While education issues are expected to be major priorities in Congress throughout 2018, Congressional leadership left town last year still unable to come to an agreement on the funding of Cost Sharing Reductions (CSRs) and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), was only extended through March of 2018. Therefore, we anticipate that health care and immigration issues will be priorities when Congress returns in January, and that education matters will continue to move forward throughout the year. Higher education, especially, will be important to watch at the beginning of 2018 because education groups, colleges and universities continue to work to understand the repercussions of the passage of the largest tax reform package in thirty years. In addition to tax reform changing the way university endowments and student financial aid packages function, a revamp of the Higher Education Act is likely to be brought to the floor of the House in the first quarter of 2018.

Higher Education -

It is expected that four major education laws, including the reauthorization of the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Perkins Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Opportunity Act (IDEA) will be taken up by Congress within the next two years. This past summer, the House unanimously passed H.R. 2353, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (ACT)) by voice vote. The law, last reauthorized by Congress in 2006, is meant to support and increase the quality of technical education across the country. Reauthorization is expected to focus on alignment with the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and other employment laws. This law has the potential to be the bridge between Medicaid beneficiaries and the new work requirements being imposed by states. It is also related to the Higher Education Act in that these two laws couple together to promote issues including the expansion of job training apprenticeship opportunities, student financial aid, individualized learning and work-study programs.