U.S. Department of Education

Kellen and his classmates, including his best friend, Nolan Robbins (left), learn about the structure of the U.S. government with teacher Robyn Fox. Katrina Ward for NPR hide caption

An empty elementary school classroom is seen on Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021 in the Bronx borough of New York. Nationwide, students have been absent at record rates since schools reopened after COVID-forced closures. More than a quarter of students missed at least 10% of the 2021-22 school year. Brittainy Newman/AP hide caption

Graduates attend Tennessee State University's commencement ceremony in Nashville on May 7, 2022. Under a new repayment plan, millions of student loan borrowers will see their monthly repayment amounts cut in half or more. Jason Davis/Getty Images hide caption

President Biden on Tuesday pardoned three people and shortened the prison terms of 75 more. Samuel Corum/Getty Images hide caption

Students find the doors locked to the ITT Technical Institute campus in Rancho Cordova, Calif. The U.S. Education Department says it's erasing student debt for thousands of borrowers who attended the for-profit college chain that made exaggerated claims about its graduates' success in finding jobs. Rich Pedroncelli/AP hide caption

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos speaks to reporters about the coronavirus at the White House in March. Alex Brandon/AP hide caption

Harkness Tower on Yale University's campus in 2016. The Department of Education said Yale failed to disclosed a total of $375 million in foreign money. Beth Harpaz/AP hide caption

Gavin Grimm is the plaintiff in a case scheduled to be argued before the U.S. Supreme Court in March. Grimm sued the school board in Gloucester, Va., after it passed a rule barring transgender students from using school restrooms that match their gender identity. Steve Helber/AP hide caption