Over the last few weeks, the Department of Education has been rolling out new policies and grants and working through some struggles with their new Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) after encountering technical difficulties with the platform. The House and Senate return from recess the week of January 8, and will face a long list of overdue items. More news and notes below:
- Administration Awards $44.5 Million to Improve Postsecondary Education Access and Completion for Students in Rural Communities: The Administration announced winners of the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development (RPED) grant program, awarding $44.6 million in grants to 22 higher education institutions, including a number of community and technical colleges. This program hopes to improve the rates of postsecondary enrollment and completion in rural communities and promote career development and access to good-paying jobs. Read more from the Department of Education.
- The Department of Education has Released the New FAFSA: On Dec. 30, the Department of Education released an updated version of FAFSA that is significantly shorter than previous versions of the form. They continue to work through site maintenance and other access issues, resulting in lawmakers calling on the department for clarity and support to those trying to use the application. Despite these initial struggles, more than 17 million students are expected to complete the application this year. Read more on the new FAFSA on Inside Higher Ed.
- New Resource: Maximizing Access & Success for Special Populations and Underrepresented Learners in CTE: In mid-December, ACTE and Advance CTE released the first pieces in a new series of publications addressing how to support the nine Perkins V special populations and underserved learner groups. The series will highlight strategies, reflection questions and case studies for supporting each population. A second set of briefs will be released in January.
- Administration Prepares to Launch Negotiated Rulemaking on Institutional Quality and Program Integrity: The Department of Education released six issue papers across a range of categories that will be considered in a new negotiated rulemaking session beginning in January. ACTE will be following several of the issues under consideration carefully, particularly related to new rules on distance education. Learn more about these efforts here.
Comments