There’s a growing debate around the country as to whether or not to ban cellphones in schools. On one side, many educators argue that cellphones are an impediment to learning as well as sources of increased stress and mental health issues among students. While on the other side of the argument, some parents have expressed safety concerns should their children not be allowed to access their cellphone during the school day. The debate seems to be growing as more and more school-age children have access to smartphones. A survey from last year by the Pew Research Center, for example, found…

Building on growing debate in schools and libraries, the U.S. House recently passed legislation that sponsors say would guarantee parents and guardians certain rights over their children’s elementary and secondary school education. The Parents Bill of Rights (H.R. 5) passed in March by a 213-208 vote, with most Republicans in favor of the legislation and all Democrats opposing it. Among its requirements, the bill would mandate that schools publish curricula and allow parents to meet with teachers at least twice every school year, review the school’s budget and inspect reading materials in the school library. It would also require that…

The U.S. Department of Education recently introduced new rules on federal funding for charter schools. The agency argued that its new rules are meant to stop for-profit companies from opening charter schools with federal funds, as well as to prevent premature school closures. Meanwhile, opponents of the new rules argue that they are burdensome and could prevent some schools from receiving federal funding through grants. Charter schools are publicly funded, tuition-free schools established and run by private groups. These groups create contracts — or charters — with state and local governments to establish a school’s mission and academic goals as…

A movement in the U.S. that suggests that race is a social construct used to oppress minority groups is emerging as a fierce point of division among Americans. Many Republicans are pushing new policies to bar public schools from teaching critical race theory (CRT) and the issue has made its way into political campaigns. Originally developed through legal scholarship in the late 20th century, CRT is a concept that aims to explain how discrimination and inequity are woven into laws, policies and systems. Thus, the doctrine states, racism is perpetuated in American culture. The theory argues that racism goes beyond…

As the world continued to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic in the early months of 2021, U.S. health officials released guidance designed to help students get back into classrooms for in-person instruction. However, many opponents still argue that schools should stay closed until there is less chance of community spread of the virus or until all teachers have been vaccinated. In the guidance, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that schools in all areas, regardless of the current risk of COVID-19 infection, should require the use of masks, physical distancing of at least 6 feet as…

On September 22, the Department of Education replaced Obama-era guidance on campus sexual assault with temporary measures that would make it more difficult to prove sexual misconduct. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos cited concerns that the current policy denies due process to accused individuals. “One rape is one too many, one assault is one too many, one aggressive act of harrassment is one too many, one person denied process is one too many,” DeVos said at a speech at George Mason University. She added that school administrators have told her that the system es­tablished by the Obama Administration “has run amok.”…

Prospective students use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for Federal student financial aid, as well as for aid from State governments and most colleges and universities. According to a 2015 report from the college financing website Edvisors, however, an estimated 2 million low-income students would have qualified for a Federal Pell grant, but failed to correctly fill out or complete the FAFSA — a lengthy form with more than 100 questions. Congress has taken note, and both Republicans and Democrats have introduced legislation to simplify the process and the application. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and…

There is a new, bipartisan drive in Congress to expand what are known as 529 education savings accounts by offering a tax credit for annual contributions to such accounts by low- and middle-income families. A 529 plan, otherwise known as a “qualified tuition plan,” is an education savings account designed to help families set aside funds for future education costs. The plans are sponsored by States or educational institutions and are authorized by Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. The Boost Savings for College Act, introduced by Senators Richard Burr (NC-R) and Bob Casey (PA-D), would provide a tax…

Over the past six years, the U.S. Department of Education has established tougher regulations targeting for-profit, or career colleges — institutions that operate as a business, often have shareholders, and derive most of their revenue from taxpayer-funded student financial aid. Among other actions, the Department has issued “gainful employment” regulations (also applied to community colleges and public universities), intended to help ensure that students at career colleges don’t end up with debt they cannot repay. The rule requires colleges to track their graduates’ performance in the workforce and eventually will cut off Federal funding for career training programs that fall…

Many Americans have outstanding undergraduate student loans with interest rates of 7 percent or higher; however, those who took out loans during the 2013-2014 school year pay a rate of 3.86 percent under the Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act, passed by Congress in 2013. On March 18, 2014, Senators Elizabeth Warren (MA-D) and Representative Joe Courtney (CT-D) introduced the Bank on Students Emergency Loan Refinancing Act. The legislation would allow those with college loan debt to refinance at the lower interest rates. The rates would be slightly higher for graduate student loans. The cost would be paid for by requiring…