On May 10th, the U.S. Department of Education released a Dear Colleague Letter calling on colleges, universities, and school districts to work together to use Federal Work Study (FWS) or other resources to increase the number of college students supporting school-aged children and youth in our nation’s K-12 schools and out-of-school time programs. With this […]
Biden-Harris Administration Extends Student Loan Pause Through May 1, 2022
On Dec. 22, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education announced a 90-day extension of the pause on student loan repayment, interest and collections through May 1, 2022. The extension will allow the administration to assess the impacts of the omicron variant on student borrowers and provide additional time for borrowers to plan for the resumption […]
U.S. Department of Education Announces $3.2 Billion in Additional Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds to Support Students at Historic and Under-Resourced Institutions
The U.S. Department of Education announced today $3.2 billion in additional emergency grants under the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). These funds will support students who attend over 1,800 institutions of higher education and provide resources to help these institutions recover from the impacts of the pandemic. Of these funds, $2.97 billion from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) will provide $1.6 billion to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), $143 million to Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities (TCCUs), and another $1.19 billion to Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs) and under-resourced […]
Department of Education Discharges Over $1.6 billion in HBCU Capital Finance Debt
The U.S. Department of Education recently discharged approximately $1.6 billion of debt provided to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that participate in the HBCU Capital Financing Program. This action will provide debt relief to 45 HBCUs – 13 public institutions and 32 private institutions. “Our HBCUs have long been on an uneven playing field, […]
U.S. Department of Education Announces Additional Assistance for Students and Institutions Through HEERF Grant Program and Expanded SNAP Benefits
To provide ongoing relief from the COVID-19 emergency and implement provisions in the American Rescue Plan recently signed by President Biden, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) is announcing additional benefits, outreach, flexibilities, and guidance to assist students, federal student aid applicants, and institutions of higher educations. New assistance to institutions regarding use of COVID-19 […]
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Advocate for A Racial Justice Agenda at the U.S. Department of Education
By John B. King Jr. and Marc Morial The coronavirus has shined a light on how systematic racism, unequal access to opportunity, and disinvestments in low-income communities and communities of color have compounded inequities that have long existed in our country. Black and Latino Americans, for example, are more likely to be hospitalized with and […]