Functional Statements > Office of the Under Secretary

This Office, under the leadership of the Under Secretary, assists the Secretary in the discharge of Secretarial duties and responsibilities.

The Under Secretary coordinates policies, programs, and activities related to vocational and adult education, postsecondary education, college aid, and the President’s financial reforms for the Pell Grant program.

The Under Secretary is responsible for the administration of the Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Programs, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans, the White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education, and the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans.

White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders Staff

The White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) staff is responsible for the Department’s implementation of the Executive Order 13515 of October 14, 2009, which is designed to improve Federal efforts to develop, monitor, and coordinate executive branch efforts to improve the quality of life of AIPIs through increased participation in Federal programs.  The staff is responsible for providing advice and assistance to the Secretary in performing his duties as Co-Chair of the President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

In performing its responsibilities, the staff:

• Provides staff support to the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
• Develops and implements activities designed to respond to specific mandates of the Executive Order.
• Serves as the focal point for collectionof Federal agency plans that are designed to improve the quality of life of AIPIs through increased participation in Federal programs where AIPIs may be unrepresented.

Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Programs

The Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Programs coordinates the Department’s efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in the provision of social services.

In performing its responsibilities, the Center:

• Conducts, in coordination with the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, a Department-wide audit to identify all existing barriers to the participation of faith-based and other community-based organizations in the delivery of social services by the Department, including but not limited, to regulations, rules, orders, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities that either facially discriminate against or otherwise discourage or disadvantage the participation of faith-based and other community based organizations in Federal programs.
• Coordinates a comprehensive Department effort to incorporate faith-based and other community organizations in Department programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible.
  
• Proposes initiatives to remove barriers identified pursuant to section 3(a) of Executive Order 13198, including but not limited to reform of regulations, procurement, and other internal policies and practices, and outreach activities.
• Proposes the development of innovative pilot and demonstration programs to increase the participation of faith-based and other community organizations in Federal as well as State and local initiatives.
• Develops and coordinates Department outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to faith-based and other community organizations with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities, and other Department initiatives, including but not limited to Web and Internet resources.
• Carries out other functions designed to achieve the purposes described above.

White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities Staff

The White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities staff oversees a comprehensive government‑wide initiative of analytic and capacity‑building activities designed to enhance the participation of historically black colleges and universities in all federally sponsored programs as authorized by Executive Order 13532 of February 26, 2010.  In consultation with the Office of Management and Budget and the heads of other executive agencies, the staff establishes annual goals for each agency to increase the capabilities of historically black colleges and universities.

In performing its responsibilities, the staff:

• Reviews legislation, regulations, procedures, and practices of all executive agencies.
• Notifies heads of executive agencies of potential regulatory or procedural barriers that hamper the participation of historically black colleges and universities in the particular agency’s programs.
• Reviews program assessment studies conducted under government auspices to measure progress toward the elimination of procedural and regulatory barriers.
• Develops and implements a program information system to keep historically black colleges and universities apprised of all Federal programs from which they might benefit.
• Prepares an annual report from the Secretary of Education to the President on the levels of participation by historically black colleges and universities and makes appropriate recommendations for improving the Federal effort.

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics Staff

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics Staff is responsible for the Department’s implementation of Executive Order 13555 (October 19, 2010) which is designed to improve Federal efforts to promote quality education for Hispanic Americans.

In performing its responsibilities, the Staff:

• Reviews legislation, regulations, procedures, and practices of all executive agencies.
• Notifies heads of executive agencies of potential regulatory or procedural barriers that hamper the participation of historically black colleges and universities in the particular agency's programs.
• Reviews program assessment studies conducted under government auspices to measure progress toward the elimination of procedural and regulatory barriers.
• Develops and implements a program information system to keep historically black colleges and universities apprised of all Federal programs from which they might benefit.
• Prepares an annual report from the Secretary of Education to the President on the levels of participation by historically black colleges and universities and makes appropriate recommendations for improving the Federal effort.

White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education Staff

The White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education (Initiative) staff administers Executive Order 13592 (December 2, 2011), Improving American Indian and Alaska Native Educational Opportunities and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities. The Executive Order seeks to support activities that will strengthen the Nation by expanding education opportunities and improving education outcomes for all AIAN students in order to fulfill our commitment to furthering tribal self-determination and to help ensure that AIAN students have an opportunity to learn their Native languages and histories and receive complete and competitive educations that prepare them for college, careers, and productive and satisfying lives.  It also is committed to improving educational opportunities for students attending tribal colleges and universities (TCUs). TCUs maintain, preserve, and restore Native languages and cultural traditions; offer a high-quality college education; provide career and technical education, job training, and other career-building programs; and often serve as anchors in some of the country’s poorest and remote areas.

In performing its responsibilities, the staff:

• Works closely with the Executive Office of the President to help ensure AIAN participation in the development and implementation of key Administration priorities;
• Strengthens the relationship between the Department of Education, Office of Indian Education, and the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Education, to draw upon each agencies’ expertise and resources to help improve AIAN education;
  
• Furthers tribal sovereignty by supporting efforts, consistent with applicable law, to build the capacity of tribal educational agencies and TCUs to provide high-quality education services to AIAN children;
• Develops sufficient data resources to inform progress on Federal performance indicators, in close collaboration with the National Center for Educational Statistics;
• Encourages and coordinates Federal partnerships with public, private, philanthropic, and nonprofit entities to help increase the readiness of AIAN students for school, college, and careers, and to help increase the number and percentage of AIAN students complete college;
• Coordinates the overall implementation of the Executive Order and the development of the federal four-year plans and annual federal agency reporting, and hold federal agencies accountable for fulfilling requirements of the Executive Order, submitting plans, and addressing emerging needs of AIAN academic achievement;
• Coordinates frequent consultations with tribal officials and provides support to the National Advisory Council on Indian Education (NACIE);
• Develops a national network of individuals, organizations, and communities to share best practices in AIAN education and encouraging them to implement these practices; and,
• Increases the number and percentage of AIAN students who have access to excellent  teachers and school leaders, including effective science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), language, and special education teachers, in part by supporting efforts to improve the recruitment, development, and retention of effective AIAN teachers and other effective teachers and school leaders, particularly through TCUs.

White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans

The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans (EEAA) Staff is responsible for the Department’s implementation of the Executive Order 13621 of July 26, 2012, which is designed to improve federal efforts to develop, monitor, and coordinate executive branch efforts to improve the quality of life of EEAAs through increased participation in federal programs. The staff is responsible for providing advice and assistance to the President’s Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.  

In performing its responsibilities, the staff:

• Provides staff support to the White House Initiative for Educational Excellence for African Americans.
• Develops and implements activities designed to respond to specific mandates of the Executive Order.
• Serves as the focal point for collection of federal agency plans that are designed to improve the quality of life of EEAAs through increased participation in Department and federal education programs where EEAAs may be unrepresented.