July 12, 2019 - NSBA Weekly Update

Congressional Updates

• The House Education & Labor Committee has a busy week of hearings planned, as Congress looks to get through as much business as possible prior to the August recess set to begin in two weeks. The hearings include:
• Tuesday, July 16 (10:15am ET) – The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Investment is holding a hearing titled “Scaling Up Apprenticeships: Building on the “Success of International Apprenticeship Models””. Witnesses have not yet been announced.  Watch the livestream here.
• Tuesday, July 16 (2pm ET) – The House Education and Labor Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Human Services is holding a hearing titled “Strengthening Federal Support to End Youth Homelessness”. Witnesses have not yet been announced.  Watch the livestream here.
• Wednesday, July 17 (10:15am ET) – The House Education and Labor subcommittees on Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education and Higher Education and Workforce Investment are holding a joint subcommittee hearing titled “Educating our Educators: How Federal Policy Can Better Support Teachers and School Leaders”. Witnesses have not yet been announced.  Watch the livestream here.

Administration Updates

• “Applications for New Awards: Trauma Recovery Demonstration Grant Program” – These competitive grants seek to support “model programs that enable a student a from low-income family who has experienced trauma that negatively affects the student’s educational experience to access the trauma-specific mental-health services from the provider that best meets the student’s needs.” The estimated funds available for this program total $5,000,000. Applications for this grant program are available on August 14, 2019 and further information is available here. 

USED published notice on a discretionary grant program for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services:

• “Applications for New Awards: Technical Assistance and Dissemination to Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities – Model Demonstration Projects for Early Identification of Students with Dyslexia in Elementary School” – The purpose of this grant program is to support professionals to collaborate with parents and establish high expectations for students with, or at risk for, dyslexia. The estimated available funds for this program total $1,200,000, contingent upon the availability of funds and quality of applications. Applications are due by August 5, 2019 and further information is available here.

USED published notice on a discretionary grant program for the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education:

• “Applications for New Awards: Expanding Opportunity through Quality Charter Schools Program – Grants to Charter School Developers for the Opening of New Charter Schools and for the Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools” – This grant program provides funds to charter school developers to enable them to open new charter schools or replicate or expand high-quality charter schools. This grant program is limited to charter school developers in states that do not currently have a CSP State Entity grant. If a state has a CSP SEA grant, it is limited to charter school developers applying for grants for the replication and expansion of high-quality charter schools, and only if the SEA’s grant application authorizes the SEA to make subgrants for replication and expansion. Estimated available funds for this program total $14,460,000. Final priorities, requirements, definitions, and selection criteria for use in this competition are available here. Applications for this grant program are due by August 2, 2019 and further information is available here.

Notable New K-12 Bills

• H.R.3692 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide greater access to higher education for America's students, to eliminate educational barriers for participation in a public service career, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Torres, Norma J. [D-CA-35]
• H.R.3689 To prohibit States from suspending, revoking, or denying State-issued professional licenses or issuing penalties due to student default. Sponsor: Rep. Shalala, Donna E. [D-FL-27]
• H.R.3674 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to eliminate origination fees for Federal Direct Loans. Sponsor: Rep. Davis, Susan A. [D-CA-53]
• H.R.3667 To create a new Federal grant program that provides grants to State libraries to allow schools with summer lunch programs to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months. Sponsor: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
• H.R.3662 To amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to ensure that student borrowers are provided relief from their student loans in the instance of substantial misrepresentation or omission by an institution of higher education. Sponsor: Rep. McBath, Lucy [D-GA-6]
• H.R.3659 To establish an Anti-Bullying Roundtable to study bullying in elementary and secondary schools in the United States, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Rose, Max [D-NY-11]
• H.R.3647 To provide temporary impact aid construction grants to eligible local educational agencies, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep. Cox, TJ [D-CA-21]
• S.2085 A bill to authorize the Secretary of Education to award grants to eligible entities to carry out educational programs about the Holocaust, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV]
• S.2070 A bill to create a new Federal grant program that provides grants to State libraries to allow schools with summer lunch programs to keep their libraries open for student use during the summer months. Sponsor: Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR]

NSBA Updates