The House of Representatives is set to vote today on a bill that would repeal President Joe Biden's plan to wipe out $10,000 to $20,000 in student loan debt for more than 30 million borrowers.

Opponents of Biden's plan are invoking the Congressional Records Act, which allows lawmakers to nullify recently passed bills.

Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, said the bill could also revive some debt already canceled under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

"The student debt CRA scheme would reinstate student loan debt of more than 260,000 public service workers nationwide," said Pierce, "dropping a nearly $20 billion debt burden onto the backs of these hardworking teachers, nurses, first responders and service members still emerging from the pandemic."

Opponents of the debt forgiveness complain Biden's plan transfers the debt to taxpayers. The president has threatened to veto the act should it cross his desk.

A new study by the American Federation of Teachers and the Student Borrower Protection Center finds that more than 615,000 public employees have had $42 billion in debt canceled via the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program since 2007.

The program allows participants to discharge the remainder of their debt after ten years in the field.

Jessica Saint-Paul, Ph.D, is a physician assistant and professor who teaches public health in the Los Angeles Community College District. She said she no longer has to pay back $144,000 - thanks to the PSLF program.

"To release this burden of student loan debt, that's one less thing that I need to be concerned about," said Saint-Paul. "I don't have to worry about taking multiple jobs. I can truly, truly focus on doing what I love doing and I don't see myself ever leaving public service."

Biden's student debt cancellation plan was blocked by the courts before it could go into effect and goes before the U.S. Supreme Court in June.





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The American Federation of Teachers and the American Sociological Association are suing the Trump administration over a threat of funding cuts and investigations of schools that integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into their policies or lessons.

The letter schools received purports to reinforce anti-discrimination laws - but casts efforts to hire or help disadvantaged people of color as a form of discrimination.

Roderick Castro, assistant superintendent of educational services at Santa Rosa City Schools, noted that the letter criticizes using race as a factor in hiring and training.

"A letter like this is basically giving them the directive to abandon those," said Castro. "That cuts us off at the knees. We're looking for educators to be more representative of the students that are in the classrooms. It's a blow, more of a gut punch, to us."

The letter is critical of courses that involve certain racial groups. Castro said ethnic studies classes rightly lift up students' cultural heritage.

And he said he thinks teachers and students should be free to examine the facts about topics like slavery or civil rights.

Schools were given until last Friday to comply with the Trump administration's anti-DEI directive, and many colleges are pulling back, even reevaluating campus groups like the Black Student Union.

Chuck Flores, PhD, is an associate professor of educational administration at California State University-Los Angeles and UCLA - and teaches social justice and educational leadership at Cal State LA.

"We have to provide an open forum for all people of all races to discuss what it is that we need to achieve as a country," said Flores. "Eliminating DEI doesn't really go in that direction. I just feel that we're going down a dark hole we're not going to be able to pull out of, if people don't wake up and start taking a stand for what's right."

The letter from the Department of Education also says diversity and social justice are not valid reasons to take race or a proxy for race into account for admissions and financial aid.

Indiana's new budget does not include funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.

The program sends free books to children from birth to age 5. It has helped Indiana's child literacy ranking rise from 19th to 6th nationwide.

Gov. Mike Braun is looking for solutions and appointed first lady Maureen Braun to work with donors and state leaders. He said their goal is to keep the program running in all 92 counties.

"When you're engaging your wife to make sure that you find the private sector to be the main funder of stuff because we've got a lot of other things, infrastructure, education, health care that we have to do," Braun explained.

Without state funding, local groups may struggle to cover costs. The program relies on partnerships, and some areas might not be able to continue.

Parents whose kids have benefited from the Imagination Library are concerned. One mother said the books have helped her child develop a love for reading. She praised the diverse selections and interactive guides that make learning fun.

Educators also worry about the effects. They said early access to books is key to childhood development and without the program, many children may miss out.

Braun said the discussion to save the program was loud and quick.

"That was one of them obviously -- it was well received -- didn't see where it had any real negatives to it," Braun noted. "But it was part of our budget that went up 10%."

Lawmakers and advocates are looking for new funding sources. Some hope private donations can fill the gap. Others push for legislative changes to restore funding. For now, the future of the program remains uncertain but supporters are determined to keep books in the hands of young Hoosiers.


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For the second year in a row, every nursing graduate from Florida Gulf Coast University passed the national licensing exam required to become a registered nurse. This 100% pass rate comes at a critical time for Florida, which is grappling with a growing demand for healthcare professionals amid an expanding population.

Brenda Hage, director of FGCU School of Nursing, credits dedicated investments for the program's success. Increased state funding helps universities like FGCU enhance their programs by offering scholarships, hiring faculty, and upgrading simulation labs.

"It's certainly a team effort. I have a wonderful team of faculty, a great BSN director Dr. Kelly Goebel, and we have really motivated and energized students that are dedicated to their studies and I think all of these things comes together with our great curriculum and wonderful men ed preparation that they get here at FGCU," she said.

FGCU's success is part of a statewide effort to tackle Florida's nursing shortage. Since 2022, the governor and legislature have invested $138 million to expand nursing programs through initiatives like PIPELINE and LINE grants.

The State University System achieved a 94% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination, or N-CLEX, surpassing the national average of 92%, and produced a record 1,900 nursing graduates last year.

Ray Rodrigues, chancellor of FGCU, says the investments are paying off as he touts the program's success in the Sunshine State.

"So, if you want to get a quality education, pay as little as possible for that education, and have the greatest chance of passing your licensure exam, the State University System of Florida is the path that will get you there," he said.

Rodrigues added that although the university had a successful pass rate on the N-CLEX nursing exam the state's overall rate is lower due to unaccredited private institutions. Recent reports show these programs have dragged down pass rates, with Florida ranking last nationally in 2024. He predicts public institutions will soon achieve near-perfect pass rates as struggling private programs close.