Functional Statements > Office of Communications and Outreach

H. Regional Operations

Regional Operations, located in Washington, DC, develops and directs the communications and outreach initiatives conducted by the OCO Regional Operations staff located throughout the Department’s 10- regional facilities. Management of these initiatives includes the development of strategies and outreach opportunities; oversight of the gathering of information regarding state activity on education policy, developing relationships with key officials on the state and local levels. Each regional OCO staff, with guidance from the Director, OCO Regional Operations, is responsible for, among many other items, the following:

• Promoting the major goals of the Secretary.
• Conveying to all state and local officials with policymaking authority the policies, programs, and initiatives of the Secretary and the Department.
• Serving as a major point of contact for state and local officials; state and local education officials’ public and private education agencies; schools, colleges and universities; and organizations with an interest in the success of public education.
• Proactively establishing and maintaining a productive network of contacts with schools, teachers, parents, education groups, businesses, state and local governments, etc., to ensure the most up to date information is given and received.
• Coordinating in consultation with other OCO components support for activities and initiatives with very little or short notice.
• Liaison with various ED Headquarters components and all ED regional staff for the purpose of administering oversight of various functions such as transit benefits, continuity of operations (COOP), ED Facilities Management Services, etc.

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