Issue Position: Education
Issue Position
President Donald J. Trump and his Administration have supported expanding school choice across the country so every parents have a voice in their children's education.
In President Trump's FY 2018 budget request, school choice was a priority for increased funding, including supporting $1 billion in Furthering Options of Children to Unlock Success grants for public school choice and $250 million to promote private school choice through the Education Innovation and Research Program.
The Department of Education has overseen the first year of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) to empower States with the flexibility they need to educate their students.
35 States and the District of Columbia have had their ESSA plans approved and the Department of Education is reviewing the plans for the remaining states.
The Department of Education is urging states to embrace the opportunity provided by ESSA to end top-down mandates from Washington, D.C.
Secretary DeVos conducted a ReThink School tour in 13 schools across 6 states to showcase schools that were finding innovative solutions to better serve students.
REFORMING STUDENT AID
President Trump and his Administration are taking steps to reform the student aid process.
Secretary DeVos implemented the year-round distribution of Pell grants, instead of limiting these grants to the Spring and Fall semesters.
Low-income students will now have access to these funds over Summer and Winter breaks so they can earn their degrees faster with fewer loans.
The Department of Education reformed the student loan servicing process to improve the customer experience and lower costs.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is being reformed to be more accessible to students.
Experts from the financial services industry were brought into the Department of Education to modernize the way FSA offers and services student loans.
ENDING HARMFUL REGULATIONS:
President Trump and his Administration have identified and begun to end harmful regulations while maintaining protections for students.
The Department of Education is working to ensure regulations on the books adequately protect students while giving States, institutions, teachers, parents and students the flexibility they need to improve outcomes.
The Dept. of Education has identified and withdrawn nearly 600 regulations that are deemed unnecessary.
Secretary DeVos rescinded the 2011 Dear Colleague Letter and 2014 Q&A regarding Title IX enforcement, and interim guidance was issued.
Secretary DeVos paused the Obama Administration's Borrower Defense to Repayment and Gainful Employment regulations.
The Department of Education's Regulatory Review Taskforce identified nearly 600 outdated guidance documents for Secretary DeVos to rescind.
August 2018 - The Department of Education announced $359.8 million in Federal assistance to 20 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands to assist with the cost of educating students displaced by Hurricane Harvey, Irma, Maria, or the 2017 California wildfires.
August 2018 - The Department of Education announced that it would potentially rescind the Gainful Employment Regulation.
The Department Of Education Claimed That The Removal Of This Regulation Would Help Provide Transparency And Fairness To Students In Higher Education.
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