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NACAC joins calls to discourage cuts in non-defense discretionary programs spending
NACAC joined more than 750 organizations – including several NACAC affiliates from across the country — on a sign-on letter discouraging deep cuts to non-defense program spending for the next fiscal year and beyond. Some congress members have called for significant cuts to non-defense discretionary (NDD) spending, which covers a wide range of programs. Proposed cuts include support for K-12 education and financial aid for college students despite these appropriations making up less than one-sixth of the total federal budget.
Department of Education encourages using Federal Work Study to increase college students supporting school-aged students
The U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter encouraging colleges, universities, and school districts to work together to use Federal Work Study (FWS) and other federal resources to increase the number of college students supporting school-aged children and youth as tutors, mentors, student success coaches, and other student support roles in schools and out-of-school time programs. A potential partnership opportunity would be college students serving as college access coaches who can assist students with aspects of the college application and provide support for the important work of counselors in secondary schools.
NACAC joins call to Congress to increase grant supporting investment in safe and healthy students
NACAC joined more than 130 national, state, and local organizations — including affiliates in the Pacific Northwest, Great Plains, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas, and the Rocky Mountain region — in urging Congress to increase the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) block grant program, as authorized by Title IV Part A of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), by $100 million to $1.48 billion. The SSAE grant program allows states to support investments in safe and healthy students, well-rounded education programs, and the effective use of technology in education. Amongst the allowable uses in this grant program, states can use these funds to hire, train, and equip school counselors and support college access programs in schools.
U.S. Department of Education Updates College Scorecard with New Data and Features
The U.S. Department of Education published an update of the College Scorecard aimed at providing information that allows students and families to be better informed and “steer clear of programs that fall short of delivering a strong return on investment.” Details about the update are detailed in a blog post written by Assistant Secretary Roberto Rodriguez. Highlights from the update include data on the median earning of graduates four years after program completion and demographic information on full-time college staff and student-to-faculty ratios. The new data is paired with a more user-friendly interface that aims to make the scorecard more accessible to students, families, and educators.
