Category: Federal Government Actions

USDE Dear Colleague Letter Addresses Use of Perkins Funds (March 15, 2023)

On March 15, 2023, a ā€œDear Colleague Letter (DCL),ā€ was issued by Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education Amy Loyd, that addresses how Perkins funds can be used to tackle our nationā€™s teacher shortage.

Among other things, the DCL describes allowable activities and strategies for which the $1.43 billion appropriated each year through the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), may be used to improve the recruitment and preparation of future CTE educators, as well as educators that teach other subjects. This letter is posted to the Departmentā€™s Website at: https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ovae/pi/cte/perkins-educator-prep.pdf, on the Perkins Collaborative Resource Network (PCRN) at: https://www.ed.gov, and on the PAPSA website at https://papsa-web.org/wp-content/uploads/DCL-Perkins-and-Educator-Preparation-3-15-23.pdf. As Assistant Secretary Loyd states in the letter that, ā€œJust as CTE has risen to address other workforce challenges, we too must respond to the workforce shortages that we now see within our own industry. We look forward to working with you to address and overcome these challenges.”

Biden Requests $90B for USDE in FY24 Budget (March 9, 2023)

On Thursday, March 9, 2023 President Joe Biden released his proposed FY 2024 budget. The proposal appropriates $90 billion for the U.S. Department of Education (USDE). That number reflects a $10.8 billion increase over this year’s budget allocations, which is a 13.6% hike.

Highlights of the proposal include appropriations of $20.5 billion for Title I and $16.8 billion for pre-K-12 special education services.

For more form K-12 Dive, click here.

Medicaid Reimbursements to Impact Schools (March 6, 2023)

Upcoming changes in Medicaid coverage and policy could take a toll on districts and the families they serve, education policy experts and advocates say. Much of the expected coverage loss will be due to administrative churn and impact district reimbursements as well as overall student health and attendance.

Medicaid eligibility rates impact school-based Medicaid reimbursement as well as how districts certify students as qualifying for free-and-reduced lunch in some states. If fewer students suddenly qualify for Medicaid, this will directly impact district finances.

Medicaid is the third or fourth largest federal revenue stream for school systems, according to the Medicaid in Schools Coalition.

Students with less access to healthcare are also more likely to be chronically absent and rely on limited school-based health services instead. 

To read more from K-12 Dive, click here.

USDA Proposes Gradual Revisions to School Nutrition Standards through 2029 (February 7, 2023)

On February 3, 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced proposed revisionsĀ to school nutrition standards. Expressing concerns regarding U.S. rates of childhood obesity, Sec. Vilsack proposed school nutrition standards that would revise requirements on the use of whole grains, sodium, and sugar in school meals.

According to K-12 Dive, such changes would be made gradually between the fall of 2024 and the fall of 2029. Beginning in fall 2024, schools would be required to offer mostly whole grain products, with the choice of occasional enriched grain products. By fall 2025, they would be expected to reduce weekly sodium limits for breakfast and lunch by 10% and limit high-sugar products like yogurts and cereal. However, some flavored milk options with ā€œreasonable limitsā€ on added sugars would be allowed.

By fall 2027, added sugars would be limited to less than 10% of calories per week for breakfast and lunch, and weekly limits for sodium would decrease by another 10%. Sodium would then be reduced an additional 10% for school lunches alone in fall 2029. For more from K-12 Dive, click here.

SCOTUS Hears Case That Could Change IDEA Dispute Resolution (January 21, 2023)

On January 18, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argumentsĀ in a special education case that could alter the course of the dispute resolution process for school districts under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).Ā 

In the case,Ā Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, justices will decide whether individuals who have already entered into an IDEA settlement resolving their claims must still exhaust the administrative process before pursuing a lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Ā 

During the arguments, the justices wrestled with how to reconcile the requirements to receive monetary damages under ADA with the resolution process and relief provided under IDEA, which does not include financial remedies.Ā 

For more from K-12 Dive,Ā click here.