A quick look back at the news from last week. Compiled by Penn Hill Group.

HOUSE and SENATE

The House and Senate will be in recess until the week of November 14.

Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) sent a letter urging the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to use current statutory authority under the Higher Education Act to restore Pell Grant eligibility to students impacted by the closures of ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges.

ADMINISTRATION

ED’s regulatory proposal on Title I accountability and State plans under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) are at the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) for review. This review is conducted by OIRA prior to the publication of a rule in final form in the Federal Register.

The White House released a Fact Sheet on the expansion of the Opportunity Project and the launch of 29 new digital tools that aim to increase access to information and opportunities.

Former ED Secretary Arne Duncan wrote an open letter to America’s college presidents and education school deans urging them increase the rigor of their teacher training programs.

ED Secretary John King announced that College Scorecard information will now show up on the results page of Google searches of individual institutions of higher education, rather than having to be accessed solely from the Administration’s College Scorecard webpage.

ED released the annual notice of interest rates for Federal student loans made under the Federal Direct Loan program prior to July 1, 2013 as well as the annual notice of variable interest rates of Federal student loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan program prior to July 1, 2010.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES 

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