In today’s Federal Flash, a flurry of activity across multiple federal agencies. First, we cover the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) eleventh-hour reversal to extend waivers that have made it easier for school districts to serve free school meals, plus the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) new guidance that ends state reimbursement for cloth face masks and personal protective equipment (PPE) for schools. We also have all the details on Secretary Betsy DeVos’s letter to chief state school officers about spring 2021 assessments.

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In today’s Federal Flash, we break down the education proposals in the Senate Republicans’ coronavirus relief package, known as the Health, Economic Assistance, Liability Protection, and Schools (HEALS) Act, and cover the reaction to it. We also provide an update on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) new guidelines for reopening schools.  

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In today’s Federal Flash, a breakdown of new data shows that the homework gap is much larger than previously thought—especially for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and those living in rural areas. We’ll also provide an update on Senate Republicans’ coronavirus relief proposal and school nutrition advocates’ push to extend a key flexibility for school meal programs. 

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Today’s Federal Flash, covers the backlash over the White House’s push to reopen school buildings full time in the fall. It also shares updates on the House education spending bill for next fiscal year, the Education Department’s postponement of the Civil Rights Data Collection, and a lawsuit to overturn Secretary DeVos’ rule on equitable services under the CARES Act.  

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In today’s Federal Flash, we cover the largest coronavirus aid package proposed in Congress to date to support education and childcare. Plus, two significant actions affecting private schools: a new rule from Secretary DeVos on equitable services under the CARES Act and a Supreme Court decision on the participation of religious schools in private school choice programs. 

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In today’s Federal Flash, we cover major Supreme Court rulings to protect Dreamers from deportation and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning (LGBTQ) employees from workplace discrimination. We’ll also share highlights from two congressional hearings on the challenge of reopening schools and competing proposals for police reform.

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In today’s bonus episode of the Federal Flash, we’ll summarize what is, and is not, included in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s $3 trillion coronavirus relief proposal. We’ll also discuss the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED’s) final Title IX regulations.

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On this edition of the Federal Flash, we’re taking a deeper look at the funding and flexibility included in the stimulus bill passed by Congress and the steps the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is taking to implement it. But first, a quick reminder to check out all4ed.org/coronavirus, our online hub for resources related to the pandemic.

Loyal viewers might notice that this Federal Flash, just like so many other aspects of daily life, looks a little different. With All4Ed staffers staying home like most Americans, we are committed to continue sharing the most critical education updates with you from our home offices, kitchen tables, and comfiest armchairs. We’ve also created a webpage for all of our coronavirus-related resources and information at all4ed.org/coronavirus.

This post was originally published in the Fordham Institute’s Flypaper.

In the last month, two reports have renewed questions about the current direction of states’ high school assessments. The first, End-of-Course Exams and Student Outcomes, from Fordham’s Adam Tyner and Lafayette College’s Matthew Larsen, finds that end-of-course assessments (EOCs)—tests designed around specific high school courses, like algebra II or biology—are correlated with higher high school graduation rates and college admissions test scores. Despite these positive effects, however, Tyner and Larsen also find that EOCs may be slipping in popularity among states. The second report, The New Testing Landscape: How State Assessments are Changing under the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act, by Lynn Olson of FutureEd, reveals one of the reasons why: the rise of the ACT or SAT as states’ primary high school assessments.