Here is a quick look at the news from last week (January 2 – 6) in Washington.

HOUSE

The House Education Committee Republicans released discussion drafts of their final two ESEA bills:

The Student Success Act “supports State and local accountability for public education and informs parents of their schools’ performance.”
Text of the bill
Summary from the Committee

The Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act “encourages effective teachers in the classrooms of the United States and innovative education programs in our Nation’s schools.”
Text of the bill
Summary from the Committee

SENATE
HELP Committee staff continue to work on finalizing their Committee report on ESEA within the next few weeks, which will make the bill eligible for floor consideration. However, no action appears likely in the near future.

ADMINISTRATION
The Department of Education will hold its negotiated rule making sessions on Teacher Preparation and Student Lending on January 18-20.

The Department’s official date to announce ESEA waiver approvals is January 18, though it is quite possible that this date will be moved back a couple of weeks. We expect any of the waivers that are ultimately approved to be changed significantly from the original proposals that were submitted.

The President announced an Administration initiative to create a public/private partnership to increase summer job opportunities.