Latest news with #TitleIII
Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
SOSi Wins $260 Million DEA Contract for Foreign Language Support
RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- SOSi announced today that the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) awarded the company a contract valued at approximately $260 million to provide foreign language support for its Title III electronic surveillance program. SOSi will support 241 offices across the United States, delivering the monitoring, transcription, translation, interpretation, validation, and analysis of lawfully intercepted communications. 'This contract expands SOSi's partnership with DEA, allowing us to further support the agency's critical mission of enforcing controlled substance laws and regulations,' said Steve Iwicki, SOSi Senior Vice President for Intelligence Solutions. 'SOSi's expertise bolsters DEA's efforts to reduce the devastating impact illicit substances have on our nation.' SOSi has been supporting the federal law enforcement agencies' Title III programs since the company's inception in 1989. Its first federal contract was with the DEA's New York Field Office in 1989. In 2021, SOSi was awarded a similar contract to provide the same services to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). In 2023, the DEA awarded SOSi a contract to provide language analytic support to its Special Operations Division. 'We're excited to continue our 35-year legacy of supporting the DEA's mission through this nationwide Title III language services contract,' said Julian Setian, CEO of SOSi. 'This award reflects not only our deep-rooted partnership with the DEA, but also our unmatched expertise in managing highly sensitive lawful intercept programs for the U.S. law enforcement community. Over the next year, we plan to introduce our proprietary Pandion system to the federal law enforcement agencies, which leverages AI to process and analyze intercepted communications and exemplifies our commitment to innovation in support of national security and law enforcement operations.' ABOUT SOSi Founded in 1989 and headquartered in Reston, Virginia, SOSi is a private defense and government services firm that is principally engaged in the research, design, development, integration, sustainment, and delivery of advanced technology systems, products, and services. Its capabilities include data science, software development, network engineering, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and logistics.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Trump administration freezes $6.8 billion in federal education funds; California hit hard
The Trump administration on Monday moved to withhold a projected $6.8 billion nationwide in education funds — including at least $811 million from California — money appropriated by Congress to boost teacher training, after-school programs and classroom technology and to help students who are learning English and those who are from migrant families. Although the frozen funds make up less than 1% of California's total education budget, they have an outsize cumulative effect. And they involve dollars that already are accounted for in terms of staff hired and programs planned. The disruption would be substantial — and state education leaders, including Supt. of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, said Monday evening that the problems are unfolding immediately. 'There have been many rumors about the Trump Administration cutting education funding, and now that rumors have become reality, it is worse than we imagined," Thurmond said in a statement to The Times. "Trump is illegally impounding billions of dollars appropriated by Congress to serve students this fiscal year." "This illegal action will harm students starting now," Thurmond added. "It cannot stand!' The administration listed the frozen programs by their federal designation: Title III-A, for example, supports students who are learning English. Title I-C helps overcome the learning challenges of the children of migrant workers. Both programs had all their funds withheld. Read more: California law faces revise as high court allows parents to 'opt out' of LGBTQ+ school stories Word of the federal action began to trickle out to worried school systems Monday afternoon. The notification, in an email from the federal Department of Education, was 84 words in length — and, according to education officials and advocates, included no amplification: "Given the change in Administrations, the Department is reviewing the FY 2025 funding for the [Title I-C, II-A, III-A, IV-A, IV-B] grant program(s), and decisions have not yet been made concerning submissions and awards for this upcoming academic year," the email began. "Accordingly, the Department will not be issuing Grant Award Notifications obligating funds for these programs on July 1 prior to completing that review." The notification concluded: "The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President's priorities and the Department's statutory responsibilities.' The programs noted in the email make up more than 10% of federal spending on K-12 schools in 33 states, according to the Learning Policy Institute. The targets of the freeze are not especially surprising — all of the withheld funds are from programs the administration wants to slash or eliminate. And those details — and the justification for them — are clearly spelled out in President Trump's budget proposal for the next federal fiscal year, which begins in October. Read more: California violated civil rights of female students by allowing trans athletes to compete, feds say But the Trump administration is freezing funds that Congress approved for the fiscal year already in progress, which began in October 2024. Because of the way federal, state and local budgets line up, this money was due to reach states Tuesday and to be spent as part of the budget for the school district fiscal year, which begins Tuesday. School districts — on the expectation they would receive these funds appropriated by Congress — have generally already hired those expected to carry out these programs; many are long-standing efforts. The Education Department declined to comment late Monday — referring inquiries to the Office of Management and Budget. That office too had no immediate comment. But the administration already has made clear its rationale for ending these efforts in its budget proposal, which on Monday was inching closer to congressional approval. "To end overreach from Washington and restore the rightful role of State oversight in education, the Budget proposes to eliminate the misnamed English Language Acquisition program which actually de-emphasizes English primacy by funding [nongovernmental organizations] and States to encourage bilingualism," the administration stated. "The historically low reading scores for all students mean States and communities need to unite — not divide — classrooms using evidence-based literacy instruction materials to improve outcomes for all students." Read more: Revised LAUSD budget saves jobs today, trims future retiree health benefit contributions Advocates for English learners support "evidence-based literacy instruction," but take issue with much of the rest of the administration's assertions, including the claim that programs to help students learning English are divisive. "We want our students to gain proficiency in English so that they can access their education in English," said Martha Hernandez, executive director of Californians Together, a coalition of groups that advocates for English learners. "And the majority of English learners are in English-only settings. These funds help students learn English." Hernandez said there are about 5 million English learners speaking 100 different languages nationwide — about 1.1 million in California. The cut to migrant education is justified in budget documents as eliminating "programs that work to the detriment of children's academic success by encouraging movement from, rather than stability and consistency in, a single location. These programs have not been proven effective, are extremely costly, and encourage ineligible non-citizens to access [services] , stripping resources from American students." The migrant program's effectiveness is open to reasonable debate, but the assertion that it encourages lack of stability is difficult to square with the reality on the ground. Los Angeles Unified School District uses this funding for academic support to provide stability and academic continuity for these students and their families. The program in Nebraska describes itself as providing "educational services for migrant children to help reduce obstacles that result from repeated moves across school district boundaries." For students ages 3 to 5, the effort includes "promoting interest in learning and filling educational gaps at home to prepare students for Kindergarten" and also "helping families find affordable preschool options." The funding freeze has become yet another area of conflict between the Trump administration and local educators, especially in blue states and urban areas. However, this funding pullback, if it stands, also will fall heavily on rural areas and red states. Trump's authority to withhold these funds will almost certainly be challenged in court. It is unclear whether it will survive scrutiny within Congress. Federal law prohibits the executive branch from refusing to distribute congressionally appropriated dollars, although the president can ask Congress for permission to hold back funds. Congress has 45 days after such a request is made to approve the president's action. Otherwise, the money must be spent as originally intended. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Technical.ly
18-06-2025
- Business
- Technical.ly
The ABC's of equity crowdfunding: What founders should know
When an individual or entity invests in a startup, they typically do so in return for an ownership stake, otherwise known as equity. In 2012, President Obama signed the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act). Title III — Regulation Crowdfunding (or Reg CF) — allowed smaller companies to crowdfund investments online from many smaller investors. Reg CF allowed everyone into the world of private-company investment, including companies not registered or trading shares on national exchanges. Previously, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) allowed only 'accredited investors,' aka people who meet certain wealth or income thresholds, to invest in private companies. The SEC finalized the Reg CF rules in May 2016, and in less than a decade, equity crowdfunding grew from curiosity to a major force in equalizing access to startup capital. Now early or mid-stage companies seeking investment can use the power of the internet and their existing networks to raise capital and, just as importantly, awareness. Other benefits unique to this model include the ability to: Broaden your investor base Turn your customers into marketers Incentivize your investors Prove value to institutional investors View the full Fundraising Guide Equity crowdfunding equalizes access to startup capital So how does it work? Companies (issuers) can raise up to $1.07M over a 12-month period by selling different types of securities that represent ownership, future ownership or debt obligations. Issuers set minimum and maximum ranges for the overall raise and individual investment minimums (SEC regulations limit maximum individual investment through an income/net-worth formula). Issuers must file CPA-reviewed financial statements and a legal document (Form C) with the SEC, which contains certain disclosures about the company. They also must file at least one year-end report. Issuers sell their securities over a portal approved by FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority). There are currently around 55 portals. The biggest ones have lists that contain hundreds of thousands of potential investors, along with media and industry insiders. Securities sold pursuant to Reg CF are restricted, meaning investors must generally hold them for one year before selling them, though there are exceptions. Regulatory compliance Whenever you raise a round of financing, whether a SAFE, Convertible Note or Priced Preferred (or Common) Stock round of financing, one of two things must happen from a regulatory perspective: You file a full 'Registration Statement' with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Similar to an IPO filing, it's very expensive and time consuming. You qualify for an exemption to avoid filing a Registration Statement. For example, you are exempt and file under 506(b) or 506(c) of Regulation D ('Reg D') of the Securities Act. If you do not file a Registration Statement or qualify for an exemption such as 506(b) or (c) under Reg D, and are not otherwise exempt under Section 4(a)(2), YOU HAVE VIOLATED THE SECURITIES LAWS. Federal securities regulations (dealing with the SEC) The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is a federal agency tasked with administering the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, along with others. The Securities Act of 1933, as amended, is also known as the Securities Act or '33 Act. Even when your offering of securities is exempt, you often will need to file a form of some kind with the SEC to perfect the exemption. Careful attention must be given to selecting the correct form and properly completing it. All forms are filed with 'EDGAR', the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval System. Blue Sky laws (dealing with states) State-level securities statutes and regulations are commonly referred to as 'Blue Sky laws.' The Blue Sky laws of each state are different, and generally require some action be taken at the state level to perfect your exemption. Blue Sky issues relating to securities offerings arise primarily in three areas: 1. Securities exemptions and filing requirements. 2. Antifraud liability that may arise from a securities offering. 3. Licensing and registration requirements for securities industry personnel participating in a securities offering. It is recommended to seek legal counsel on regulatory compliance whenever you raise funding.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Funding for English learners in public schools at risk, New Mexico budget analyst warns
A budget analyst for the New Mexico Legislature says the federal funding for K-12 public education most at risk of being cut is meant for students who are English language learners and their teachers. (Getty Images) A public school budget expert told New Mexico lawmakers on Thursday that the federal government is likely to take away money meant for students who are learning English, but said a new state law will help compensate for the loss. Legislative Education Study Committee Senior Fiscal Analyst Daniel Estupiñan said the federal funding for K-12 public education most at risk of being cut is meant for students who are English language learners and their teachers, called Title III, because the Trump administration has 'mostly hollowed out' the Office of English Language Acquisition, which ensured states and schools properly spent Title III money, and has recommended terminating its funding source. The office had just one staffer remaining as of March 21, Chalkbeat reported. 'So many nonprofits, so many other states, are basically going into a panic,' Estupiñan told the committee. 'They're panicking about their public school funding formulas not being responsive enough to potentially support English learners, to potentially support low-income students and support professional development in basic programs.' Overall, New Mexico will receive more than $633 million from the U.S. Department of Education for K-12 public education this year, according to estimates included in Estupiñan's presentation to the committee. The Trump administration's preliminary budget proposal proposed keeping the same level of funding for low-income students and students with disabilities, while also cutting $4.5 billion in the various 'formula awards' that go to public schools, according to Estupiñan's presentation. Estupiñan said the proposal calls for redesigning the federal funding scheme for K-12 schools, and changing to a block grant system in which states would receive one large pot of money without as many rules governing how to spend it. How much money the federal government actually provides to schools will depend on the final budget passed by Congress. U.S. House Republicans push through massive tax and spending bill slashing Medicaid If left untouched, New Mexico may receive $4.7 million in English language learning funds that can pay for teacher training, family engagement and instructional materials, Estupiñan said. Estupiñan said the state could, however, navigate losing federal funding as a result of House Bill 63, which reduces the state's reliance on federal data. Instead, starting on July 1, New Mexico's funding formula for English learners will use state income tax data, public benefits data and U.S. Census Bureau data. 'So we're not completely independent from federal data, but we're moving in the direction of basically data autonomy,' Estupiñan said. That change will result in about $125 million flowing to districts and charter schools, and that money can be used to backfill a potential cut, he said. HB63 also created the first guidance New Mexico has ever had for how money should be used to specifically support English learners, he said. 'So if we see the elimination of Title III funding, or we see some revocation of federal protections through rule or statute for English learners, we now have a good foundation in state statute to build on,' Estupiñan said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Boston Globe
14-05-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Trump's budget threatens Mass. English learner, college transition programs
The $890 million cut nationwide would translate to the loss of three or four staff members in New Bedford, where the district receives about half a million dollars for these programs. 'It would be the federal government turning its back on the community,' O'Leary said. Advertisement Similar scenes are playing out across the state as school districts, higher education institutions, and education advocates grapple with the potential impact of billions in cuts proposed for federal funding streams ranging from schooling for migrant farmworkers and their children to programs that help high school students from disadvantaged backgrounds transition to college. The president's proposed budget is a wish list of sorts and is unlikely to be implemented as written. However, it emphasizes the priorities of the administration and reflects other federal actions already underway, such as the cutting in half of the Education Department workforce. Congress ultimately sets the budget, often via stopgap spending bills in recent years, but Republicans control the legislature and tend to be closely aligned with the president's priorities. Related : As part of the roughly $12 billion proposed cut to the Education Department, the Trump proposal would eliminate a number of key funding streams, including Title III, the English language instruction money at issue in New Bedford. Other spending, such as on the Office for Civil Rights, would see partial cuts. Advertisement The two biggest federal sources of K-12 funds appear safe: Title I, which goes to schools serving low-income students, and IDEA, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which supports students with disabilities. Each would be consolidated with related funding streams into Gomes Elementary School Principal Ellyn Gallant embraced a first grade student in a dual language classroom in New Bedford. Erin Clark/Globe Staff The White House Office of Management and Budget did not respond to a request for comment on the president's budget. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the budget reflects her mandate to be the last to hold her position. 'The President's Skinny Budget reflects funding levels for an agency that is responsibly winding down, shifting some responsibilities to the states, and thoughtfully preparing a plan to delegate other critical functions to more appropriate entities,' McMahon said. 'It supports the President's vision of expanding school choice and ensuring every American has access to an excellent education.' The only type of federal education spending that would get a boost is charter schools, with Trump proposing a $60 million boost to $500 million in annual spending to help start and expand charter schools. Tim Nicolette, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association, said he expects the proposal to get bipartisan support. 'Ultimately, these funds will support high-quality educational options for children and families across the country as well as the two-way sharing of proven practices between charter and district public schools,' Nicolette said. The second largest education cut would be to TRIO and GEAR UP programs — federal grants that support low-income and first-generation students in getting ready for college. Advertisement One beneficiary, Marlenny Anziani of Boston, was 8 years old when she moved to the US from the Dominican Republic. At 13, as a freshman at BPS's English High School, she learned about Boston University's TRIO-funded Upward Bound program. Upward Bound welcomes students like Anziani to spend summers living on BU's campus and taking rigorous academic courses. During the school year, students go to campus after school for academic tutoring and college prep. The program challenged Anziani academically and encouraged her to pursue her college dreams, she said. It also expanded her world: She took Latin, participated in Shakespeare plays, and went canoeing for the first time. 'They helped me way more than anyone at my school,' she said. 'My dad always knew that I had it in me, and he just assumed that I would figure it out. But Upward Bound gave me the tools, and they were there with me every step of the way.' While her school counselor was hesitant about her decision to apply to Brown University, Upward Board mentors supported her. She got in — likely the first student in her school to do so, she said. She worries about children from marginalized backgrounds who need such programs. 'This is happening at the same time that we're talking about cutting out all of the DEI programs as well,' Anziani said. 'I don't know where we're going. It just makes me sad.' Two first grade students worked together on a laptop assignment in a dual language classroom at Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School in New Bedford. Erin Clark/Globe Staff TRIO-funded programs, which help students navigate academic and financial barriers, has had bipartisan support in Congress, said Michael Dennehy, executive director for college access and student success at BU's Wheelock College of Education & Human Development. Advertisement 'I'm hopeful that our supporters in Congress will stand by these programs because they are really important and they make a difference,' he said. Across three programs, BU serves 1,036 students annually with around $1.2 million in TRIO and GEAR UP grants. Another program that would be wiped out is Migrant Education, which educates migratory farm and fishery workers and their children, including American citizens, and serves about 600 to 700 students each year in districts across Massachusetts. Emily Hoffman, who leads the Massachusetts program housed at the Northampton-based Collaborative for Educational Services, said her program depends entirely on federal funds. Their role is to ensure migratory students get needed educational services, including by directly providing language classes, transporting students, hiring English language support for districts, and helping students find other opportunities. 'If this money goes away, we no longer exist,' she said. 'Our program is very valuable.' Related : Hoffman said she is not too worried about the budget proposal, as Migrant Education funding is part of the bedrock federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act and the whole act would have to be reauthorized to change the funding formula. 'I have a hard time thinking that would happen,' she said. 'There's a little bit more buffer of protection.' Still, Hoffman has other reasons to be worried, she said. Heightened immigration enforcement means families are afraid to meet with her staff and fill out paperwork, she said. Some don't want their children to leave the home, while others are sending them back to their home countries. Advertisement 'I am concerned [about] other efforts and policies that impact our ability to identify and recruit people,' Hoffman said. Elsewhere in the state, the English language acquisition funding on the line in New Bedford is producing similar concerns. Chelsea Public Schools, for example, gets about $500,000 to help 'At this point, I would have to start cutting staff at schools, which I don't want to do,' she said. 'I try to stay away from cutting direct services to children.' Related : In New Bedford, the lead ESL teacher was a newcomer herself after her family moved to the area from Cape Verde when she was 12 years old. Ivone Spencer credits her multilanguage skills, acquired through the district's language programs, for her career in education. Immigrant children like Spencer enrich the experience of all students, said Ellyn Gallant-Bland, principal of Alfred J. Gomes Elementary School. 'Being bilingual, biliterate, or multilingual is such a beautiful gift. We're just trying to foster that the best we can,' Gallant-Bland said. In the proposed budget, the Trump administration wrote the English language acquisition program 'deemphasizes English primacy by funding NGOs and States to encourage bilingualism.' Superintendent O'Leary said that characterization is incorrect. 'Bilingualism does not undermine English language acquisition. No matter what, O'Leary said, the state's and district's commitment to multilingual students wouldn't go away. Advertisement 'What's going away is the partnership with the federal government,' he said. Christopher Huffaker can be reached at
