Here’s a quick look at the news from last week (December 12-16) in Washington.

ADMINISTRATION
The Department of Education has begun the process of contacting primary participants and alternates for the Negotiated Rulemaking panels for Title II/Teach Grant and Title IV, and are expected to announce the participants soon.

The Administration announced that nine states will receive grants from the $500 million Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge Fund: California, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island and Washington.

HOUSE
There is no recent action on ESEA. Ranking Member Miller released a statement today on the breakdown of bipartisan ESEA negotiations, after Ed Week reported earlier that House Republicans may write their own NCLB bill. Next year however continues to be a possibility for ESEA reauthorization activity.

Activity continues around WIA reauthorization.  It is possible that WIA legislation is marked upearly in 2012.  Democratic Members, led by Miller, Hinojosa and Tierney are likely to introduce their own WIA legislation in the new year.

APPROPRIATIONS/BUDGET
The House voted today 296-121 to pass the $915 billion FY12 spending plan. The House Appropriations Committee released conference reports for the remaining appropriations bills, including Labor/HHS/Education, earlier today. The Senate will likely vote on the bill tomorrow (Saturday).

Penn Hill Group has put together a summary of the education provisions. It includes a chart with funding allocations for programs of interest, and a comparison of major policy provisions in the House and Senate bills, and conference report.