National News
Text released for Senate education spending bill
By Jane Norman, Politico, 09/18/2019
The Senate Appropriations Committee this morning released the bill text for its Labor-HHS-Education spending bill for fiscal 2020, providing $71.4 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education.
According to a summary from Subcommittee Chairman Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), the Senate bill includes a 2.2 percent increase for the maximum Pell Grant award. Eligible students could receive up to $6,330, or $135 more, in the 2020-2021 academic year.
The bill also continues support for Year-Round Pell while maintaining critical funding for campus-based aid programs, TRIO, and other higher education programs, Blunt said.
In K-12 funding, the bill provides $15.9 billion for Title I grants, the same as in fiscal 2019.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has teed up a procedural vote later today on a shell of the first House-passed minibus, H.R. 2740 (116), which bundles the text of the lower chamber’s Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Energy-Water and State Foreign-Operations spending bills. That effort is expected to fail.
State News
Arts educators cite needs for more research on academic benefits
9/12/19- ‘The role of the arts in STEM and examining data from “arts-rich” schools were among highlights during day one of the Arts Education Partnership conference.’
Data platform connecting schools with art organizations expanding to six cities
9/13/19- ‘Since 2013, school and community leaders in Chicago have had a resource that measures arts opportunities for students in Chicago Public Schools, and now educators in six more cities will have access to the same kinds of data.’
Indiana lawmakers discuss changes to mandated teacher training
9/10/19- ‘Some Indiana lawmakers believe more required training for teachers is too difficult to manage. They are now looking at ways to reduce or streamline those mandates.’
Maryland Higher Education Commission uses scholarship to fix teacher shortage
9/11/19- ‘Maryland may have come up with a short-term remedy for a serious teacher shortage.’
Atlanta school board will not renew superintendent’s contract
9/9/19- ‘The Atlanta school board will not renew the contract of Superintendent Meria Carstarphen.’
New Mexico announces plan to offer college tuition for free to state residents
9/18/19- ‘New Mexico is hoping to make college tuition free for all state residents looking to attend its public institutions in the first plan of its kind in the U.S., the governor announced Wednesday.’
Policy Roundup compiled by Matt Barusch of NAfME.