Department of Education (United States)

Department of Education (United States)
Agency name	Department of Education
Seal width	150
Seal caption	Official seal
Formed	04 May 1980
Preceding1	United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Jurisdiction	Federal government of the United States
Headquarters	Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building, Washington, D.C.
Employees	3,912 (2023)
Budget	$79.6 billion (2024)
Chief1 name	Miguel Cardona
Chief1 position	United States Secretary of Education
Chief2 name	Cindy Marten
Chief2 position	United States Deputy Secretary of Education
Website	ed.gov

Department of Education (United States). The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the federal government responsible for administering and coordinating most federal assistance to education. Established by the Department of Education Organization Act in 1979, it began operations in 1980 under President Jimmy Carter, absorbing functions from the former United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The department's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.

History

The federal role in education dates to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Morrill Act of 1862, which established land-grant colleges. A standalone United States Office of Education was created in 1867. For most of the 20th century, federal education functions were housed within larger agencies, culminating in the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare formed in 1953. Political momentum for a separate department grew during the Civil Rights Movement, particularly following the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and enforcement of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. President Jimmy Carter made its creation a priority, signing the Department of Education Organization Act in 1979 after contentious debate in the United States Congress. The department officially commenced operations on May 4, 1980, with Shirley Hufstedler as the first United States Secretary of Education. Subsequent administrations, including those of Ronald Reagan and the Contract with America era Republican Congress, debated abolishing the department, though it has persisted and expanded its scope.

Organization

The department is led by the United States Secretary of Education, a member of the Cabinet of the United States, and the United States Deputy Secretary of Education. Its headquarters are in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Department of Education Building in Washington, D.C.. Major operational components include offices for Elementary and Secondary Education, Postsecondary Education, and Civil Rights. The department also oversees several federal advisory committees and maintains ten regional offices across the country, such as those in Atlanta and Chicago, to work directly with state and local educational agencies. Key internal offices include the Office of the General Counsel, the Office of Inspector General, and the Institute of Education Sciences, which conducts research.

Functions and programs

The department's primary functions are to establish policy, administer and coordinate most federal aid to education, and collect data on American schools. It enforces federal educational laws regarding privacy and civil rights, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and Title IX. Major financial aid programs for postsecondary students are administered through the Office of Federal Student Aid, including the Federal Pell Grant program and federal student loans. The department also distributes funds authorized under the Every Student Succeeds Act to states and school districts, supports programs for disadvantaged students through Title I, and oversees grants for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Budget and finances

For fiscal year 2024, the department's discretionary budget authority was approximately $79.6 billion. The largest portion funds student financial assistance, primarily Federal Pell Grants and the administration of the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. Other significant allocations include Title I grants to local educational agencies, funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and support for Head Start programs. The department's budget is set through the annual United States federal budget process by the United States Congress and is subject to appropriations bills from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

Controversies and criticism

The department has been a frequent subject of political debate since its inception. Critics, including President Ronald Reagan and members of the Republican Party, have argued it represents an unconstitutional federal overreach into areas traditionally reserved for states and local school boards. Specific programs like Common Core and the Race to the Top initiative have faced opposition for incentivizing national standards. The department's handling of the Federal Student Loan program and rising student debt has drawn criticism, as has its enforcement of Title IX in campus sexual assault cases. Management of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and the department's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in schools have also been contentious issues.

List of Secretaries of Education

* Shirley Hufstedler (1980–1981) under Jimmy Carter * Terrel Bell (1981–1985) under Ronald Reagan * William Bennett (1985–1988) under Ronald Reagan * Lauro Cavazos (1988–1990) under Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush * Lamar Alexander (1991–1993) under George H. W. Bush * Richard Riley (1993–2001) under Bill Clinton * Rod Paige (2001–2005) under George W. Bush * Margaret Spellings (2005–2009) under George W. Bush * Arne Duncan (2009–2016) under Barack Obama * John King Jr. (2016–2017) under Barack Obama * Betsy DeVos (2017–2021) under Donald Trump * Miguel Cardona (2021–present) under Joe Biden

Category:United States Department of Education Category:Education in the United States Category:1980 establishments in the United States