A quick look at the news from last week, compiled by Penn Hill Group:

HOUSE and SENATE

The House and Senate were both in recess last week and are also in recess this week.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) approved four-year renewals of state waivers under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) for Kentucky, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia. Education Week also reported Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Texas and Louisiana will ask for extensions to apply for renewal of their ESEA waivers.

ED released a list of 544 colleges whose federal financial aid is being delayed under heightened cash monitoring, as of March 1, 2015. Inside Higher Ed reported ED also released the names of 20 additional institutions subject to heightened cash monitoring, who have been placed on a more strict level of monitoring.