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

March 10, 2020

HOUSE and SENATE
Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Investment Subcommittee, released a discussion draft amending the National Apprenticeship Act. The Committee is seeking public comment on the draft by March 11, 2020 to be submitted to Apprenticeship.Comments@mail.house.gov.

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced the creation of a webpage on their main website that will provide information related to the Coronavirus for schools and school personnel.

ED released guidance on how schools may deal with five different Title IV student aid situations students may encounter due to the Coronavirus: (1) enrollment in a travel abroad program that never took place; (2) a student’s class was cancelled and is no longer available; (3) a student is quarantined and misses class; (4) a campus temporarily stops offering classes; or (5) a foreign school suspends operations.

ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) sent out a statement to thousands of education leaders across the nation about coronavirus bullying based on race and national origin.

U.S. Secretary of Education DeVos testified in front of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee on the “Proposed Budget Estimates and Justification for Fiscal Year 2021 for the Department of Education”.

Director the Institute of Education Sciences Mark Schneider released a blog on the importance of scaling.

Education News Headlines
[Click on the link to read the article online]
Higher ed plans from Biden and Sanders differ in scope, specificity [Inside Higher Ed]

UC graduate students threaten more strikes as movement grows [The Los Angeles Times]

Stanford, others switch to online classes temporarily amid coronavirus fears [The Washington Post]

With insurance coverage scarce, coronavirus threatens college finances [Inside Higher Ed]

Op-Ed: We need to expand the college affordability conversation [The Hill]

Friedman: Some Colleges Do an Amazing Job of Boosting Income Mobility for Low-Income Students. Now, How Do We Get More of Them to Enroll? [The74million.org]

6 Ways Universities Are Responding To Coronavirus [National Public Radio]

CDC, American College Health Association and Education Department issue guidance on responding to COVID-19 [Inside Higher Ed]

To Keep the Focus on Learning, These Professors Asked Students to Grade Themselves [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

The Ed Dept is leaning on mediation to clear backlog of sexual violence cases, sources say [Education Dive]

Where the Democratic Presidential Front-Runners Stand on Education [Education Week]

A college closes as others brace for coronavirus impact on campus [The Washington Post]

The Coronavirus Threatens to Upend Higher Ed. Here Are the Latest Developments. [The Chronicle of Higher Education]

Committee News and Schedule, Schedule for House and Senate Floor:
House Education and Labor Committee 
Press Release: Chairman Scott, Rep. Adams Call on Secretary Scalia to Take Immediate Action to Protect Workers Against COVID-19

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions  
Press Release: Alexander: Respected Professionals With Decades of Experience Give Americans the Facts About Coronavirus

Senate Committee on Appropriations
Press Release: Senate Directs Aid to American People Amidst Coronavirus Crisis, Sends Package to President’s Desk

U.S. Department of Education and the Administration:
ED Speech: Prepared Remarks to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

White House Press Release: Remarks by President Trump at Signing of the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2020

IES Announcement: Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Announces Awards to 28 states for FY2019

Legislative Movement in Congress Last Week:
H.R.6106 — To strengthen student achievement and graduation rates and prepare children and youth for college, careers, and citizenship through innovative partnerships that meet the comprehensive needs of children and youth.
Sponsor: Rep. Chu, Judy [D-CA-27] (Introduced 03/05/2020) Cosponsors: (3)
Committees: House – Education and Labor; Energy and Commerce
Latest Action:  House – 03/05/2020 Referred to the Committee on Education and Labor, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee…

S.3397 — A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 by establishing a program to support the modernization, renovation, or repair of career and technical education facilities, to enable schools serving grades 6 through 12 that are located in rural areas or that serve Native American students to remodel or build new facilities to provide STEM classrooms and laboratories and support high-speed internet, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (Introduced 03/05/2020) Cosponsors: (5)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/05/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Press Release: Schatz Introduces Legislation To Modernize Schools And Expand Stem Education To Rural Areas

S.3405 — A bill to strengthen student achievement and graduation rates and prepare children and youth for college, careers, and citizenship through innovative partnerships that meet the comprehensive needs of children and youth.
Sponsor: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (Introduced 03/05/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/05/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

S.3410 — A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve access to postsecondary instructional materials for students with print disabilities.
Sponsor: Sen. Cassidy, Bill [R-LA] (Introduced 03/05/2020) Cosponsors: (1)
Committees: Senate – Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Action:  Senate – 03/05/2020 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

H.R.6087 — To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to create a reduction schedule for public service loan forgiveness, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Lipinski, Daniel [D-IL-3] (Introduced 03/04/2020) Cosponsors: (0)
Committees: House – Education and Labor
Latest Action:  House – 03/04/2020 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.

Federal Education Training and Grant Opportunities, Notices:

ED Comment Request: 2016/20 Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B:16/20) Full-Scale Study. Comments due on or before April 6, 2020. 

ED Comment Request: Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment Universal Form. Comments due on or before May 4, 2020.