Latest news with #JasonMiyares
Axios
3 days ago
- Health
- Axios
How work requirements for Medicaid could affect Virginians
The U.S. Senate is considering a massive budget bill, passed by House Republicans, that seeks to save money by adding work requirements to Medicaid. The big picture: When Virginia tried adding similar work requirements years ago, the Department of Medical Assistance Services, which oversees the state's Medicaid program, said about 50,000 people would lose coverage. But that number would likely to be higher now since more Virginians are enrolled than in 2018. Rough estimates from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, for example, show nearly 200,000 Virginians losing coverage, including those who work or qualify for an exemption. Updated numbers won't be available until "the end of 2025 at the earliest," since they depend on federal guidance, DMAS spokesperson Kedra Keith tells Axios. State of play: The proposed bill requires states to deny or end coverage to anyone aged 19 to 64 who isn't working at least 80 hours per month, with some exemptions, starting Dec. 31, 2026. The accelerated timeline could pose administrative challenges to the states, which would be tasked with setting up expensive employment verification systems within a year and a half. Flashback: When Attorney General Jason Miyares introduced a nearly identical bill in 2018 as a state delegate, DMAS told lawmakers it could take two years to get the work requirements up and running. DMAS estimated that adding staff, changing systems, and gathering data to meet those requirements would cost more than $23 million. It would also lead to an estimated two-year loss of revenue that would offset the "savings of reduced coverage." Between the lines: These work requirements never went into effect because former Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam stopped them from moving forward in 2019, frustrating state Republicans. Friction point: The White House and some Republicans say they're rooting out fraud and avoiding subsidizing adults who "choose" not to work. But critics like Freddy Mejia, policy director for progressive policy group The Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis, tell Axios the changes could lead to accidental coverage loss. "Historically, qualifying individuals have been kicked off coverage simply due to technology literacy and language barriers that make it difficult to keep up with paperwork requirements," said Mejia. By the numbers: There's little evidence that people are mooching off Medicaid, reports Axios' Emily Peck. Nationwide, 96% of adults with Medicaid work full or part time, take care of family, are disabled, attend school, or are retired, per an analysis of census data by the CBPP. 2% could not find work and another 2% are in an "other" category. What we're watching: If the bill passes Congress, states could lose funding if they don't adopt the requirement — and Virginia has a trigger law automatically ending expanded Medicaid coverage if federal funding drops below 90%.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ probes top Virginia high school over alleged anti-Asian discrimination in admissions
[Source] The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia over allegations that its Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ) discriminated against Asian American students in its admissions process. Driving the news The probe follows a referral from Virginia Atty. Gen. Jason Miyares, who announced on Wednesday that his office found reasonable cause that FCPS violated the Virginia Human Rights Act and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. Internal communications allegedly show school board members acknowledging that its admissions policy overhaul was designed to decrease Asian American admissions, with one writing 'there has been an anti-Asian feel underlying some of this' and another saying the proposal would 'whiten our schools and kick ou[t] Asians.' DOJ Civil Rights Division Chief Harmeet Dhillon confirmed her office will investigate the matter, while the Department of Education separately launched its own Title VI investigation based on Miyares' referral. Trending on NextShark: Catch up In 2020, FCPS replaced TJ's merit-based system that included standardized testing and a $100 application fee with a holistic review process that considers 'experience factors' like special education status, socioeconomic background and English proficiency. Additionally, evaluators were unable to access information about the applicants' race. While the new policy boosted Black and Hispanic enrollment, it saw a sharp decline — from 73% to 54% — in Asian enrollment in just one year. TJ also dropped from the top national ranking to No. 14, with National Merit semifinalists falling from 165 to 81 for the first class admitted under the revised process. Trending on NextShark: Parent group Coalition for TJ sued the school board in January 2022, alleging racial discrimination against Asian American students. A federal judge subsequently found the revised process to be racially discriminatory, but an appeals court reversed that decision, noting that the policy did not disparately impact Asian Americans. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case last year. What the FCPS is saying FCPS defended its policy in response to the latest probe. 'This matter has already been fully litigated. A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students,' the school district said, promising a more detailed response in the coming days. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today!
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Education Department Launches Probe of Admissions Policy at Top Virginia High School
The Department of Education is opening an investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) in Virginia over concerns that its admissions policy at a prestigious high school illegally discriminated against Asian American students. The department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) said the probe was prompted in response to the Fairfax County School Board changing the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJ)—one of the nation's top-ranked high schools—in 2020. In a statement, Education Secretary Linda McMahon McMahon added that the decision by FCPS to 'weigh race' in TJ's admissions decisions 'appears to be both contrary to the law and to the fundamental principle that students should be evaluated on their merit, not the color of their skin.' According to The alteration eliminated the standardized tests and application fee that had long been part of the admission process. Related Stories 5/23/2025 5/22/2025 Instead, the review process was based on students' grades, a problem-solving essay, a 'portrait sheet' of their skills, and four experience factors, including special education status, eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, whether they were an English language learner, and whether they attended a historically underrepresented public middle school. Additionally, the students' names, race, or other demographic information remained anonymous to admissions evaluators. The move led to the enrollment of more economically disadvantaged students as well as black and Hispanic students, according to a February 2024 statement from the FCPS. Coalition for TJ, an advocacy organization of Fairfax County public school parents, sued over the change in March 2021, arguing it came at the expense of Asian American students, whose numbers at the school dropped. The group, represented by California-based Pacific Legal Foundation, argued in their As such, the changes to the admissions process were in violation of the equal protection clause, the coalition claimed. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Case In the last group of admission offers for the freshman class that entered in the fall of 2023, Asian American students represented 61.6 percent of the offers, with white students receiving 19 percent and black and Hispanic students receiving 6.7 percent and 6 percent, respectively, according to the February statement from the FCPS. However the coalition argued in its lawsuit that unless the admissions policy was changed, the number of Asian American students in the incoming TJ Class of 2025 is 'likely to be cut in half' not because of a drop in the number of qualified Asian American applicants, but 'due entirely to Defendants' stated desire to manipulate TJ's demographics.' The Supreme Court last year The Education Department's investigation was announced just one day after the office of Virginia's attorney general, Republican Jason Miyares, concluded its own investigation into FCPS's revision of TJ's admissions policy, finding it 'discriminates on the basis of race.' Miyares's office subsequently referred the complaint to the Education Department. McMahon thanked Miyares as well as Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin for their 'diligent work' in 'documenting a pattern of concerning practices at TJ.' She said the department plans to investigate the complaint further to 'ensure that all students [are] being assessed fairly, according to merit and accomplishment.' The school district said it would review the documents released by the state attorney general. 'This matter has already been fully litigated,' Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement. 'A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students.' The Epoch Times has contacted Fairfax County Public Schools for further comment.
23-05-2025
- Politics
Education Department opens investigation of admissions at selective Virginia high school
WASHINGTON -- The Education Department said Thursday it is opening a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia over the admissions policy at an elite, selective high school. A change in the admissions policy introduced five years ago at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology led to the enrollment of more Black and Hispanic students and faced a court challenge from some parents. The plaintiffs argued it came at the expense of Asian American students, whose numbers at the school dropped. The investigation comes one day after the office of Virginia's attorney general, Republican Jason Miyares, closed its own investigation, which found the school's policy discriminated against Asian American students. His office referred the case to federal authorities. 'The Department of Education is grateful for the diligent work of Governor (Glenn) Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares for documenting a pattern of concerning practices at TJ, and we will further investigate this complaint to ensure that all students being assessed fairly, according to merit and accomplishment," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The U.S. Supreme Court last year declined to hear the case challenging Thomas Jefferson's admissions policy, leaving in place an appeals court ruling that let the policy stand. The school district said it would review the documents released by the state attorney general. 'This matter has already been fully litigated,' Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement. 'A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students.' In 2020, the school district revised the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson by removing a $100 application fee and admissions test and adopting a 'holistic review' process. The first class admitted under the new policy saw an increase in low-income students, English language learners and girls. About 54% of the admitted class were Asian American — a decline from prior year percentages that ranged from 65% to 75%. The percentage of Black and Hispanic students, who have been underrepresented at the school, also increased. Students' grades, a problem-solving essay, a 'portrait sheet' of their skills, and four experience factors — special education status, eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, whether they were an English language learner and whether they attended a historically underrepresented public middle school — were part of the review. Admissions evaluators did not have access to students' name, race or other demographic information. A district court initially ruled in favor of the parents' group that challenged the policy, but an appeals court later overturned that ruling. The appeals court noted that while the percentage of Asian American students had declined under the new policy compared to earlier classes, Asian American students outperformed their share of the applicant pool. The case had been considered a possible next step to challenging admissions practices, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action and explicit consideration of race in its 2023 ruling against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. But in 2024, the Supreme Court declined to take up the case. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Education Department opens investigation of admissions at selective Virginia high school
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Education Department said Thursday it is opening a civil rights investigation into Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia over the admissions policy at an elite, selective high school. A change in the admissions policy introduced five years ago at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology led to the enrollment of more Black and Hispanic students and faced a court challenge from some parents. The plaintiffs argued it came at the expense of Asian American students, whose numbers at the school dropped. The investigation comes one day after the office of Virginia's attorney general, Republican Jason Miyares, closed its own investigation, which found the school's policy discriminated against Asian American students. His office referred the case to federal authorities. 'The Department of Education is grateful for the diligent work of Governor (Glenn) Youngkin and Attorney General Miyares for documenting a pattern of concerning practices at TJ, and we will further investigate this complaint to ensure that all students being assessed fairly, according to merit and accomplishment," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement. The U.S. Supreme Court last year declined to hear the case challenging Thomas Jefferson's admissions policy, leaving in place an appeals court ruling that let the policy stand. The school district said it would review the documents released by the state attorney general. 'This matter has already been fully litigated,' Fairfax County Public Schools said in a statement. 'A federal appellate court determined there was no merit to arguments that the admissions policy for Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology discriminates against any group of students.' In 2020, the school district revised the admissions policy at Thomas Jefferson by removing a $100 application fee and admissions test and adopting a 'holistic review' process. The first class admitted under the new policy saw an increase in low-income students, English language learners and girls. About 54% of the admitted class were Asian American — a decline from prior year percentages that ranged from 65% to 75%. The percentage of Black and Hispanic students, who have been underrepresented at the school, also increased. Students' grades, a problem-solving essay, a 'portrait sheet' of their skills, and four experience factors — special education status, eligibility for free or reduced-price meals, whether they were an English language learner and whether they attended a historically underrepresented public middle school — were part of the review. Admissions evaluators did not have access to students' name, race or other demographic information. A district court initially ruled in favor of the parents' group that challenged the policy, but an appeals court later overturned that ruling. The appeals court noted that while the percentage of Asian American students had declined under the new policy compared to earlier classes, Asian American students outperformed their share of the applicant pool. The case had been considered a possible next step to challenging admissions practices, after the Supreme Court struck down affirmative action and explicit consideration of race in its 2023 ruling against Harvard and the University of North Carolina. But in 2024, the Supreme Court declined to take up the case. ___ The Associated Press' education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
