Last week, Congress seemed almost exclusively focused on the management - or mismanagement - of federal bailout funds and the propriety of bonuses paid to AIG executives. There were hearings, protests, rants on the House and Senate floors and even the overwhelming passage of a bill meant to punish recipients of the bonuses, although experts are already questioning the constitutionality of that measure. Against that backdrop, education issues didn't win much attention, although a fair amount happened, including the House passage of the GIVE Act.

Democrats are busily putting together federal spending plans for FY 2010, and say they intend to pursue President Obama's budget priorities, despite new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections that show deeper budget deficits than expected, resulting primarily from a worsening economic situation. The House and Senate Budget Committees usually use CBO's numbers in drafting their congressional budget resolutions, which they are expected to release next week. These resolutions will provide the "big number" for domestic discretionary spending and serve as the basis for the funds allocated to the various Appropriations subcommittee chairs to craft their proposals.

Democrats acknowledge that bad news on the deficit front will warrant changes to the White House's budget proposal, but they remain committed to Obama's priorities. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said, "The priorities in the Obama budget we will pass. Those priorities are making sure we do something about energy, health care and education and making sure that the middle class of America is rejuvenated." Not surprisingly, Republicans continue to criticize Obama's budget. House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) sent the White House a video in response to its request for bipartisan budget proposals, promising that Republicans will develop an alternate budget proposal and saying, in part, "Republicans are eager to offer better solutions on the budget. Mr. President, with all due respect: your budget spends too much, taxes too much and borrows too much and that's going to do further harm to our economy at a time when it desperately needs our help."

Meanwhile House Budget Committee chair John Spratt (D-S.C.) was brokering negotiations between leadership and the fiscally conservative Blue Dogs, who were critical of what they considered excessive spending in the FY 2009 omnibus bill. He also was working with colleagues on the parameters and potential content of any budget reconciliation measure considered this year, as well as how to address Obama's desire, supported by the higher education community, to move the Pell Grant program to the mandatory side of the federal ledger.

While party leaders were trading rhetoric, the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee hosted dozens of witnesses for a day of public witness testimony on the FY 2010 spending plan on Wednesday. The list of witnesses shows a majority of them testified on health care and health research matters, and reports are that there wasn't much to report on the annual exercise. Perhaps a more exciting event this week was Michelle Obama's effort to dispatch a number of female celebrities to Washington, D.C.-area high schools.

The pressure of a looming recess will descend on lawmakers this week as the budget committees mark up their respective budget resolutions and other pieces of legislation look for action before the spring recess, which is scheduled to begin in two weeks.

On March 18, the Center for American Progress (CAP) held an event with Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) and Rep. Dale Kildee (D-Mich.) to discuss the Fast Track to College Act of 2009. Authored by Kohl and Congressman, the Fast Track to College Act would authorize the secretary of education to award grants to partnerships of school districts and local colleges and universities to establish or support "early college high schools" and dual-enrollment programs. Early college high schools and dual-enrollment programs blend high school and college in a rigorous, yet supportive, program, compressing the time it takes to complete high school diploma and the first two years of college.

According to Kildee, an investment in fast-track programs would help more students obtain a post-secondary credential by exposing them to the rigors of college-level work, motivating them to continue their post-secondary education. Kildee said we must make every effort to ensure that all Americans, from all economic levels, are able to attend college. Kohl said, "As Americans struggle in this economy, we must continue to invest in our schools and public education." Kohl also stated that early college high schools and other dual-enrollment programs allow students to earn high school credit while also earning free college credits. He added, "Dual-enrollment programs can provide cost savings to make college affordable especially for families that think college is out of their reach."

Following remarks by Kohl and Kildee, experts and practitioners discussed their experiences with dual-enrollment and early-college programs, as well as their potential for increasing college access and completion. Panelist Joel Vargas from Jobs for the Future said the best dual-enrollment programs involve a "well-designed, coherent sequence of courses, instead of the cafeteria-style course options that high schools typically offer." He believes these programs focus on "real college-level material, with real college course standards, with the opportunity to earn college credit." These programs offer classes taught either by college instructors or by high school teachers with the relevant content knowledge who are approved to teach by a college. They charge minimal or no student fees for low-income or all students, and they offer a range of academic and non-academic supports to help ease students' transition to college.

Two national service bills moved through the House and Senate last week, S. 277 the Serve America Act, and HR 1388, the Generations Invigoration Volunteerism and Education Act (GIVE Act). On Wednesday, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) Committee passed the Serve America Act by a bipartisan majority. The bill will now move to the Senate floor for full consideration. Building upon the National and Community Service Act of 1990, the Serve America Act adds new service opportunities for Americans from elementary school children to retirees. The bill provides $5 billion over five years with the goal of funding 250,000 volunteers engaged in targeted service in areas of national need, such as: energy conservation, health care and education. Upon committee passage, Sen. Ted Kennedy, co-author of the legislation, said, "This legislation represents the best of America's ideals - offering a helping hand to our neighbors and to our country. Today's action brings us closer to our goal of giving Americans of all ages greater opportunities to serve their communities and their nation."

Following Senate action, the House of Representatives passed the Generations Invigoration Volunteerism and Education Act (GIVE Act) by a vote of 321-105. The bill would reauthorize and reform the national service laws to create Innovative Service-Learning Programs and Research to fund community service-learning opportunities for elementary, secondary, college and graduate students. The GIVE Act will now move to the Senate for consideration. The first lady gave her support for these national service goals earlier this week saying, "Congress is taking steps to strengthen and expand national service programs for Americans of all ages and all walks of life."

Learn more about the SERVE America Act. Learn more about the GIVE Act.

First Lady and Celebrities Tour DC Public Schools: In celebration of Women's History Month Michelle Obama and several A-list celebrities, including Alicia Keyes, Sheryl Crow, Debbie Allen and Alfre Woodard, visited several Washington, D.C.-area schools last week and spoke with students about setting career goals and reaching their dreams. "These events are an extension of the Obama administration's commitment to engage with the D.C. community and open the White House for arts, culture and educational purposes," the first lady's office said.

ED Announces New Appointments: Secretary of Education Arne Duncan has announced the appointment of Jo Anderson Jr. as senior advisor to the Department of Education. Anderson will conduct outreach to teachers and teacher organizations. Currently, Anderson serves as the executive director of the Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA). Before assuming that post, he held a variety of other positions with IEA-NEA, working on a range of issues from school restructuring to professional development. "Jo Anderson has spent many years as an effective advocate for teachers and a strong champion of school improvement," Duncan said. "His outstanding leadership abilities and partnering skills will be a real asset as we look to collaborate with teachers on our reform initiatives. I am honored to have Jo on my team." Also announced this week was the nomination of Gabriella Gomez, a senior education policy advisor for the House Education and Labor Committee, as assistant secretary for legislation and congressional affairs at the Department of Education. "I am thrilled that President Obama has nominated Gaby to be assistant education secretary. Over the past three years, she has helped Congress enact some of the most significant changes to higher education policy in history, including increasing $20 billion in college aid for students and families, cleaning up shady practices in the student loan industry and modernizing our higher education program," said George Miller (D-Calif.), committee chairman.

Education And Labor Committee Holds Hearing on Early Childhood Education: On March 17, the House Education and Labor Committee held the first in a series of hearings on strengthening early childhood education. The hearing, "The Importance of Early Childhood Development," examined ways Congress can help address the nation's early education and child care needs. "As President Obama rightly said in his first major speech on education last week, any significant education reform effort must start with children before they enter their kindergarten classrooms," said George Miller (D-Calif.), committee chairman. "We have a long way to go to ensure that all children can get a high-quality early education foundation." The witnesses urged the federal government to increase its support of early education and child-care programs. "Wherever children are - at home, with grandma, with the next-door neighbor or in a center-based program - children need caring, consistent, quality experiences from their earliest days and weeks in order to be successful in school and later in life," said Jessie Rasmussen, vice president of the Buffett Early Childhood Fund. Republican Ranking Member Howard "Buck" McKeon argued against creating a new federal program. He believes the government should maintain its focus on children from low-income families and continue its support of Head Start and Early Head Start. More info.

Education and Labor Subcommittee Holds Hearing On Early Childhood Development Policies: On March 19, the Early Childhood, Elementary and Secondary Education Subcommittee held its first hearing this Congress on improving early childhood development policies and practices. "It is appropriate that this is our first hearing, both because we are here to focus on the first years of a child's life and because there is no issue more important than early childhood development," said Dale Kildee (D-Mich.), subcommittee chair. "I look forward to this committee working with the president to help parents and educators make the early years of children's lives nurturing and enriching." Witnesses described both the effectiveness and the limitations of current federal early childhood programs and advised the subcommittee to increase its support. "Policy solutions need to focus on the quality, affordability and accessibility of a variety of programs," said Gina Adams, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute. More info