August 1, 2016

Compiled by Penn Hill Group

HOUSE and SENATE

The House and Senate will be in recess until after the September 5^th Labor Day Holiday.

ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released proposed regulations on the state authorization of distance education programs and foreign campus locations under the Higher Education Act (HEA). Comments are due August 24^th.

Comments on the proposed Borrower Defense to Repayment regulations are due August 1^st.

Comments on the proposed Elementary and Secondary Education Act Accountability and State Plans regulations are due August 1^st.

ED’s Office for Civil Rights issued guidance clarifying the obligation of schools to provide students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) with equal educational opportunity under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

ED released a series of actions aimed at confronting religious discrimination which includes: a new website on religious discrimination, an updated civil rights complaint form, an expanded survey of America’s public schools on religious-based bullying, technical assistance for schools, and recent outreach on confronting religious harassment in education.

ED released guidance to states and school districts on the new provisions in the Every Student Succeeds Act for supporting homeless youth.

Teacher preparation regulations pertaining to Title II of the HEA and the TEACH grant program were sent to the Office of Management and Budget by ED on July 28^th. ED projects that the final rule will be published in September.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

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