May 13, 2011
The Department of Education has cancelled their FY11 FIPSE grant process due to lack of funds. The following explanation is posted on the Department’s website: “Congressional action on the FY 2011 budget substantially reduced funds available for grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education, including new grants under the Comprehensive Program. Therefore, no… Read More
May 11, 2011
Senate Democrats plan to reintroduce the DREAM Act. Just like the previous versions over the past several years, this year’s version will likely authorize the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) to cancel the removal of, and adjust to conditional nonimmigrant status, an alien who: (1) entered the United States before his or her 16th birthday and… Read More
May 5, 2011
The Senate convened this morning to vote on a motion to invoke cloture that aimed to limit further debate on the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) bill (S493) and its reauthorization through 2019, but failed to meet the required minimum of 60 votes. There was increased controversy arising from the bill, as amendments attached to… Read More
April 1, 2011
In late March, America’s Promise Alliance–founded by former Secretary of State General Colin Powell, held a three day ”Building a Grad Nation” summit in Washington, DC. The purpose was to inspire a movement to reach a goal of a 90 percent national college graduation rate by 2020 and place the US in the lead for the highest… Read More
February 16, 2011
The Department of Education has released the following summary of the President’s FY12 budget request for the agency: U.S. Department of Education Information Release 2/14/11 Deep cuts and efficiencies in several key education programs will help fund new education investments to keep American students competitive in the global economy under the proposed 2012 Obama administration… Read More
February 14, 2011
Today, President Obama released a $3.73 trillion budget request for FY12. The White House estimates that the request and projections for spending in the out-years would reduce the deficit by more than $1 trillion over the next decade. Despite reductions in overall spending, the request contains significant increases for research and development as well as some education programs…. Read More
January 31, 2011
As part of the Obama Administration’s innovation agenda, the White House today announced the launch of the Startup America Partnership, a “public/private effort to promote entrepreneurship with new initiatives to encourage private sector investment in job-creating startups and small firms.” The effort “brings together an alliance of the country’s most innovative entrepreneurs, corporations, universities, foundations,… Read More
January 20, 2011
The U.S. Department of Education has determined that it can establish the Pell Grant maximum for the 2011-12 academic year at $5,550 based on the Dec. 22, 2010, Continuing Resolution (CR) that expires on March 4. The agency plans to issue the 2011-12 Pell Grant Payment and Disbursement Schedules using the $5,550 maximum Pell (same… Read More
January 11, 2011
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) (former Secretary of Education under President George H.W. Bush) is quoted in today’s Congressional Quarterly as stating that cuts to the Pell Grant program, along with the rest of the domestic discretionary budget, are on the table as Congress now attempts to reduce spending through the FY11 and FY12 appropriations processes. In… Read More
December 20, 2010
On Friday Congress passed an altered version of the existing Post 9/11 GI Bill, which is designed to address issues that arose with the previous legislation. The updated bill will: - provide full tuition for those attending a public school in their home state and up to $17,500 in tuition payments for those attending private schools… Read More
