Capital Update tracks the movement of legislation, the introduction of notable bills, and routine regulatory announcements.
Education Department
Bilingual Education
Funding Priority
The Education Department will give priority under the Bilingual Educational Personnel Training Program to efforts by higher-education institutions to prepare math and science teachers to help limited-English-proficient students. The notice appeared in the Oct. 1 Federal Register.
Student-Aid Eligibility
Final Rules
Under new rules published in the Oct. 19 Federal Register, postsecondary institutions that lose their eligibility to participate in federal aid programs are no longer entitled to a formal hearing before an administrative law judge.
In Other Agencies
Head Start Eligibility
Final Rules
The Health and Human Services Department published rules in the Oct. 9 Federal Register amending the process for selecting and serving children in Head Start. While maintaining age and income as the key criteria, the rules encourage grantees to weigh a broader range of factors and to set priorities reflecting community needs.
Legislative Action
Rehabilitation Act
HR 5482
Congress gave final approval last month to a measure reauthorizing the Rehabilitation Act, which directs the Education Department to seek comments on a proposed new definition for qualifying children who are seriously emotionally disturbed for federal special-education aid.
