Below is an abridged version of RAMC’s weekly Washington Wrap Up. Find out more about Wrap Up and other RAMC resources here.

Last Week in Congress and the Administration

SENATE

The Senate passed H.R. 3033, the Research Excellence and Advancements for Dyslexia Act (READ Act), by unanimous consent. This bill would require the National Science Foundation (NSF) to spend at least $2.5 million each year on dyslexia research. The bill had previously passed the House by a voice vote and now awaits the President’s signature.

BUDGET

The Administration announced that President Obama’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 Budget will include a request for $5.5 billion for a First Job program to connect youth to either their first summer or year-round jobs, with a focus on at-risk and disconnected youth.

ADMINISTRATION

The Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) has denied recertification applications for Title IV eligibility to several Marinello Schools of Beauty and Computer Systems Institute locations following an FSA investigation that determined violations from both institutions related to false job placement rates for the latter and reporting and allocation of student aid issues for the former. The Marinello Schools of Beauty have since announced they will close all their locations.

President Obama announced a Computer Science for All initiative, which includes: (1) a call for $4 billion in funding in his FY2017 Budget to support states to train teachers, expand access to high-quality instructional materials and build regional partnerships; (2) over $135 million in investments by NSF and the Corporation for National and Community Service to train computer science teachers over five years, using existing funds; and (3) a call to action for other various stakeholders to invest resources.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]

Obama’s Budget and Education: Three Things to Watch [Education Week]

Exclusive: Obama to propose $2.5 billion tax credit for community college investment [Reuters]

Breaking: Apollo Sold to Investors With Obama Ties [Inside Higher Ed]

Programs have success helping low-income students graduate [Inside Higher Ed]

Scientific research needs the humanities, the president of a technical university says [The Washington Post]

Op Ed: To Solve the Skills Gap in Hiring, Create Expectations in the Classroom [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Wood Shop Enters the Age of High-Tech [The New York Times]

[NC] Education agency says jobs aren’t restored with other funds [Associated Press]

Jeb Bush and Education: Five Facts to Know Before the New Hampshire Primary [Education Week]

College Readiness of Low-Income Students Stagnates [Inside Higher Ed]
ACT and National Council for Community and Education Partnerships (NCCEP) Report: “The Condition of College & Career Readiness 2015: Students from Low-Income Families”

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
Press Release: College Affordability: Murray Says Congress Must Act to Address Student Debt Crisis

House Education and the Workforce Committee
Press Release: Labor Department Drops the Ball

Press Release: Scott to Participate in Working Families Agenda Roundtable in Los Angeles

Senate Committee on the Budget
Press Release: Joint Announcement from Senate and House Budget Committees on OMB Hearing

Press Release: Budget Bulletin: 2016 State of the Budget

House Committee on the Budget
Documents of yesterday’s Committee Hearing: “CBO’s Budget and Economic Outlook”

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration

White House

• Press Release: Fact Sheet: President Obama Proposes New ‘First Job’ Funding to Connect Young Americans with Jobs and Skills Training to Start Their Careers

Department of Education:

• Blog: Standing on the Shoulders of Many
• Press Release: Strengthening Partnerships between Businesses and Community Colleges to Grow the Middle Class
• Media Advisory: Acting U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King Jr. to Announce Significant New Steps to Protect Student Borrowers, Taxpayers

Department of Labor:

• Blog: Summer Jobs and Beyond
• Blog: DOL in Action
• Blog: Startups are Creating Many New Jobs; Let’s Make Them Great Ones

Legislative Movement in Congress

H.R.4462: To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to require certain institutions of higher education to provide notice of tuition levels for students.
Sponsor: Rep Cartwright, Matt [PA-17] (introduced 2/4/2016) Cosponsors (27)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 2/4/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: Cartwright, Roskam Introduce Truth-In-Tuition Act to Take Guesswork Out of College Education Costs

H.R.4433: To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to increase the income protection allowances.
Sponsor: Rep Duckworth, Tammy [IL-8] (introduced 2/2/2016) Cosponsors (14)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 2/2/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Press Release: New Duckworth Bill Would Protect Working Students, Help Make College More Affordable

H.R.4415: To establish an Early Federal Pell Grant Commitment Program.
Sponsor: Rep Lawrence, Brenda L. [MI-14] (introduced 2/1/2016) Cosponsors (6)
Committees: House Education and the Workforce
Latest Major Action: 2/1/2016 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices

Department of State Comment Request: Overseas Schools Grant Status Report. Comments due April 8, 2016.

ED Comment Request: Campus Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act (EADA) Survey. Comments due March 21, 2016.

ED Comment Request: 2016-17 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study (B&B:16/17) Field Test Data Collection. Comments due April 4, 2016.