Negotiated rulemaking (neg-reg) has now been used by administrations of both parties to enact major changes to Department of Education rules. The goal of neg-reg is consensus, and the agency's proposals and the conversations during the rulemaking sessions naturally determine whether that goal will be achievable with the parties at the table. To…

Student Debt and the Class of 2015 is the eleventh annual report on the student loan debt of recent graduates from four-year colleges, documenting the rise in student loan debt and variation among states as well as colleges. This report includes policy recommendations to address rising student debt and reduce debt burdens, including collecting…

In the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" of 2008, Congress charged the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance with conducting a review and analysis of regulations affecting higher education, to determine the extent to which regulations are overly burdensome and need to be streamlined, improved, or eliminated. Specifically,…

The purpose of this paper is to promote clearer understanding of the graduation-rate debate by distilling the policy developments and controversy surrounding the measurement of these rates over the last decade. The paper concludes with a discussion of the move toward a federally mandated common metric for graduation rates. The No Child Left Behind…

In the "Higher Education Opportunity Act" of 2008, Congress charged the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance with conducting a review and analysis of regulations affecting higher education to determine the extent to which regulations are overly burdensome and need to be streamlined, improved, or eliminated. Specifically, Congress…

In April 2007, Federal No Child Left Behind regulations were finalized that provided states with additional flexibility for assessing some students with disabilities. The regulations allowed states to offer another assessment option, alternate assessments based on modified academic achievement standards (AA-MAS). States are not required to have…

A guide for college administrators who are responsible for loan collection in the repayment of National Direct Student Loans (NDSL) is presented. Attention is focused on the difficulties created by loans with different terms and conditions. Repayment terms are discussed, and formulas are presented that are necessary to calculate the number and…

Laws and rulings affecting resident instruction in the land-grant colleges and universities are described. The land grant college or university is recognized and designated by the legislature of the state as being qualified to fulfill the provisions and to receive the benefits of either or both the First Morrill Act of 1862 or the Second Morrill…

This publication reviews the history of women and girls in athletics, assesses the current status of female participation in high school and college competitive athletics, and summarizes recent policy interpretations by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (DHEW) of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The historical review…

Health needs and health services in rural America are key issues directly related to education as well as community well-being. This report examines rural America's access to basic health care services and discusses options for congressional consideration. The focus is on trends in availability of primary and acute rural health care and on factors…

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) works to assist the Department of Education in ensuring the integrity of its operations and improving its programs. During the 6 months this report covers, OIG issued 60 audit and inspection reports and memoranda, and closed 104 investigations. More specifically, OIG investigated purchase-card abuse and…

In the Healthy Meals for Healthy Americans Act of 1994, Congress directed the Government Accounting Office (GAO) to examine the use of private food establishments and caterers by schools participating in federal programs for school meals. In conducting its review, the GAO relied primarily on questionnaires returned by food authorities that had…

This document contains a semiannual report on the activities of the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the 6-month period ending March 31, 1996. It highlights the Office's significant accomplishments and activities, including: (1) a series of audit reports to aid reauthorization of the Rehabilitation Act; (2)…

An overview is presented of vocational education in Hawaii. The first two sections define vocational education and contrast it to employment training, emphasizing the need for coordination between secondary and postsecondary programs. Noting the impact of federal funding laws, the next section describes the composition and responsibilities of the…

This document presents general information about State Interagency Coordinating Councils (SICCs) which participate in the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities (formerly Part H Program, now Part C) under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The information was gathered from questionnaires returned…