The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a Federal statute that allows persons to request Federal agency records. Under the FOIA, a person has a right to obtain access to federal agency records except to the extent the records are protected from disclosure under specific FOIA exemptions or exclusions.
Through its FOIA Coordinator, the OIG makes every effort to timely respond to all requests receive as completely as possible. The OIG also posts many of our reports on the OIG website. Before making a FOIA request, please check the Reports section of this website to see whether the records you want are posted.
How to Make a FOIA Request to the OIG
Your FOIA request must be made in writing and signed. Please include the following information in your request:
- Your name
- Your address
- Your phone number
- A detailed description of the records requested; if the exact records are unknown, you should reasonably describe the records
- The date or time period when the records were created
You may request OIG records at oig.foia@ed.gov, by fax to (202) 245-7039, or by mail at the following address:
OIG FOIA Coordinator
U.S. Department of Education
Office of Inspector General
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20202-1500
Please note: if the OIG FOIA Coordinator cannot process your request due to the lack of necessary information, the Coordinator will contact you for additional information.
Fees for FOIA Services
There is no initial fee required to submit a FOIA request, but FOIA and ED regulations permit fees in some instances when we respond to FOIA requests. For example, we may charge a fee for the time it takes to search for records over 2 hours and for duplication of records over 100 pages. You may include in your request letter a specific statement limiting the amount that you are willing to pay in fees. If we estimate that the total fees for processing your request will exceed $25, we will notify you in writing of the estimate and offer you an opportunity to narrow your request in order to reduce the fees. If you agree to pay fees for a records search, you may be required to pay such fees even if the search does not locate any responsive records or if records are located but they are determined to be entirely exempt from disclosure.
Also, please know that waivers are limited to situations in which a requester can show that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations and activities of the government and is not primarily in the commercial interest of the requester. Thus, if a fee waiver is requested, you must provide in your request what type of requester you are (e.g., commercial use, news media, educational institution, all others).
FOIA Reading Room
Below you will find records released by the OIG in response to FOIA requests. These are frequently requested records that are presented in electronic format. For more information, please contact OIG’s FOIA Coordinator at oig.foia@ed.gov.
Investigations
- Request for information on all closed OIG investigations for calendar years 2018 and 2019, March 10, 2020
- OIG Closing Report of Investigation I17MAR30695, July 2, 2019
- Request for information on all closed OIG investigations for Fiscal Year 2017, February 13, 2018
- Request for closed Investigations involving alleged sexual misconduct of ED employees, February 13, 2018
- OIG Report on Its Investigation of Alleged Test Cheating at D.C. Public Schools, January 17, 2013
Audit
Other Resources
Contact Us
If you have any questions about filling a FOIA with the OIG or for information on the status of your request, please contact the OIG FOIA Coordinator at (202) 245-6900 or email oig.foia@ed.gov.