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The relief applies to borrowers who submitted a borrower defense application by June 22.

A federal judge gave a tentative thumbs up to a $6 billion deal between the feds and a class of student borrowers to forgive loan debt - relief applied to borrowers who submitted a borrower defense application by June 22. Read more»

Connecticut Education Commissioner Miguel Cardona, a veteran of public schools, is President-elect Joe Biden's President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday formally introduced his nominee for secretary of Education.

President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday formally introduced his nominee for secretary of Education—Miguel Cardona, a veteran of public schools and the third Latino selected for the Cabinet. Read more»

U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos is pushing schools to reopen as normal this fall, arguing it’s healthier for kids than staying home. Critics say she has not told schools how to reopen safely in the face of COVID-19.

Arizona Schools Superintendent Kathy Hoffman said Wednesday that the already delayed Aug. 17 start of in-person classes may have to be pushed back again in light of continuing concerns about COVID-19 safety. Read more»

A protester at the Operation Gridlock protest at the Arizona Capitol on April 19, 2020.

Conservatives angry about the catastrophic economic situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and government restrictions on businesses and citizens drove around the state Capitol Sunday in protest, hoping to persuade Gov. Doug Ducey to lift his stay-at-home order and “re-open” Arizona. Read more»

School leaders are grappling with how to deliver special education services — and stay compliant with state and federal civil rights law — as governors shut down school buildings to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Read more»

President Donald Trump told a group of Latino business leaders Wednesday that Hispanics were faring well as a result of the “booming Trump economy.” but critics charge his economic reforms have not helped the vast majority of Latinos in the U.S.

President Donald Trump told an audience of Latino business leaders Wednesday that Hispanics are seeing economic gains across the board as a result of tax cuts and regulatory rollbacks that have led to “the booming Trump economy.” Read more»

Responding to a column this week, every Democrat in the Arizona House of Representatives pledged to vote for one of their own to lead the chamber if Democrats take control of the legislative chamber in this year's elections. Read more»

Some deep blue Dems in the Legislature are being recruited to defect and vote for a Republican state House speaker, including Alma and Daniel Hernandez of Tucson. Plus: the 2020 presidential race all comes down to Wisconsin and Arizona. Read more» 1

Ducey at the 2020 Legislative Forecast Luncheon hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix, January 2020.

An often-asked political question by State Capitol observers these days: what will Gov. Doug Ducey do when his current, final term in office is over? What's his next dream job? Read more»

The Walton Foundation, a staunch supporter of school choice and Teach for America’s largest private funder, was paying $4,000 for every teacher placed in a traditional public school — and $6,000 for every one placed in a charter school. Read more»

Dawn Penich-Thacker, communication director for Save Our Schools Arizona, organized the campaign to get Proposition 305 on the ballot.

Proposition 305, which would have vastly expanded a program that allows parents and guardians to use tax dollars to pay for private school tuition, was rejected by voters. The measure was failing by a 2-1 margin Tuesday night. Read more»

The Trump administration’s budget blueprint calls for eliminating a need-based grant that benefits more than 35,000 Arizona college students, a cut that one expert said could be “a real setback for students.” The cut was part of a proposed 13 percent decrease for the Department of Education. Read more»

Tommy Lewis, the superintendent of schools for the Navajo Nation, said he worries that changes under the Trump administration could hurt tribal schools, particularly the calls by some to increase school choice and do away with Head Start programs.

The superintendent for Navajo schools said “alarming” calls for the Trump administration to eliminate Head Start funding could leave tribal children without preschool programs or the education resources they desperately need to succeed. Read more»

Public school advocates in Arizona are withholding judgment – for now – on school-choice champion Betsy DeVos, who faced a Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday on her nomination to become the next secretary of Education. Read more»