Here’s a quick look at the news from last week (December 16 – 20). 

BUDGET
The budget deal worked out by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) passed the House by a vote of 332-94, and passed the Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 64-36.

Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski; her House counterpart, Rep. Harold Rogers; and their subcommittee chairs have begun discussions and will be working through the holidays to craft a 12-bill omnibus package that Congress will address when lawmakers return in January. The Senate is scheduled to return to session on January 6, and the House on January 7, 2014.

SENATE and HOUSE
On December 18 the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions held an executive session and approved the nomination of France A. Cordova as Director of the National Science Foundation. The scheduled consideration of the nomination of James H. Shelton III as Deputy Secretary of Education was postponed and a new date has not been announced.

The House and the Senate have completed their legislative business for the year.

ADMINISTRATION
The U.S. Department of Education announced five winners for the second round of the Race to the Top-District competition. The districts are Clarendon County School District Two in South Carolina, Clarksdale Municipal School District in Mississippi, Houston Independent School District in Texas, Kentucky Valley Educational Cooperative (a consortium of 18 rural districts) and Springdale School District in Arkansas.

The U.S. Department of Education also announced winners for the third round of the Race to the Top- Early Learning Challenge competition – Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Vermont. Twenty states overall have received Race to the Top- Early Learning Challenge grants.

The 2013 results were released from the Trial Urban District Assessment for 21 urban districts taking the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in reading and mathematics for grades four and eight.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
Penn Hill Group provides a list of grant opportunities and summaries for select grants. Please visit our website for more information.