ADMINISTRATION

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released guidance, titled the Learning Agenda Playbook, to State educational agencies (SEAs) intended to improve outcomes for K-12 students.

ED issued a press release describing several grant programs that the Administration has prioritized to support literacy outcomes. ED forecasted in this publication that 12 Teacher Quality Partnership Grants and 16 Supporting Effective Educator Development Grants would be awarded in the coming weeks.

ED’s Office of Federal Student Aid released an online training course about the eligibility and approval requirements for Workforce Pell programs.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced over $225 million in Head Start supplemental awards.

CONGRESS

House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Bobby Scott (D-VA) confirmed his intention to again seek the top Democrat position in the forthcoming Congress.

U.S. Representative Jahana Hayes (D-CT) announced her candidacy for the top Democrat position on the House Education and Workforce Committee, effectively challenging current Ranking Member Scott for the position in the forthcoming Congress.

House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) requested three Government Accountability Office studies examining university tenure reforms, barriers to transferring college credits and the use of artificial intelligence in college admissions and scholarship decisions.

The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate will both be in session next week, the final time both chambers are scheduled to concurrently conduct legislative business before the November midterm elections. The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 7890, the Science of Reading Act of 2026, and H.R. 9723, the Fit Future Act, under suspension of the rules.

EVENTS

Penn Hill Group plans to provide clients with a summary of the following events next week:

September 16: House Education and Workforce Subcommittee Hearing titled “Who Gets the Scholarship? How the Global Shift in College Sports Affects Americans.”