the Memorial Day recess period. It is expected that lawmakers will be called back to Washington to vote potentially early next week if a deal is reached over the weekend, providing for at least 72 hours to review any legislation. We will be closely monitoring the negotiations, as they may have significant implications for CTE and workforce development programs. The Senate is in session next week, but the House is out of Washington for the next week. In the meantime, here are a few notes:
- OCTAE Releases Notice of Proposed Priorities for Perkins Innovation and Modernization: On May 24, OCTAE released the Notice of Proposed Priorities (NPP) for the Perkins Innovation and Modernization grant program for FY 2023. View the Federal Register notice here. Comments must be received on or before Thursday, June 15, 2023. Read more about the NPP here.
- Department of Education Shares Recommendations for Artificial Intelligence: The Department of Education's Office of Educational Technology (OET) has released a report, "Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Future of Teaching and Learning: Insights and Recommendations," summarizing opportunities and risks for AI in teaching, learning, research and assessment based on public input. A webinar will be held on June 13, 2023, from 2:30-3:30PM ET. Read the full report here, core messages here and look for more information about the webinar at tech.ed.gov/ai.
- Department of Education, NASA Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Advance STEM and Space Education: NASA and the Department of Education have signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday to strengthen efforts to increase access to high-quality STEM and space education to students and schools across the nation. Read more about the partnership here.
- Student Loan Hearing: The House Education and the Workforce Committee on May 24 held a hearing titled, “Breaking the System II: Examining the Implication of Biden’s Student Loan Policies for Students and Taxpayers.” Republicans on the Committee pressed senior department officials for firm answers and commitments on responding to requests for documents and details and on other issues. This hearing was the second in a series examining the implications of the Biden administration’s policies on the student loan system. This time, Under Secretary James Kvaal and Federal Student Aid (FSA) chief operating officer Richard Cordray testified. Both defended the administration’s student loan policies and shared some details about efforts to restart loan payments and to modernize the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A recording of the hearing can be found here.
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