Press Releases 
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April 21, 2021
Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released the State plan application that will support states in describing how they will use resources under the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) fund to continue to safely reopen schools, sustain their safe operations, and support students—especially...
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April 20, 2021
WASHINGTON, April 20, 2021 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today issued a broad range of flexibilities to allow school meal programs and childcare institutions across the country to return to serving healthy meals in fall 2021 as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to reopen schools safely. Several meal service flexibilities that enable social distancing are now extended through June 30, 2022.
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April 16, 2021
Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued the following statement today on President Biden's intent to nominate Gwen Graham for Assistant Secretary for Legislation and Congressional Affairs at the U.S. Department of Education:
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April 9, 2021
Following the Department of Education's release of the COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs, which includes research-based strategies to address the impact of the pandemic on students, educators, and staff, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona held a virtual roundtable with a diverse group of students and parents to discuss their educational and personal experiences...
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April 9, 2021
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced more political appointees that will lead various parts of the agency. These diverse and accomplished individuals will bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the agency, and work to quickly advance key education priorities for the Biden-Harris Administration.
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April 9, 2021
Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) released the COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs to provide additional strategies for safely reopening all of America's schools and to promote educational equity by addressing opportunity gaps that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
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April 6, 2021
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today announced a comprehensive review of the Department's regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, as part of implementing President Biden's March 8 Executive Order on Guaranteeing an Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity.
In a ...
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April 2, 2021
The U.S. Department of Education recently discharged approximately $1.6 billion of debt provided to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) that participate in the HBCU Capital Financing Program. This action will provide debt relief to 45 HBCUs – 13 public institutions and 32 private institutions.
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April 2, 2021
Today, Secretary Cardona joined a roundtable discussion alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Elizabeth Warren to listen as student loan borrowers and advocates shared their stories about the impact student loan debt has had on their lives. The borrowers and advocates included a veteran father of five who was misled by a for-profit college, a recent college graduate, and a mother whose student loan debt led her to experience homelessness.
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March 30, 2021Today, the U.S. Department of Education (Department) announced an expansion of the pause on federal student loan interest and collections to all defaulted loans in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program. This action will help more than one million additional borrowers burdened by debt during the COVID-19 emergency.