Functional Statements > Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Sections

• Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary
• Office of Administration
• Office of Indian Education
• Office of Migrant Education
• Office of Discretionary Grants and Contracts
• Office of Evidence-Based Practices
• State and Grantee Relations

Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education promotes and implements the Secretary’s critical agenda and functions that support the improvement of the nation’s education system—from early education to preparation for college and career. Under the direction of the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), the Immediate Office directs and coordinates the administration of the OESE. The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education serves as principal adviser to the Secretary on all matters related to elementary and secondary education. The Assistant Secretary is assisted by a Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary who provides leadership and day-to-day administration of OESE's nationwide elementary and secondary education programs and Deputy Assistant Secretaries who provide oversight responsibilities for specific OESE organizational components.

The Deputy Assistant Secretaries for the Office of Discretionary Grants and Contracts and for the Office of Formula Grants are responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and direction for implementing effective and efficient policies, processes, and strategies related to the administration and management of the organization’s discretionary and formula grants and cooperative and interagency agreements.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations is responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and direction for identifying and promoting effective practices for internal and external stakeholders to support academic and program excellence; ensuring educational opportunities and equity for all children; improving the quality of teaching and learning; and providing front-line support and customer service to States and grantees.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration is responsible for providing leadership, oversight, and direction for the management, administration and risk mitigation for the OESE organization. The Administration division is divided into three areas of focus, which include strategic planning and innovation, operational execution, and IT system and data management. The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Administration advises the Assistant Secretary on matters related to these administrative and operational aspects of the organization.

Order of Succession

• Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Equity and Discretionary Grants
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Programs (Formula)
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Planning
• Deputy Assistant Secretary for Early Childhood Education

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Office of Administration

The Office of Administration, headed by a Deputy Assistant Secretary who reports directly to the Assistant Secretary, is the primary catalyst for developing and implementing effective management practices, continuous improvement processes, and organizational capacity building to align and implement OESE’s Annual Program Performance Plan in accordance with the Department’s Strategic Plan. The office is also responsible for coordinating and executing the operations and administrative plans and controls relating to OESE in areas such as budget formulation, grants, contracts, personnel, small purchase procurement, FOIA, travel, asset management (including property and telecommunications), space alterations, support services and establishing a more efficient, effective, and data-driven operations for the OESE through collaborative engagement on cross-cutting Department-wide initiatives.

Key Responsibilities:

• Budget formulation and execution: administrative budget requests and justifications, including the salary and expenses budget, spending plan, and acquisition plan;
• Contract administration: manages contracts and procurement for OESE-wide operations and initiatives;
• Grant administration: grant schedules, commitment and obligation of OESE grants;
• Human Resource Management: staffing and recruitment, workforce and succession planning and training;
• Negotiates personnel related matters, in conjunction with the Union, Labor Relations, and other Department Offices;
• Supports the implementation of management evaluations, manpower utilization studies, and organizational planning studies;
• Develops and monitors an affirmative action and equal employment opportunity programs and serves as the EEO Liaison;
• Manages and coordinates travel and purchase card programs;
• Monitors internal controls; Manages and coordinates an employee awards program;
• Provides administrative services including space and logistics;
• Manages control clearance and correspondence;
• Manages and coordinates Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) responses;
• Coordinates and manages personnel, physical and information technology security;
• Coordinates and manages information technology and telecommunications services;
• Web administration; Manages information technology and telecommunications assets; and
• Manages business continuity and emergency preparedness plans.
• Develops and implements effective management practices, continuous processes, and organizational capacity building;
• Coordinates the development of OESE’s Annual Program Performance Plan and organizational performance plan;
• Provides leadership in designing, developing, and assessing alternative management practices that lead to productivity gains, employee engagement, service delivery innovations, and performance accountability;
• Develops an analytic agenda that facilitates and guides the collection, organization, interpretation, reporting, and use of data and other information from external and internal sources to inform policy analyses, program performance reporting, organizational performance reporting, operations analyses, and post implementation learning, which includes preparing analytic reports;
• Performs management evaluations, manpower utilization, and organizational planning studies;
• Develops and implements a comprehensive staff on-boarding, training, and professional development program for strategic employee competency gaps;
• Develops the OESE monitoring plan and prepares an annual report on its implementation.
• Develops and maintains, in codified form, a policy precedent file of decisions relating to OESE grant program activities;
• Coordinates the review and approval of audit findings assigned to OESE for resolution;
• Develops a variety of materials, publications, and other vehicles for internal and external communications; and
• Develops a master calendar that assures coordination of critical grant administration and operation management activities.
• Tracks grant and contract administration timelines.

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Office of Indian Education

The Office of Indian Education (OIE) administers the Indian Education Program of ESEA, as amended, (Title VII, Part A), which establishes policies and provides financial and technical assistance for supporting LEAs, Indian tribes and organizations, post- secondary institutions and other entities in meeting the special educational and cultural related academic needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives, 20 U.S.C. 7401 et. seq. OIE is headed by a Director who reports to the Assistant Secretary and who advises the Assistant Secretary on matters related to the programs administered by OIE.

Key Responsibilities:

• Administer formula and discretionary grant programs;
• Develop program requirements and contribute to the development of Department policy through drafting of necessary program documents;
• Ensure consistency with Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Provide the Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability content of technical assistance and support to grantees;
• Serve as the project managers for formula and discretionary grants and cooperative and interagency agreements, which includes managing the grants through all cycles of the grants process, which includes all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities all cycles of the grants process;
• Manage and conduct grants monitoring for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Review, analyze, and communicate with grantees about data (e.g., EDFacts, CSPR, and APR) for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, including risk management;
• Provide general and targeted technical assistance to grantees for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Identify, analyze, and present policy questions;
• Work collaboratively with the Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations to identify and share trends and recommendations on programmatic and grantee policy needs and technical assistance related trends and concerns;
• Draft all program policies and documents (e.g., notice inviting applications (NIA) and other notices; and regulatory and non-regulatory guidance documents), working with the EPT, which includes facilitating the clearance of such documents;
• Engage intentionally with key internal and external stakeholders to gain relevant and practical understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities that program policies must address;
• Partner with Evidence-Based Practices to develop and implement program-wide technical assistance strategies that facilitate the identification and achievement of program goals;
• Improve operational efficiency and effectiveness;
• Manage information technology systems and other program specific contracts associated with certain grant programs (e.g., Impact Aid and Migrant Education);
• Adhere to established guidelines and procedures for grants administration, technical assistance, and monitoring functions that span the grants and contracts life-cycles to include all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities;
• Use cross-program knowledge and developing lines of communication across the organization to better support the efficient management of grant funds and grantee support; and
• Optimize the stewardship of taxpayer dollars by creating processes for continuous program improvement; and serving as the primary point of contact for grantees related to Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, compliance, and oversight.

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Office of Migrant Education

The Office of Migrant Education (OME) administers programs for migratory children authorized under Parts C and B of Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended; the High School Equivalency Program (HEP) and the College Assistance and Migrant Program (CAMP) authorized under Title IV, Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended: and Section 418A, Special Educational Programs for migrants and other seasonal farm workers. These programs provide financial assistance to State educational agencies, institutions of higher education, or other institutions serving migratory children of migratory agricultural workers and migratory fishers and, with respect to HEP and CAMP, seasonal farm workers. Programs under these authorities are designed to meet the special educational needs of such children whose schooling is disrupted by moving, and to aid in their continued development to full potential. OME is headed by a Director who reports to the Assistant Secretary and who advises the Assistant Secretary on matters related to the programs administered by OME.

Key Responsibilities:

• Administer formula and discretionary grant programs;
• Develop program requirements and contribute to the development of Department policy through drafting of necessary program documents;
• Ensure consistency with Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Provide the Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability content of technical assistance and support to grantees;
• Serve as the project managers for formula and discretionary grants and cooperative and interagency agreements, which includes managing the grants through all cycles of the grants process, which includes all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities all cycles of the grants process;
• Manage and conduct grants monitoring for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Review, analyze, and communicate with grantees about data (e.g., EDFacts, CSPR, and APR) for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, including risk management;
• Provide general and targeted technical assistance to grantees for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Identify, analyze, and present policy questions;
• Work collaboratively with the Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations to identify and share trends and recommendations on programmatic and grantee policy needs and technical assistance related trends and concerns;
• Draft all program policies and documents (e.g., notice inviting applications (NIA) and other notices; and regulatory and non-regulatory guidance documents), working with the EPT, which includes facilitating the clearance of such documents;
• Engage intentionally with key internal and external stakeholders to gain relevant and practical understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities that program policies must address;
• Partner with Evidence-Based Practices to develop and implement program-wide technical assistance strategies that facilitate the identification and achievement of program goals;
• Improve operational efficiency and effectiveness;
• Manage information technology systems and other program specific contracts associated with certain grant programs (e.g., Impact Aid and Migrant Education);
• Adhere to established guidelines and procedures for grants administration, technical assistance, and monitoring functions that span the grants and contracts life-cycles to include all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities;
• Use cross-program knowledge and developing lines of communication across the organization to better support the efficient management of grant funds and grantee support; and
• Optimize the stewardship of taxpayer dollars by creating processes for continuous program improvement; and serving as the primary point of contact for grantees related to Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, compliance, and oversight.

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Office of Discretionary Grants and Contracts

Both the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Discretionary Grants Management and Contracts and the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Formula Grants Management lead the implementation and development of effective and efficient policies, processes, and strategies related to the administration and management of the organization’s formula and discretionary grants and cooperative and interagency agreements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Administer formula and discretionary grant programs;
• Develop program requirements and contribute to the development of Department policy through drafting of necessary program documents;
• Ensure consistency with Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Provide the Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability content of technical assistance and support to grantees;
• Serve as the project managers for formula and discretionary grants and cooperative and interagency agreements, which includes managing the grants through all cycles of the grants process, which includes all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities all cycles of the grants process;
• Manage and conduct grants monitoring for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Review, analyze, and communicate with grantees about data (e.g., EDFacts, CSPR, and APR) for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, including risk management;
• Provide general and targeted technical assistance to grantees for Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability;
• Identify, analyze, and present policy questions;
• Work collaboratively with the Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations to identify and share trends and recommendations on programmatic and grantee policy needs and technical assistance related trends and concerns;
• Draft all program policies and documents (e.g., notice inviting applications (NIA) and other notices; and regulatory and non-regulatory guidance documents), working with the EPT, which includes facilitating the clearance of such documents;
• Engage intentionally with key internal and external stakeholders to gain relevant and practical understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities that program policies must address;
• Partner with Evidence-Based Practices to develop and implement program-wide technical assistance strategies that facilitate the identification and achievement of program goals;
• Improve operational efficiency and effectiveness;
• Manage information technology systems and other program specific contracts associated with certain grant programs (e.g., Impact Aid and Migrant Education);
• Adhere to established guidelines and procedures for grants administration, technical assistance, and monitoring functions that span the grants and contracts life-cycles to include all pre-award (planning), award, post-award, and close-out activities;
• Use cross-program knowledge and developing lines of communication across the organization to better support the efficient management of grant funds and grantee support; and
• Optimize the stewardship of taxpayer dollars by creating processes for continuous program improvement; and serving as the primary point of contact for grantees related to Federal requirements and fiduciary accountability, compliance, and oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the CORs for the contracts;
• Manage the acquisition arm of OESE (e.g., managing technical assistance, logistical, IT, and data collection contracts), working closely with the Offices of Discretionary Grants and Contracts, and the Office of Formula Grants, Office of Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations to identify priorities that support the office’s priorities, and programmatic and grantee needs;
• Manage information technology and data collections tasks under contractors for priorities that support the office’s policy priorities, and programmatic and grantee needs;
• Maintain budget and expense documents to ensure the accurate tracking and computing of contract amounts, including the identification and tracking of dollars spent on information technology tasks; and
• Oversee the training of contractors for security requirements; as well, managing the process to ensure the contractors has the appropriate security clearances, if applicable.

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Office of Evidence-Based Practices

The Evidence-Based Practices Team, headed by the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations, identifies and promotes effective practices for internal and external stakeholders to support academic and program excellence; ensures educational opportunities and equity for all children; and improves the quality of teaching and learning.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develops and plans the design of grant programs to ensure alignment with Department’s priorities;
• Develops policy based on the identification of quality, performance and effective practices;
• Disseminates effective practices; and
• Participates in the management of grants in the areas of assessment of performance and technical assistance design.
• Serves as the subject matter experts in cross-cutting areas (e.g., “teachers and leaders,” “turning around low-performing schools,” “engaging families and communities,” “charter schools,” “magnet schools,” “student recruitment,” “student retention,” “data collection,” “evaluation design” or “place-based strategies”);
• Coordinates with the Offices of Discretionary Grants and Contracts as well as the Office of Formula Grants in the creation policy agendas that are responsive to current research, educational trends, and programmatic and grantee needs; Engages intentionally with key external stakeholders to gain relevant and practical understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities;
• Collaborates with State and Grantee Relations Team and Offices of Discretionary Grants and Contracts and Office of Formula Grants, keeping abreast of state initiatives, policy decisions, and the political landscape to inform work with grantees;
• Improves capacity within the organization to better understand research and evidence-based practices to drive the work and support targeted and rigorous technical assistance;
• Collaborates with State and Grantee Relations Team and Grants Management Teams, networking, coalition-building, and creating partnerships to share knowledge about what works in order to ensure quality, performance and effective practices;
• Disseminates effective practices to internal and external stakeholders;
• Optimizes the stewardship of taxpayer dollars by creating processes for continuous improvement and rethinking how we can more efficiently and effectively do our work; and
• Builds direct relationships with teachers, principals, and other educators across the country to work together to inform the Department about the concerns of teachers and principals and serve as resources of information about the Department for the public.

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State and Grantee Relations

The State and Grantee Relations team, headed by Deputy Assistant Secretary for Evidence-Based Practices and State and Grantee Relations, provides front-line support and additional customer service for States and grantees. The State and Grantee Relations team will serve as the primary contact for the states and grantees, resolve issues, and be responsible for customer service to all grantees in those states (SEAs, LEAs, and other entities), as well as general knowledge of all discretionary grant funding opportunities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provides customer service to State and grantee stakeholders;
• Provides expertise in outreach, presentation, and communication; and
• Develops an understanding of State and regional “environments” to assist with grants management and development of effective practices;
• Provides customer service to the states and grantees to see that to their needs are met, their questions are answered, and their issues are resolved in a timely and accurate manner;
• Keeps abreast of state context, goals, vision, and challenges;
• Uses cross-program knowledge and develop lines of communication across the organization to better support the efficient management of grant funds and the effective support of grant implementation;
• Coordinates across OESE to respond to general grantee questions in a timely, accurate, and complete manner;
• Responds to letters, emails, and other communication with the Department from outside organizations, parents, teachers and students, coordination with the Evidence-Based Practices and the Offices of Discretionary Grants and Contracts and the Office of Formula Grants.
• Prepares regular summaries of key successes and issues in each State, which may be presented in a State profile;
• Brokers technical assistance among the Evidence-Based Practices and the Offices of Discretionary Grants and Contracts and the Office of Formula grants, for grantees based on identified needs;
• Tracks questions and responses in a knowledge management system to build State Profiles and identify trends in needs, questions, and issues; and
• Accompanies grantee management and effective practices staff on monitoring visits to build networks, improve relationships and maintain awareness of state and regional issues.