170,000 Borrowers to See Student Loan Debt Erased More than 170,000 borrowers will have their student loan debt canceled as part of a long-running class-action lawsuit that has led to the cancellation of over $23 billion in loans. The case, which began in 2019, centered on borrowers who claimed for-profit colleges misled or defrauded them, leaving them with unmanageable debt. The Biden administration reached a settlement in 2022, but the Trump administration delayed implementing relief, according to the Project on Predatory Student Lending (PPSL), which represented the plaintiffs. A federal appeals court rejected the Education Department’s attempt to extend the relief schedule by 18 months in July 2024, ensuring that approximately $11 billion in loans will be forgiven for the affected borrowers. The lawsuit, originally titled Sweet v. DeVos, involved borrowers who alleged that predatory schools provided "worthless products" that left them with thousands of dollars in debt, damaged credit, and limited access to further financial aid. The Education Department had begun ignoring borrower defense claims in 2017, reducing its capacity to process applications and diverting resources to undo prior administration work. Many borrowers faced prolonged delays, during which they struggled to secure employment, purchase homes, or qualify for new loans. One student’s debt ballooned from $250,000 to over $400,000 while waiting for her 2022 application to be resolved. The 2022 settlement, which has already provided $6 billion in relief to 300,000 borrowers, is now set to expand to an estimated 500,000 individuals.#education_department #project_on_predatory_student_lending #sweet_v_devos #borrower_defense_applications #federal_appellate_court
Sirsa Private Schools Blacklisted | Code Change Non-Recognized The education department has blacklisted nearly 16 private schools in Sirsa, blocking them from admitting new students through the MIS portal. The schools were flagged for violations of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, failure to renew their licenses for over a decade, and changes to their school codes that rendered their previous registrations invalid. Officials stated that these schools were not compliant with regulatory requirements and had ignored repeated demands for documentation. The department has instructed the schools to submit updated reports, which will be reviewed before any further action is taken. The schools in question were identified for four primary reasons: They failed to allocate 25% of seats to economically disadvantaged students as mandated by the RTE Act. Some institutions operated without valid accreditation. Others did not renew their licenses within the stipulated 10-year period. A few schools changed their school codes, rendering their previous registrations obsolete. Education officer Subhash Kumar Futeila confirmed that the department had received reports from all affected schools and acted based on the findings. He emphasized that the current measures aim to ensure compliance with educational standards and protect the rights of students. While the schools can still issue Secondary School Certificate (SSLC) exams to existing students, they are prohibited from enrolling new applicants until their compliance issues are resolved. The decision has raised concerns among private school administrators, who argued that some institutions had submitted applications for renewed licenses but were not recognized by the department.#private_schools #education_department #right_to_education_act #sirsa #subhash_kumar_futeila
Over 1100 Private Schools in Haryana Blacklisted, New Admissions Suspended Amid Regulatory Violations The Haryana education department has taken stringent action against over 1100 private schools across the state, blacklisting them and suspending new admissions. The decision follows widespread non-compliance with regulatory standards, including inadequate infrastructure, violations of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, and failure to meet basic operational requirements. The move has affected both temporary and permanent schools, with 63 institutions in Rohitak specifically targeted after their MIS (School Management Information System) portal was shut down. The action was initiated after a comprehensive review of school operations revealed systemic issues. In Rohitak, 63 schools were found to be operating without adherence to mandated norms, including insufficient facilities and non-compliance with RTE guidelines. The department immediately suspended new admissions for these schools, citing violations of regulations related to infrastructure, safety, and equitable access to education. The affected institutions were also placed on a blacklist, effectively barring them from the official portal for administrative processes. The crackdown extended beyond Rohitak, with the state government implementing a state-wide audit. A total of 145 temporary schools with expired approvals were shut down, while 269 schools with valid permissions but lacking compliance with RTE provisions faced portal restrictions. Additionally, 693 permanent schools were penalized for failing to upload data on reserved seats for economically weaker sections (EWS) students, a key requirement under the RTE Act. The audit uncovered alarming deficiencies in many schools.#haryana #education_department #rohitak #mis_portal
Senate Panel Considers Vote to Shield Special Education from RFK Jr.'s Agency A Senate committee is considering a vote in July to prevent the Trump administration from transferring core functions of federal special education programs to the Health and Human Services Department, which is overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The proposal, which has sparked significant debate, aims to preserve the current structure of the Education Department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s yearlong campaign to restructure federal agencies, though the source text does not explicitly state this as a broader effort. The potential transfer of special education responsibilities to HHS has raised concerns among disability rights groups, who fear the shift could disrupt critical services for students with disabilities. Critics have pointed to RFK Jr.’s past controversial remarks about autism, including a 2023 press conference where he claimed the condition “destroys families.” Federal officials have not provided a clear timeline for the transition, but they have asserted that students’ rights will remain protected. A summary of the proposed interagency partnership states that the change “will not impact students, parents, or families.” Robert F. Kennedy Jr. defended the move, stating it would “deliver more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families.” In a statement, he emphasized the goal of improving education and employment outcomes while upholding the rights of individuals with disabilities. However, the plan faces strong opposition from key lawmakers, particularly within the Republican Party. Sen.#education_department #robert_f_kennedy_jr #senate_committee #health_and_human_services_department #bill_cassidy
Education Department Tells 7.5 Million Student Loan Borrowers in "Illegal" SAVE Plan to Prepare for Repayment More than 7 million student loan borrowers enrolled in the SAVE repayment plan will receive notices starting Friday, instructing them to transition to a new repayment plan, the Education Department announced. The SAVE plan, which was invalidated by a federal court earlier this month, has been in forbearance since July 2024 as legal challenges unfolded. Starting July 1, loan servicers will begin sending borrowers notices giving them 90 days to select an alternative repayment plan. The available options will likely result in higher monthly payments for most borrowers. The Education Department described the SAVE plan as "illegal," stating it was based on "the false promise of student loan forgiveness and artificially low monthly payments." Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent emphasized in a statement that the Biden administration’s approach to student debt relief was being "put to rest," asserting that borrowers must "pay back loans they took out." The department’s guidance, which will be sent to all borrowers enrolled in the defunct plan, aims to end what Kent called the "illegal student loan bailout agenda." Borrowers enrolled in the SAVE plan have faced uncertainty as legal battles progressed. While the plan was in effect, they were not required to make payments, but interest on their loans began accruing after a court blocked its implementation last summer. This has led to increased debt balances for some students. Alexis Arredondo, a first-generation college graduate with $40,000 in student debt, described the situation as a "very difficult" choice between higher monthly payments or a longer repayment period that would result in more interest.#save_plan #nicholas_kent #education_department #repayment_assistance_plan #student_borrower_protection_center
बिहार में RTE के तहत निजी स्कूलों में नामांकन की तिथि 20 मार्च तक बढ़ी, लापरवाही पर होगी कार्रवाई शिक्षा विभाग ने बिहार के निजी स्कूलों में आरटीई के तहत नामांकन की अंतिम तिथि 20 मार्च तक बढ़ा दी है। पहले यह तिथि 10 मार्च थी। शिक्षा का अधिकार कानून के तहत प्रस्वीकृत निजी विद्यालयों में 25 प्रतिशत अलाभकारी और कमजोर वर्ग के बच्चों के ऑनलाइन नामांकन के लिए चयनित छात्रों की संख्या 69,193 थी। इनमें से केवल 40,626 छात्रों का नामांकन हुआ है। इस कमी के कारण नामांकन की तिथि को बढ़ा दिया गया है। शिक्षा विभाग ने राज्य के सभी जिला शिक्षा अधिकारियों और जिला कार्यक्रम अधिकारियों को निर्देश दिया है कि चयनित बच्चों का नामांकन विस्तारित तिथि तक कराया जाए। नामांकन में उदासीनता बरतने वाले विद्यालयों पर सख्त कार्रवाई करने के लिए विशेष निर्देश दिए गए हैं। प्राथमिक शिक्षा के निदेशक विक्रम विरकर ने आदेश में कहा है कि निजी विद्यालयों में नामांकन के लिए तिथि निर्धारित करने के बाद अब तक केवल 40,626 छात्रों का नामांकन हुआ है। इसके अलावा, विद्यालयों द्वारा नामांकन करने में शिथिलता बरते जाने पर उनके विरुद्ध कार्रवाई करने के लिए प्रस्ताव उपलब्ध कराए जाएंगे। शिक्षा विभाग ने यह निर्देश दिया है कि सभी चयनित बच्चों का नामांकन विस्तारित तिथि तक कराया जाए ताकि बच्चों के अधिकार की गारंटी दी जा सके। इस निर्देश के तहत विद्यालयों को नामांकन के लिए जिम्मेदारी लेने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया जा रहा है। नामांकन के लिए बढ़ाई गई तिथि के बाद भी अगर नामांकन की दर में वृद्धि नहीं होती है, तो विद्यालयों पर नियमों के तहत कार्रवाई की जा सकती है। शिक्षा विभाग के अधिकारियों ने बताया कि इस निर्देश के तहत बच्चों के अधिकार की रक्षा के लिए निजी विद्यालयों को जिम्मेदारी लेने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया जा रहा है। इस तरह बच्चों के शिक्षा के अधिकार की गारंटी दी जा सकती है।#bihar #private_schools #education_department #vikram_virkar #rte_act
