Updates

A cross-section of 49 school districts, nonprofit education organizations and institutions of higher education have been selected from among nearly 1,700 applicants for potential funding under the Investing in Innovation (i3) program. To receive a share of the $650 million in i3 grants, the winning applicants must secure a commitment for a 20 percent private sector match by Sept. 8. For more information, please visit the Department of Education's website.

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing, August 4, on student recruitment practices at for-profit schools. The hearing was the second in a series focused on the growing federal investment in for-profit colleges and universities and was based on an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO). For more information, please view the hearing summary on EducationCounsel's website.

The U.S. Department of Education published in the August 5, 2010, Federal Register a Notice of Proposed Priorities , which identifies 13 priority areas that may be used for any appropriate discretionary grant program in Fiscal Year 2011 and future years. The Department will permit all of its offices to use, as appropriate for particular programs, one or more of these priorities in their discretionary grant competitions. For more information, please view the NPP summary on EducationCounsel's website.

Federal Register

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; Overview Information; Special Demonstration Programs--Model Demonstration Projects To Improve Outcomes for Individuals Receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Served by State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Agencies; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards for Fiscal Year (FY) 2010 CFDA Number 84.235L. (August 9, 2010)

Office of Vocational and Adult Education; Overview Information; Promoting Rigorous Career and Technical Education Programs of Study; Notice Inviting Applications for New Awards Using Fiscal Year (FY) 2009 Funds; CFDA Number 84.051C. (August 6, 2010)

Secretary's Priorities for Discretionary Grant Programs; Notice of proposed priorities  (August 5, 2010)

New Legislation

S.3683 : Promoting Health as Youth Skills In Classrooms And Life Act
Sponsor: Sen Udall, Tom [NM] (introduced 8/2/2010)      Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3724 : A bill to direct the Secretary of Education to pay to Fort Lewis College in the State of Colorado an amount equal to the tuition charges for Indian students who are not residents of the State of Colorado.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 8/5/2010)      Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3732 : A bill to establish within the Department of Education the Innovation Inspiration school grant program, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Shaheen, Jeanne [NH] (introduced 8/5/2010)      Cosponsors (6)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3733 : A bill to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow State educational agencies, local educational agencies, and schools to increase implementation of school wide positive behavioral interventions and supports and early intervening services in order to improve student academic achievement, reduce over identification of individuals with disabilities, and reduce disciplinary problems in school, and to improve coordination with similar activities and services provided under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Sponsor: Sen Bennet, Michael F. [CO] (introduced 8/5/2010)      Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

S.3739 : Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2010
Sponsor: Sen Casey, Robert P., Jr. [PA] (introduced 8/5/2010)      Cosponsors (10)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 8/5/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

U.S. Department of Education Headlines

Wyoming to Receive $8.6 Million to Turn Around Its Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools (August 9, 2010)

Education Secretary Duncan Announces $115.3 Million for 124 Grants to Improve Teaching of American History (August 6, 2010)

New Website Makes Education Data Easier to Find and Use (August 6, 2010)

Nation's Boldest Education Reform Plans to Receive Federal Innovation Grants Once Private Match Is Secured (August 5, 2010)

Education Secretary Arne Duncan Issues Statement on the Senate's Jobs Amendment Vote (August 4, 2010)

Secretary Duncan's Statement on $1.2 Billion Investment in Broadband Connections to Rural Schools, Students' Homes (August 4, 2010)

Education Secretary Duncan Announces $9.2 Million for 14 School Leadership Grants (August 3, 2010)

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius Announce Formation of Interagency Policy Board on Early Learning (August 3, 2010)

Pennsylvania to Receive More Than $514 Million in Additional Recovery Funds (August 2, 2010)

New Hampshire to Receive $10 Million to Turn Around Its Persistently Lowest Achieving Schools (August 2, 2010)

Congressional Headlines

Publications

Institute of Education Sciences: Do States Have Certification Requirements for Preparing General Education Teachers to Teach Students with Disabilities? Experience in the Northeast and Islands Region (August 2, 2010)

Institute of Education Sciences: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Local Education Agencies From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2008-09 - First Look (August 4, 2010)

National Center for Education Statistics: Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment and Staff Counts From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2008–09 (August 4, 2010)

Government Accountability Office: For-Profit Colleges: Undercover Testing Finds Colleges Encouraged Fraud and Engaged in Deceptive and Questionable Marketing Practices (August 4, 2010)