The federal government pays for a wide range of goods and services that are expected to contribute to the economy for some years in the future. Those purchases, called investment, fall into three categories: physical capital, research and development (R&D), and education and training. There are several economic rationales for federal…

The Government Performance and Results Modernization Act of 2010 defines major management challenges as programs or management functions that are vulnerable to waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement, and where a failure to perform well could seriously affect the ability of the U.S. Department of Education (Department) to achieve its mission or…

Education in the 21st century is subject to standardized testing with financial implications associated with testing. Under continued focus at the federal level to close the socioeconomic achievement gap, equitable distribution of funding is critical to ensure all schools have resources available to offset impacts of low socioeconomic status on…

Immigration reform has been hotly debated in recent years. Broadly construed, it encompasses a range of issues, including the highly controversial question of legalizing large numbers of unauthorized immigrants in the United States. A historically less controversial, more targeted legalization proposal has been included in "DREAM Act"…

With the total student debt in the United States at nearly $1.5 trillion, loans are affecting the lives of many students. But while higher education pays off for the average graduate, the student loan data illustrates a unique and severe situation for Black students that has reached crisis level, even if the same isn't true for other racial and…

As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on institutions and the students they serve, ushering in a recession that could have existential implications for all, helping learners earn the credentials they need from the providers best suited to serve them will be a critical issue in determining how well and robustly the nation recovers. The federal government has…

The "Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2021" contains the Budget Message of the President, information on the President's priorities, and summary tables. This year's Budget includes $4.4 trillion in savings--bringing deficits down each year, and putting the Federal Government on a path to a balanced budget in 15 years.…

As Congress considers the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act (HEA), there is bipartisan interest in finding ways to address concerns about student debt and the quality of higher education. One possibility for bipartisan cooperation might be an attempt to provide more accountability in the higher education sector, including additional data…

Youth homelessness in the United States is a serious challenge. Recent national research by Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago found concerning rates of homelessness among adolescents and young adults ages 13-25. An estimated one in 30 adolescents (ages 13-17) and nearly one in 10 young adults (ages 18-25) experienced some form of…

As required by the "Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Modernization Act of 2010," each federal agency must report annually on its progress in meeting the goals and objectives established by its Strategic Plan. The United States Department of Education's (the Department's) "Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Annual Performance…

The Committee on Education and Labor met to hear testimony on "Examining the Policies and Priorities of the United States Department of Education." The U.S. Department of Education was making a budget request for Fiscal Year 2022 and the Committee wanted to examine the Department's priorities to support students, educators, and…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine the critical role of career and technical education programs in preparing the nation's students for success in college and career. Many of these programs are funded under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006. Member statements were provided by: (1)…

In this article, Linda Eisenman reviews the history of the "Association of American Colleges" (AAC), whose 150 college executives gathered in Chicago in 1915 to create the Association, and chose "inclusiveness" and "interhelpfulness" as twin themes to animate their organization. "Inclusiveness" allowed many…

This study investigated entrepreneurship opportunities and Nigerian graduates' unemployment in south-east and south-south geopolitical zones. The study adopted a survey-descriptive design because the events had taken place in their natural course of happening. Two hundred lecturers and Entrepreneurship Development Centers' Staff constituted the…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Fair & Effective Education Policy." Contents include: (1) What Students…