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American Dental Education Association

Volume 1, No. 57, April 14, 2020

DeVos Releases $6.28 Billion in Emergency Student Aid

 

Last week, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to colleges and universities and called on schools to quickly distribute the aid to students. To secure the funding, colleges and universities will be required to submit to the Department of Education (ED), agreeing to distribute the funds in accordance with the law. The agreement gives the colleges and universities significant flexibility in how they choose to distribute the student aid as long as it covers expenses related to campus closures, such as food, housing, technology or health care.

 

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund authorized in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act provides $14 billion in funding to colleges and universities, of which $6.28 billion must be used for direct student aid. The funding is intended to address the costs incurred by colleges and universities because of their closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and to assist students in meeting additional expenses caused by their schools’ closures.

 

Colleges and universities will receive their share of the funding, along with funding guidance, in the coming weeks, though DeVos declined to provide a specific date. Funding will be via a set out in the CARES Act.

U.S. Department of Education Releases Proposed Regulation for Distance Learning

 

On April 2, the Department of Education’s (ED) for distance learning was published in the Federal Register. This proposed regulation would govern distance learning for higher education students.

 

The regulation will reduce barriers to innovation in the way institutions deliver educational materials and opportunities to students and how they assess students’ knowledge and understanding. The regulation also delegates oversight functions to states and accreditors. This delegation of authority entrusts oversight of most consumer protections to states, assurance of academic quality to accrediting agencies and the protection of taxpayer funds to ED.

 

The proposed regulation would do the following:

  • Emphasize demonstrated learning over seat time.
  • Clarify whether a course is eligible for Title IV, Higher Education Act (HEA) aid by defining “regular and substantive” interaction between students and instructors.
  • Clarify and simplify the requirements for direct assessment programs, including how to determine equivalent credit hours.
  • Add a definition of “juvenile justice facility” to ensure that incarcerated students remain Pell grant eligible.
  • Allow students enrolled in Title IV, HEA-eligible foreign institutions to complete up to 25% of their programs at an eligible institution in the United States. This provision is particularly important for students temporarily unable to attend courses abroad due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Create a new, student-centric system for disbursing Title IV, HEA assistance to students in subscription-based programs.
  • Require prompt action by ED on applications to participate—or to continue to participate—as an eligible institution in the Title IV, HEA program. In the past, application approval times were long.

Following the 30-day comment period, ED will publish the final regulation prior to Nov. 1, 2020.
ADEA Asks NGA to Encourage Governors to Modify State Licensure Laws for Recent Graduates

 

On April 9, ADEA sent a to the Chair of the National Governors Association (NGA), Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (D), asking NGA to encourage governors to suspend or modify existing state-level examination restrictions for graduating dentists, dental hygienists and other dental professionals. The letter explains that suspension of patient-based examinations has made it impossible for recent graduates of dental and allied dental programs to earn a license and begin serving members of their community in most states. It also highlights that this not only deprives qualified individuals of the ability to earn a living in their chosen profession, but also the potential harm to patients that may result because of delayed care.

 

is a bipartisan association representing governors from all states, territories and commonwealths. Its members are the governors.

New York Negotiates Debt Relief for Private Borrowers

 

On April 7, New York that it had negotiated student debt relief for nearly 300,000 borrowers with private student loans. While recently passed federal legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, that included suspension of payments and interest accrual for borrowers with federally backed loans, it did not provide assistance for borrowers with privately backed loans. Under the agreement New York negotiated, participating loan servicers will provide the following for borrowers who contact them:

  • A minimum of 90 days of forbearance relief,
  • Waiver of late payment fees,
  • Ensuring no borrower is subject to negative credit reporting,
  • Ceasing debt collection lawsuits for 90 days and
  • Working with eligible borrowers to enroll them in other applicable borrower assistance programs.

Student loan servicers who have agreed to participate include Navient, Nelnet, the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority, EdFinancial and others. Collectively, this represents approximately 90% of the privately held student loans in New York.
Washington Bills Expand Access to Dental Care

 

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) recently signed several pieces of legislation that could expand access to dental care in the state. Two of the bills would make adjustments to the , a state program that offers enhanced fees to service providers of Medicaid-eligible children under the age of six who participate in the program. This program contracts with the University of Washington School of Dentistry and the Arcora Foundation to provide management services, recruitment and training of providers.

 

would require the ABCD program to develop a program fund allocation formula, key deliverables and target metrics for increased outreach and provider engagement and support. The goals of the development of the formula, deliverables and metrics are to reduce racial and ethnic disparities in access to dental care and oral health outcomes. Under the bill, progress toward these goals must be monitored by the Washington State Health Care Authority in consultation with the state’s Office of Equity and in collaboration with stakeholders.

 

would attempt to expand coverage under the ABCD program to children with disabilities up the age of 13. Legislation was passed in 2018 that required the ABCD program to begin providing coverage to this population, but the bill’s language made it for the expansion from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The bill would adjust the language of current statute to help make CMS approval more likely.

 

Additionally, Gov. Inslee signed a that included funding for several other programs that could increase access to dental care in the state. Those programs and funding allocations include the following:

  • $250,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2021 for the Washington State Health Care Authority to develop a public/private partnership with a state-based, oral health foundation to connect Medicaid patients to dental services and reduce barriers to accessing care. The Authority must submit a progress report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by June 30, 2021.
  • $250,000 from the general fund (state appropriation) for FY20 and FY21 respectively, and $500,000 from the general fund (federal appropriation) solely to increase the rates paid to provide education and clinical training for dental professionals and students related to the care of persons with developmental or acquired disabilities, or both.
  • $200,000 of the general fund (state appropriation) for FY21 and $200,000 of the general fund (federal appropriation) for contracting with the Office of Equity to implement Substitute House Bill No. 2905.

The is published weekly. Its purpose is to keep ADEA members abreast of federal and state issues and events of interest to the academic dentistry and the dental and research communities.

 

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American Dental Education Association

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B. Timothy Leeth, CPA

ADEA Chief Advocacy Officer

 

Bridgette DeHart, J.D.

ADEA Director of Federal Relations

 

Phillip Mauller, M.P.S.

ADEA Director of State Relations and Advocacy

 

Brian Robinson

ADEA Program Manager for Advocacy and Government Relations

 
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