Debt Ceiling Package
Moody's Investors Service, a credit-rating agency, has published an analysis of the bipartisan debt ceiling package's effects on the economy and the U.S. credit profile…
President Biden signed the bipartisan debt ceiling package on Saturday, 6/3, lifting the limit through January 2025 and teeing up yet another standoff over the borrowing cap in the months following the presidential election…
California
Governor Gavin Newsom and other top California officials cautioned school administrators against restricting what students read and learn about marginalized groups — marking their most forceful response to a spate of conservative-led book challenges to date…
California spent a record $17 billion combating homelessness in the past four fiscal years…
Officials were recently investigating whether Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis was behind a flight that picked up asylum-seekers on the Texas border and flew them — apparently without their knowledge — to California’s capital, as faith-based groups scrambled to find housing and food for them…
President and Administration
On Tuesday, 5/30, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) unveiled its latest fine-tuned data mapping out where broadband service exists across the country — a key step for the Commerce Department to divvy up more than $42 billion in broadband grants among the states and territories…
According to Medicare Director Meena Seshamani, the Biden administration wants Medicare patients and their caregivers to play a key role in drug price negotiations slated to begin this fall…
The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) recently sent warning letters to 30 retailers and one distributor for selling unauthorized, disposable e-cigarettes…
Mike Pence filed paperwork on Monday, 6/5, to run for president, setting up an unprecedented contest between a former vice president and a former president of his own party for the nomination…
Today, the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center released a new report suggesting how state and local governments can use recent opioid settlement dollars and other funds to address substance use disorder…
More than three years after the start of the pandemic, many COVID-19 survivors continue to struggle…
Congress
All the big policy bills that were on hold amid debt limit negotiations are now ready for summer action…
On Wednesday, 5/31, Senate lawmakers tried to find solutions to water delivery woes…
On Thursday, 6/1, the Senate voted to block President Biden’s plan to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loans for eligible Americans…
Education
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, about 20 percent of applicants to California community colleges are scams, just designed to obtain student aid without enrolling. The scams grew during the COVID-19 pandemic…
Nine times since December, Marilyn Blanco has made the drive to her son’s school, Success Academy Harlem 2, because 911 was called on him by the school. Ian has been diagnosed with ADHD…
A new federal toolkit by the Department of Homeland Security seeks to improve bystander reporting when students believe a classmate might become violent…
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools and its Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance (TA) Center will host a webinar on Tuesday, June 13, 2023, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET…
In a move that civil rights groups have been demanding for two years, the Biden administration released a new and highly anticipated “Dear Colleague” letter late last week designed to combat persistent racial disparities in student suspensions…
As the pandemic exacerbated mental health challenges for schools nationwide, Sonny Thadani realized students and teachers weren’t the only ones in need of support…
Across the U.S., violence against teachers has ratcheted up since the widespread return to in-person learning in 2021, and in some areas the problem is worse than it was pre pandemic…
According to a new poll from the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, most Americans support affirmative action in college admissions and do not want the Supreme Court to ban it…
Oklahoma officials approved the nation’s first faith-based charter school Monday, 6/5, setting up what is sure to be a high-profile legal battle over the separation of church and state…
According to a report by Stanford University's Center for Research on Education Outcomes, Charter school students make more average progress in math and English than their counterparts in traditional public schools, including months of additional learning in some states…
Experts are recommending equipping students with essential knowledge and skills to address mental health in the classroom and to mitigate increased rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts among young people…