Few community college students go on to earn 4-year degrees. Some states have found ways to help
Partnerships between two- and four-year colleges and universities could help more community college students go on to earn bachelorโs degrees, according to data released Thursday by U.S. Education Department.
The Biden administration says colleges must fight 'alarming rise' in antisemitism and Islamophobia
The Biden administration is warning U.S. schools and colleges that they must take immediate action to stop antisemitism and Islamophobia on their campuses, citing an โalarming riseโ in threats and harassment.
Biden administration is moving toward a narrower student loan relief targeting groups of borrowers
The Biden administration is moving toward a narrower student loan relief plan that would target specific groups of borrowers rather than a sweeping plan like the one the Supreme Court rejected by the Supreme Court.
US education chief considers new ways to discourage college admissions preference for kids of alumni
President Joe Bidenโs education chief says heโs open to using โwhatever leversโ are available โ including federal money โ to discourage colleges from giving preference to the children of alumni and donors.
Powerful storm kills 2 people and leaves 1.1 million without power in eastern US
At least two people have died, thousands of U.S. flights have been canceled and more than 1 million have lost power as destructively strong storms moved through the eastern U.S. Residents had been warned to stay indoors Monday.
Black lawmakers press Justice and Education Departments to investigate Florida's race curriculum
The Congressional Black Caucus is pushing the White House, Justice Department and the Department of Education to look into whether Florida school districts are violating federal discrimination law following changes to the state's Black history curriculum.
Affirmative action for white people? Legacy college admissions come under renewed scrutiny
In the wake of a Supreme Court decision that removes race from the admissions process, colleges are coming under renewed pressure to put an end to legacy preferences, the practice of favoring applicants with family ties to alumni.
Biden admin relaxes rules for student debt forgiveness
The Biden administration is moving forward with an overhaul of several student debt forgiveness programs, aiming to make it easier for borrowers to get cancellation if they are duped by their colleges or if they put in a decade of work as public servants.
Libertarian group sues to block student debt cancellation
A libertarian group in California filed a legal challenge to President Joe Bidenโs plan for student debt cancellation on Tuesday, calling it an illegal overreach that would increase state tax burdens for some Americans who get their debt forgiven.
Uvalde CISD receives $1.5 million in emergency funds from Department of Education
The money will come from the School Emergency Response to Violence grant which provides short-term funds for schools and institutions of higher education that are recovering from a violent or traumatic event that has disrupted the learning environment.
US education chief seeks action to prevent school shootings
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says he's ashamed the United States is "becoming desensitized to the murder of childrenโ and he's calling for action to prevent more lives from being lost in school shootings like the one in Uvalde, Texas.
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Congressional Democrats condemn Abbott for not releasing billions in federal stimulus dollars intended for Texas public schools
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National Safe School Reopening Summit kicks off with remarks from Dr. Jill Biden
FILE - In this Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, file photo, first lady Jill Biden speaks during a visit to the Massey Cancer Center at Virginia Commonwealth University. The National Safe School Reopening Summit kicks off Wednesday with remarks from First Lady Jill Biden. Delays are possible, if there is not a livestream available, check back at a later time. Dr. Biden will deliver opening remarks and will be joined by Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to give pre-taped remarks.
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School survey shows โcritical gapsโ for in-person learning
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said the findings, while encouraging, also showed โcritical gapsโ for in-person learning, especially for students of color. In January, 38% of fourth graders were learning full-time in-person, compared with 28% of eighth graders, the survey found. Among fourth graders, almost half of white students were learning fully in-person, with just over one-quarter learning online. Just 42% of those with disabilities and 34% learning English were enrolled in full-time classroom learning, compared with 38% of all students. AdAmong students learning online, the survey found, the amount of time spent with a live teacher also varied greatly.
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Students who got partial loan relief to see full discharge
WASHINGTON โ Thousands of students defrauded by for-profit schools will have their federal loans fully erased, the Biden administration announced Thursday, reversing a Trump administration policy that had given them only partial relief. The change could lead to $1 billion in loans being canceled for 72,000 borrowers, all of whom attended for-profit schools, the Education Department said. The borrower defense to repayment program allows students to have their federal loans canceled if they were defrauded by their schools. The Education Department said a total of 343,331 applications for relief under borrower defense had been received as of Feb. 28. Sen. Patty Murray, who heads the Senate committee overseeing education, said DeVos used โfaulty mathโ to deny student full relief.
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Expanded testing part of Biden administration school plans
As part of that effort, first lady Jill Biden visited a school in New Hampshire on Wednesday. Also Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced $10 billion for states to support school COVID-19 testing programs. The Education Department said first lady Jill Biden will deliver opening remarks. The Education Department will begin making the money available this month. AdPresident Biden has ordered states to prioritize teachers in their vaccination plans, and the CDC has released guidelines to help schools reopen.
Biden, Harris and others to promote relief planโs benefits
Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses have launched an ambitious tour this week to promote the $1.9 trillion plan as a way to battle the pandemic and boost the economy. โWe want to avoid a situation where people are unaware of what theyโre entitled to,โ Harris said at the culinary academy. Biden stayed back in Washington for a day, declaring that โhope is here in real and tangible ways." โShots in arms and money in pockets,โ Biden said at the White House. After beginning the sales campaign with high-profile speeches, Biden will head to Pennsylvania on Tuesday and then join Harris in Georgia on Friday.
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It's back to school for Jill Biden and new education chief
AdBiden and Cardona also visited a Pennsylvania middle school on Wednesday. To help nudge that along, Biden said Tuesday he is pushing states to administer at least one coronavirus vaccination to every teacher, school employee and child-care worker by the end of March. He said the presidentโs directive that teachers and school staff be vaccinated quickly will be โmy top priority.โLater Wednesday, Biden and Cardona visited Fort LeBoeuf Middle School in Waterford, Pennsylvania, where parents told them they appreciated that the school district had sought their opinion about reopening. She and Cardona also visited a robotics class at the middle school and a class for students who need or want a little extra push. Biden asked the teacher in the sensory room whether she had seen anxiety in children increasing because of the pandemic.
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Biden's Cabinet half-empty after slow start in confirmations
Also pictured is Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from right, and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, third from right. Among Bidenโs 23 nominees with Cabinet rank, just 13 have been confirmed by the Senate, or a little over half. On Tuesday, Biden's Cabinet was thrown into further uncertainty when his nominee to lead the White House budget office, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration after her nomination faced opposition from key senators on both sides of the aisle. That must change.โThe Biden administration has prioritized confirming those nominees who are key to national security, the economy and public health decisions. The Biden administration has not been completely hamstrung by the slow pace of confirmations, however.
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Biden's Cabinet half-empty after slow start in confirmations
Also pictured is Secretary of State Antony Blinken, second from right, and White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, third from right. Among Bidenโs 23 nominees with Cabinet rank, just 13 have been confirmed by the Senate, or a little over half. On Tuesday, Biden's cabinet was thrown into further uncertainty when his nominee to lead the White House budget office, Neera Tanden, withdrew from consideration after her nomination faced opposition from key senators on both sides of the aisle. That must change.โThe Biden administration has prioritized confirming those nominees who are key to national security, the economy and public health decisions. The Biden administration has not been completely hamstrung by the slow pace of confirmations, however.
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Senate confirms Cardona as Biden's education secretary
FILE - In this Feb. 3, 2021, file photo, Education Secretary nominee Miguel Cardona testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. The Senate has confirmed him as Education Secretary on March 1. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, Pool, File)The Senate voted Monday to confirm Miguel Cardona as education secretary, clearing his way to lead President Joe Bidenโs effort to reopen the nationโs schools amid the coronavirus pandemic. AdCardona, who gained attention for his efforts to reopen schools in Connecticut, has vowed to make it his top priority to reopen schools. In an increasingly fractionalized world of education, Cardona has vowed to be a unifier.
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Enrollment at US community colleges plummets amid pandemic
More Americans typically turn to community college education amid economic downturns, seeking to learn new job skills or change careers. That troubles advocates and policy makers who cite community colleges as important options for low-income Americans. According to the National Student Clearinghouse, the community colleges enrollment decrease was most pronounced among Black students and Native Americans, groups that both experienced 13% declines over the last year. White and Hispanic community college enrollment fell 10% and Asian enrollment dropped 5%. About 60% of Phoenix College's students are racial minorities, but officials said itโs too early to determine whether minorities experienced disproportionate declines.
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White House says it will defer to CDC on reopening schools
Facing criticism that President Joe Biden has not acted aggressively enough on reopening schools, the White House on Thursday said itโs aiming for a full reopening but will defer to science experts on how to achieve it in the middle of a pandemic. The White House drew criticism this week when it said schools would be considered opened if they teach in-person at least one day a week. โI can assure any parent listening that his objective, his commitment, is to ensuring schools are open five days a week,โ Psaki said at a press briefing. And this week, the White House said schools would be considered open as long as they teach in-person once a week. Asked why parents should be satisfied with just one day of in-person teaching per week, Psaki appeared to back away from her previous stance.
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Reopening debate testing Biden's ties with teachers unions
Some believed it discredited teachers unions that have demanded vaccines before returning to in-person instruction. With the right mix of safety measures in places, teachers unions generally agree the vaccines aren't a condition for reopening. AdBut the plan has drawn fire from critics who say Biden is cowing to teachers unions who see him as an ally. Both of the nationโs two major teachers unions endorsed Biden for president, including the National Education Association, whose 3 million members include first lady Jill Biden, who is a longtime community college professor. Gavin Newsom cited Walenskyโs comment as evidence that itโs safe to reopen schools before all teachers get vaccines.
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Education nominee pledges new guidance, more virus testing
Education Secretary nominee Miguel Cardona testifies before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee during his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. On school choice, Cardona said itโs important that families have education options, but that a quality public school must be one of them. Public schools are โthe bedrock of our country,โ he said, adding that most students attend public schools. AdHis deep roots in public education helped him stand out as a contender to lead the Education Department. During his presidential campaign, Biden had promised to nominate someone with experience in public education.
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President-elect Joe Biden, VP-elect Kamala Harris introduce education secretary
President-elect Joe Biden pauses as he leaves to listen to a reporter's shouted question at The Queen Theater in Wilmington, Del., Tuesday, Dec 22, 2020. President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris will introduce their education secretary pick, Miguel Cardona, on Wednesday morning. Biden says Cardona, Connecticutโs education chief and a lifelong champion of public schools, is a product of public schools, starting when he entered kindergarten unable to speak English. In the announcement of his nomination, shared first with The Associated Press, Biden said Cardona would offer America โan experienced and dedicated public school teacher leading the way at the Department of Education." And as a child who grew up in a housing project, he will focus in particular on closing the racial and socioeconomic gaps in education.
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Biden: Cardona right pick to lead education through pandemic
FILE - In this Aug. 9, 2017, photo, flags decorate a space outside the office of the Education Secretary at the Education Department in Washington. President-elect Joe Biden has chosen the education commissioner for Connecticut and a former public school teacher to serve as education secretary. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)President-elect Joe Biden introduced Miguel Cardona as his pick for education secretary on Wednesday, saying Connecticut's education chief and life-long champion of public schools is the right pick to lead the department as the nation struggles to educate students safely during the pandemic. But despite their occasional conflict with him, a coalition of Connecticut education unions supported his candidacy as Biden's education secretary. Beyond the pandemic, Biden's education secretary will also be tasked with reversing an array of policies enacted by DeVos.