The Virginia Democrat has had an interest in K-12 issues, particularly when it comes to educational equity and juvenile justice.

Jim Shelton, the acting deputy secretary at the U.S. Department of Education, isn't putting his money on a big, bipartisan preschool bill coming out of Congress anytime soon.

At an event Tuesday, President Obama will announce commitments from Verizon, Sprint, AT&T and other companies to provide students and families with free wireless access and other services.

Connecticut, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Vermont got approval to avoid double-testing students, while Kentucky won a one-year delay in teacher-evaluation implementation.

During his 40-year tenure, Rep. Waxman helped pass the Child Health Insurance Program and the Ryan White CARE Act.

The U.S. Department of Labor's new Youth CareerConnect grants, which will range from $2 million to $7 million, will be awarded in the spring.

In a wide-ranging interview with reporters, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and his staff talked about teacher equity, common core, and waivers.

Besides the Sunshine State, Washington insiders surveyed by Whiteboard Advisors are also eyeing governors' races in New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania.

The Iowa Democrat, who is retiring this year, said he will "try" to get a rewrite of the No Child Left Behind Act done before he leaves office.

The president also mounted an indirect defense of the common-core standards and a more spirited, direct defense of his signature Race to the Top program.