Here’s a quick look at the news from last week (August 27-31) in Washington.

ADMINISTRATION
The Department of Education sent a letter to the Virginia Department of Education on Wednesday, outlining an agreement that the Department and the state have reached in which the state will redo the annual measureable objectives that it put forth in its application for ESEA flexibility. Federal officials said their original plan did not do enough to narrow achievement gaps.

It is expected that the Department will announce the topics for the next round of negotiated rulemaking, related to Federal Student Aid Programs, in the next week or two.

HOUSE and SENATE
Congress was in recess this past week. The House will resume session on September 10 and are scheduled to be in session for one week before recessing. The Senate will be in session the week of September 10 through the remainder of the month.

BUDGET
The Obama Administration’s sequestration report, mandated by Congress in the “Sequestration Transparency Act,” is due to Congress next week. The report should give more detail on how the sequester budget cuts will affect domestic and military programs.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
The GOP released their 2012 education platform on Tuesday, touching on topics such as “attaining academic excellence for all,” “consumer choice in education,” “improving our nation’s classrooms,” and “addressing rising college costs.”