Iris Palmer

Beautiful sunrise this morning

Urgent: If you or someone you know was subject to today's reduction in force (RIF) firings, please consider filling this form out docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Massive Layoffs at the Department of Education Erode Its Civil Rights Division Only five of the agency’s civil rights offices remain nationwide. Those who are still with the department say it will now be “virtually impossible” to resolve discrimination complaints.

If your intent is to use OCR to protect civil rights, this is not something you do.

If your intent is to use OCR primarily for investigations that can serve as a pretense to punish those who oppose authoritarian edicts, it's exactly what you do: www.propublica.org/article/educ...

a close up of a man 's face with the words " brick by brick " below him ALT: a close up of a man 's face with the words " brick by brick " below him

And I'm out. I'm on the RIF list, as are many others at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). It was truly an honor to work as a civil servant at IES on education research, a topic I care deeply about! Here's to the next fight and to rebuilding what has been destroyed.

There’s Nothing “Final” About McMahon’s Mission to Destroy the Department of Education The Trump administration lacks both the legal authority and the political power to actually close the Department of Education.

“There is nothing ‘final’ about McMahon’s mission. It is only a nihilistic act of civic vandalism, carried out by ideological zealots who don’t understand what they are trying in vain to destroy.”

Read @kevincarey1.bsky.social: www.newamerica.org/education-po...

New polling: Trump’s Proposal to Dismantle the U.S. Education Department Unpopular Among Americans via @newamerica.org @educationwork.newamerica.org

www.newamerica.org/education-po...

#highered #edusky #LindaMcMahon

Colleges Can Provide Drop-in Care Community colleges can offer drop-in care. Here is how some colleges are making it work.

Ever feel like piecing together childcare is like playing a never-ending game of Tetris? New post on how colleges are providing drop-in care for students www.newamerica.org/education-po...

Learning While Earning: Rethinking Student Employment SXSW EDU 2025 Schedule | Working while in college is fast becoming the norm for today’s students. Forty percent of full-time undergraduates work, with the majority working 20-34 hours a week. Meanwhil...

More interested in #HigherEd? Learn from @irispalmer.bsky.social and @whiteboardadvisors.bsky.social how meaningful work-based learning boosts economic mobility for students after high school.

🗓️ Tuesday, 3/04
🕐 1pm CT
📍 Convention Center, Room 10AB
🔗 schedule.sxswedu.com/2025/events/...

Bitsy’s first time at the dog park

Child Care Centers on Campus Alone Don’t Solve the Problem Child care centers on campus alone can't solve the problem

On-campus #ChildCare options are often seen as THE solution for students who are also parents. But many of these care centers don't cut it.

🧸 Here, our director of #CommunityColleges @irispalmer.bsky.social ‪explores other ways to meet student needs, like through community-based partnerships.

My colleague @adamhsays.com tells the plain truth about the Trump administration's radical and perversely ahistorical attack on campus-based programs that serve students of color.
www.insidehighered.com/news/diversi...

Elon Musk’s Team Decimates Education Department Arm That Tracks National School Performance The Trump administration canceled $900 million in contracts overseen by the Institute of Education Sciences, which partners with scientists and education companies to compile and make public data…

NEW: DOGE is behind the abrupt cancellation of $900 million in contracts overseen by the Institute of Education Sciences, a Department of Education division responsible for much of what we know about the state of U.S. schools.

By @jodiscohen.bsky.social & @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

Capitol Hill Briefing: Turbocharging Community College Pathways to the Future of Work and the Innovation Economy REGISTER TODAY: The Congressional Community College Caucus co-chaired by Rep. Gus Bilirakis and Rep. Joe Courtney invites you to a briefing focused on the critical role community colleges play in fost...

Stand up for science, innovation, and community colleges on Capitol Hill.

Join @newamerica.org & ACCT for this briefing alongside Reps. Bilirakis, Courtney, Baird, and Foster - co-chairs of the Congressional CC & R&D Caucus this Wednesday from 2-3 PM in Rayburn.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Get the Hell Out of DOGE: Elon Musk's Team Infiltrates Education Department Data Staff with U.S. DOGE Service, charged with scrutinizing federal spending, has reportedly fed sensitive data into artificial intelligence software.

New from me. DOGE staff have accessed sensitive Education Department data, almost certainly illegally. What are the repercussions? What kind of data does the ED Department collect? How does this relate to the administration's efforts to purge DEI? Read on: www.newamerica.org/education-po...

The bed is getting too small Bitsy.

“Oh biscuits” —my six year old when she dropped her water

Stressed about rising child care costs? Do something about it! Sign MomsFirstUS's letter calling on congress to save and expand the child care tax credit. t.co/k8bwqre74e

Bitsy in bed

How State Funding Shapes Non-Credit Enrollment There are higher levels of non-credit enrollment in states that have more robust state funding for non-credit community college education.

Non-credit workforce training isn’t a magic fix—but better state funding could boost enrollment & outcomes. Want to see how funding models shape training access? Read my post: www.newamerica.org/education-po... #EdPolicy #WorkforceTraining

Washington Watch: A projected Pell Grant shortfall Federal budget scorekeepers have just provided both good news and bad news for the Pell Grant program. The good news is that more students are qualifying for grants, and many are receiving larger ones...

We are now facing a projected Pell shortfall, terrifying in the current political environment www.ccdaily.com/2025/02/wash...

Rep Bobby Scott sharing his workforce and education priorities at BPC. So far: WIOA reauth & short term Pell

Promising news on credential attainment U.S. credential attainment among working-age adults is edging closer to a goal of 60% by 2025 set by Lumina Foundation in 2008. The foundation on Thursday released its latest findings pertaining to ad...

A very slow climb: New Lumina Foundation data show that 54.9% of working-age adults had a credential in 2023, up from 54.3% in 2022 and 53.7% in 2021 www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/prom...

Six year old when I woke her up this morning: “you scared the bejesuses out of me”

Child Care Centers on Campus Alone Don’t Solve the Problem Child care centers on campus alone can't solve the problem

Child care centers on college campuses are often seen as the solution for student parents, but the reality is more complicated. Centers need to focus on student needs & colleges should connect students to other child care resources www.newamerica.org/education-po...

Golden puppy with pig chew toy

Bitsy venting the day’s frustration on her pig

New America Education & Work Team Join the conversation

Loving this "avengers assemble" moment @newamerica.org @educationwork.newamerica.org: go.bsky.app/TyqX3Zh

Leaving Medicaid money on the table Community colleges are leaving more than $115 million on the table annually in Medicaid funding that they could use to support student health and basic needs, according to a new study. Only 3% of comm...

Community colleges are missing out on over $115 m in Medicaid funding each year that could be used to support student health. Despite 84% of community colleges offering health services likely eligible for Medicaid, only 3% actually bill.

www.ccdaily.com/2025/01/leav...

They are just so cool

Golden retriever puppy at night in snow

First post is a puppy post. Enjoy Bitsy in the snow.