This Week on the Hill
The House and Senate are in recess until September 6.
Five Final WIOA Rules Published from Labor and Education
The Departments of Labor (DOL) and Education (ED) have issued five final rules implementing the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) signed into law on July 22, 2014. The following were published in the Federal Register last week: DOL and ED joint final rule for unified and combined state plans, performance accountability and one-stop system joint provisions (title I); ED final rule to implement changes to adult education and family literacy programs (title II); ED final rule on miscellaneous changes to the Rehabilitation Services Administration; ED final rule for the state vocational rehabilitation services program and state supported employment services program, along with limitations on the use of subminimum wages; and DOL final rule to implement titles I and III, providing the framework for changes to statewide and local workforce development systems. The rules are all generally effective in either September or October 2016.
Administration Announces Grants, Sends Letter to Governors on Drug Treatment
Last week the administration announced $17 million in funding from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) across the country. Of that funding, $5.6 million will be used to support 13 innovative projects nationwide to disrupt the trafficking of prescription opioids, fentanyl and heroin, plus train medical providers on safe prescribing practices and increase the use of the overdose reversal drug naloxone. Also, $6.5 million will be used to strengthen HIDTA interdiction and investigative efforts, while more than $1 million will support public health-public safety partnerships working on drug use prevention. In 2015 ONDCP announced a partnership among regional HIDTA programs to address the heroin threat and the HIDTA Heroin Response Strategy now covers 20 states in eight areas. More information on the response strategy can be found here. Recently, the Director of National Drug Control Policy wrote to all 50 governors regarding the need for more doctors to be trained and certified to treat people with prescription opioid and heroin use disorders. The administration offers free buprenorphine trainings (a medication used to treat use disorders) for providers across the country and online, in addition to other resources for providers. According to the announcement, as of February 2016, 1,489 counties across the country did not have at least one physician certified to treat with buprenorphine or someone to dispense the medication.
ACF Encourages State Agencies to Take a Two-Generation Approach
The Administration for Children and Families Office of Community Services recently sent an information memorandum to state agencies receiving Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funds. The memorandum encourages states, territories, tribes and other eligible entities to support and implement two-generation approaches to increase family economic security and well-being. Two-generation, or whole family, approaches meet the needs of children and their parents (or caregivers) together. Potential two-generation activities for agencies are included in the memorandum, targeting state CSBG lead agencies, state community action agency associations, and other eligible entities; these activities focus on coordination and planning as well as furthering innovation and economic security. Finally, the memorandum highlights current two-generation approaches across three states. A resource list to assist state agencies can be found here.
Justice Announces Proposed Changes to Juvenile Delinquency Funding Formula
The Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the U.S. Department of Justice recently released a notice of proposed rulemaking to update the implementing regulation for the Formula Grant Program authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974. The grant program is intended to provide formula grant awards to states to support juvenile delinquency prevention programs and to improve their juvenile justice systems. One major provision of the proposed rule is establishing new substantial compliance standards in place of the current de minimis standards for determining states’ compliance with the deinstitutionalization of status offenders, separation, and jail removal requirements. The notice estimates the changes would require states to dedicate additional time and resources to collect and verify additional compliance monitoring data. Additionally, the notice projects that under the proposed new compliance standards for status offenders, separation, and jail removal, 48 states, based on 2013 compliance data, would be out of compliance with one or more of these requirements. As a result, these states would be required to spend 50 percent of their reduced allocation to achieve compliance; this means less funding would be available as pass-through to local entities that provide programming and services for at-risk youth. Comments on the proposed rule can be submitted through October 7, 2016.
Education Releases Final Priorities for School Assessment Grants
On August 8 the Department of Education published the final priorities under the Enhanced Assessment Instruments Grant program, also known as the Enhanced Assessment Grants (EAG) program. The purpose of the EAG program is to enhance the quality of assessment instruments and assessment systems used by states for measuring the academic achievement of elementary and secondary school students. These priorities may be used by the Assistant Secretary for competitions using funds from fiscal year 2016 and later, with the priorities designed to support projects to improve states’ assessment systems. Per the notice, the final priorities are little changed from the proposed priorities published in April; this document also contains additional background information on each of the three priorities. These priorities are effective September 7, 2016.
Administration Releases Final Rule on Efficiency Standards for Large Trucks
Last week the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a final rule regulating greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency standards for medium- and heavy-duty engines and vehicles. The standards apply to heavy-duty pickup trucks, semi-trucks, trailers, vans, buses and other large vehicles. This is the second phase of a program that builds on the first set of standards completed in 2011 for 2014-18 models. The phase 2 standards are expected to lower carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 1.1 billion metric tons, save vehicle owners fuel costs of about $170 billion, and reduce oil consumption by up to 2 billion barrels. The standards phase-in beginning in model year 2021 and culminate in standards for model year 2027; first-time greenhouse gas and fuel efficiency standards for trailers start in 2018 for EPA and 2021 for DOT. A fact sheet on the rule can be found here. The final rule is effective 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
Education Announces New Preschool Pay for Success Grant Competition
The Department of Education announced on August 19 a new grant competition for state, local and tribal governments interested in exploring the feasibility of Pay for Success programs to expand and improve early learning. Through a Pay for Success project, a government or other entity enters into a contract to pay a service provider for the achievement of measurable outcomes for specific people or communities; payments are made only if outcomes are met. Potential outcome measures for this project may include kindergarten readiness, reduction in grade retention, reduction in discipline referrals, and increases in high school graduation. The feasibility studies will determine if this model is an effective strategy to implement preschool programs that are high-quality and yield meaningful results. The $2.8 million pilot is funded through fiscal year 2016 Preschool Development Grant program funds; there will be between 7 and 14 grantees, with awards ranging from $200,000 to $400,000. The application notice can be found here and the deadline for submitting an intent to apply notice is September 12, with applications due October 6. Grants will be awarded before December 31.
Recently Released Reports
ESSA: Quick Guides on Top Issues, Education Commission of the States
Overlooked: Women and Jails in an Era of Reform, Vera Institute of Justice
Health Investments That Pay Off: Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Tobacco Control, National Governors Association
Improving Access to Oral Health Care for Adults in Medicaid: Key Themes from a Policy Roundtable, Kaiser Family Foundation
No Time to Lose: How to Build a World-Class Education System State by State, National Conference of State Legislatures
Overview of Funding Mechanisms in the Federal Budget Process, and Selected Examples, Congressional Research Service
Economic News
Consumer Price Index Unchanged in July as Real Hourly Earnings Increase Slightly
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released new data on the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for July 2016, showing the CPI-U was unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis. Over the last twelve months, the all items index increased 0.8 percent before seasonal adjustment. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.1 percent in July after rising 0.2 percent in June, while the energy index declined 1.6 percent, due mainly to a sharp decrease in the gasoline index. The index for all items less food and energy rose 0.8 percent for the 12 months ending July, a smaller increase than the 1.0 percent rise for the 12 months ending in June. Meanwhile, real average hourly earnings for all employees increased 0.4 percent from June to July, seasonally adjusted. This result stems from a 0.3 percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with essentially no change in the CPI-U.