On September 4, Vice President Pence and Secretary DeVos led a discussion with college presidents and state and local leaders on the critical principles contained in the recently released "Recommendations for College Students." These principles are intended to keep schools open, while also mitigating community spread of COVID-19. The Vice President highlighted a number of states and institutions that have taken innovative and collaborative approaches to return students to campuses. For example, Colorado State University is using surveillance testing to monitor the potential spread of the virus, and the University of Notre Dame quickly and efficiently dealt with a campus outbreak. The Vice President also emphasized the importance of keeping schools open and students on or near campus to minimize exposure to high-risk individuals and praised the efforts of essential workers who made school reopening possible.

Next, on September 14, Secretary DeVos visited Sacred Heart Academy in Grand Rapids, Michigan, meeting with students and teachers to learn how the school has been able to reopen safely and stay open. Schools across the Catholic Diocese are offering full-day, in-person learning five days a week. They are following safety guidelines set by the corresponding health agency: families are required to conduct screening surveys and temperature checks each morning before students go to school, and students and staff are required to wear masks in the building throughout the day.

Then, on September 17, Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education Frank Brogan visited the Rappahannock County Public Schools in Virginia, which is offering a choice of in-person instruction either two or four days a week, while providing families the option for full-time remote learning. He heard about the unique partnership between the school division and county government, which pooled federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to make reopening in person possible. He also learned about the elementary school's Children's Savings Account pilot program and the high school's Profile of a Graduate Team that prepares students for life after school.

Meanwhile, Principal Deputy Under Secretary of Education Diane Jones spoke on this week's White House briefing call for state and local officials about enabling students to resume their studies while enjoying the full college experience.

Also, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released indicators to help schools make dynamic decisions about in-person learning as local conditions evolve throughout the pandemic. When coupled with local data about community spread, these indicators are an important tool to help local health officials, school administrators, and communities prepare, plan, and respond to COVID-19. These indicators are the latest resource CDC has provided for schools during the pandemic, supplementing previously released guidance.

This week, the Department launched a new, user-friendly web tool that clearly shows how much money each school spends per student. The tool will increase transparency as parents and local leaders seek to understand funding levels and differences between schools. States are required under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to provide this funding information, called Per-Pupil Expenditure (PPE). Unfortunately, each state shares the information in different ways and places — some more transparently than others. Under Secretary DeVos' direction, the agency has aggregated the state data and made it easily accessible and searchable at studentspending.ed.gov.

The tool displays a breakdown of federal, state, and local funds that make up the PPE for each school and district starting with the 2018-19 school year — the initial year states were required to report the data on state and local report cards. The tool features an interactive map, individual state pages, and a downloadable Excel file. Users can search for individual schools and districts or filter by variables to allow comparisons within states (see video).

Currently, the tool includes data from 20 states — Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and West Virginia — and will be updated as more data becomes available from states.

Final versions of the 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, FAFSA on the Web Worksheet, and Student Aid Eligibility Worksheet for Question 23 are available in English and Spanish in Portable Document Format (PDF) (notice with attachments).

The FAFSA form is provided to the community as a resource that can be used as a training tool or for financial aid presentations.

The FAFSA on the WebWorksheet gives a preview of questions that applicants and parents may be asked while completing the FAFSA form at FAFSA.gov.

The Student Aid Eligibility Worksheet for Question 23 assists applicants with determining eligibility for federal student aid when a conviction has been reported on the FAFSA form for possessing or selling illegal drugs or when the question on the form has been left blank.

A reminder: Students and their families may begin submitting the FAFSA on October 1.

This month, Secretary DeVos issued final regulations on improving free inquiry, transparency, and accountability at colleges and universities, ensuring public institutions uphold fundamental rights guaranteed by the First Amendment and private institutions adhere to their own policies regarding freedom of speech. The regulations also ensure the equal treatment and constitutional rights of religious student organizations at public institutions and provide clarity for faith-based institutions with respect to Title IX (see also fact sheet).

The final rules, created after reviewing more than 17,000 public comments, address four key areas:

• First, to implement Executive Order 13864, public colleges and universities must comply with the First Amendment and private institutions must comply with their own stated institutional policies a requirement to receive Department grants. Due to the well-developed body of case law by federal and state courts on First Amendment rights and stated institutional policies, the agency will rely upon a final, non-default judgment by a federal or state court to determine whether a school has violated these material grant conditions.
• Second, an institution may demonstrate that it is controlled by a religious organization for purposes of Title IX, to the extent that application of Title IX would be inconsistent with the religious tenets of such organization. The regulations include a non-exhaustive list of some of the most common factors that an institution may rely upon to demonstrate its status.
• Third, as a requirement of the Department's grants, public colleges and universities must not deny to a religious student group any of the rights, benefits, or privileges that other student groups enjoy. Indeed, a religious student group must have the same rights as other student groups at the institution to receive official recognition, use the institution's facilities, and receive student fee funds.
• Finally, to align with the First Amendment and other federal laws, the regulations more narrowly tailor the prohibition on the use of discretionary grants under Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act (HEA) to religious instruction, religious worship, or proselytization. They also more narrowly define a school or department of divinity to clarify that institutions are not prohibited from using grants for any secular department of religion.

The regulations go into effect 60 days after the date of official publication in the Federal Register.

As schools begin reopening for the school year, a group of 70 developers and researchers collaborated to produce a new series of "Guides to Education Technologies." These guides present information on government-supported education technology products that are ready now for in-class and remote learning. All the resources are web-based and can be used on computers, tablets, or personal devices. Many of the technologies personalize learning by adjusting the content to students as they go and provide information to educators to inform instruction. The guides focus on the following areas: early learning, math, science and engineering, social studies, and special education.

• On the Homeroom blog, Dr. Lori Christerson, a science teacher at Bishop Brady High School in Concord, New Hampshire, explains: "It Feels So Good to Be in School."
• The Department's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is releasing helpful checklists for borrowers. "5 Things to Know About Current Repayment Flexibilities and Your Federal Student Loans" details President Trump's suspension of payments on federal student loans owned by the Department and extension of the 0% student loan interest rate through December 31, 2020. "6 Things Students Need to Know During the Coronavirus" outlines flexibilities available during this time of pandemic.
• Secretary DeVos proposes a new priority for discretionary grant programs to support remote learning.
• On September 15, the Department issued a notice inviting applications for the Open Textbooks Pilot, supporting projects at institutions of higher education that create new open textbooks and expand the use of open textbooks in courses that are part of a degree-granting program, particularly those with high enrollments or preparing individuals for in-demand fields. (Note: The deadline for applications is November 16.)
• Earlier this month, the Department's Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) hosted a virtual event: "Predictive Analytics to Improve Student Outcomes" (video and slides).
• The Department of Energy's new All in STEM web site showcases programs and resources designed to help the best and the brightest from every community nationwide enter the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce.
• The National Science Foundation (NSF) is requesting public input (on or before October 19) related to the implementation of "Charting a Course for Success: America's Strategy for STEM Education."
• "Education at a Glance," the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) annual report, compares education systems in 37 member countries and a number of partner countries using a range of indicators, such as student participation and achievement, public and private spending, conditions for students and educators, and the state of lifelong learning.

"The Department of Education continues to coordinate with SEAs and federal partners to provide resources and support in response to hurricanes Sally and Laura and the ongoing wildfires. During these uncertain times, we know it may be difficult to cope. Remember, you are not alone."

"Stress, anxiety, and depression-like symptoms are common reactions after a disaster. @SAMHSAgov's Disaster Distress Helpline provides 24/7 crisis counseling and support to people experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters."

— @usedgov (9/15/20)

National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) celebrates the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community (Secretary DeVos' video).

CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to build students' technical skills for careers in space and beyond, is offering a virtual panel and question-and-answer session next week (September 22 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time). Industry leaders from organizations like Blue Origin and Magnitude.io will share advice from their experiences with mission development, prototyping, and collaborative projects. They will also provide suggestions for students interested in pursuing career paths in aerospace and related industries. (Note: Registration is required, and attendees may submit questions to hello@ctemissioncubesat.com.)

On September 26, FSA will host a free, virtual Partner Summit-Appalachian Region, offering federal guidance and activities to encourage open discussions and sharing of best practices around college access.

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