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<PerformancePlanOrReport xmlns="urn:ISO:std:iso:17469:tech:xsd:PerformancePlanOrReport" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"

 xsi:schemaLocation="urn:ISO:std:iso:17469:tech:xsd:PerformancePlanOrReport http://stratml.us/references/PerformancePlanOrReport20160216.xsd" Type="Strategic_Plan"><Name>U.S. Department of Education FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan</Name><Description>The FY 2022 Annual Performance Plan (i.e., fiscal year (FY) 2022 APP) is required by the
Government Performance and Results Act Modernization Act of 2010, and guidance for its
development is provided by the Office of Management and Budget’s Circular No. A-11, Part 6.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018–22 established the
four Strategic Goals that are highlighted in this FY 2022 APP. The Department is currently
developing its FY 2022–2026 Strategic Plan, to be published in February 2022, which will
introduce Strategic Goals and objectives and performance indicators that will be used to assess
progress toward this Administration’s priorities. </Description><OtherInformation>This FY 2022 APP includes strategies and activities that advance the Administration’s priorities,
such as supporting underserved students; helping meet the needs of high-poverty schools and
students with disabilities; promoting equity in education, including through civil rights
enforcement; and expanding access to college. The activities and strategies in this FY 2022 APP
will lay the foundation to address both the aforementioned priorities and seek to advance the
Department’s Strategic Goals. Also included in this FY 2022 APP are selected key performance
measures that are used as indicators of the Department’s progress toward its Strategic Goals and
objectives. </OtherInformation><StrategicPlanCore><Organization><Name>U.S. Department of Education</Name><Acronym>ED</Acronym><Identifier>_5065b007-b4e6-4bb4-ad90-d449604963dc</Identifier><Description>The Department promotes equity and accomplishes its mission by administering programs
that support services from early intervention to employment training programs. Many of these
programs provide grants to states or local educational agencies (LEAs) and support underserved
students and families from vulnerable populations. These programs also provide grants and
loans to postsecondary students and facilitate research that examines ways that states, schools,
districts, and postsecondary institutions can improve America’s education system. In addition,
the Department fulfills its mission through the vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws that
provide equal access to programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance from
the Department.</Description><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Person"><Name>Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D.</Name><Description>Secretary of Education </Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>States</Name><Description>The Department is responsible for helping states, school districts, and institutions of higher
education provide high-quality education to all of the nation’s students, especially those who are
the most vulnerable and face the greatest barriers. </Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>School Districts</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Institutions of Higher Education</Name><Description/></Stakeholder></Organization><Vision><Description>Educational excellence with equal access</Description><Identifier>_7d25b270-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier></Vision><Mission><Description>To promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access</Description><Identifier>_7d25b46e-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier></Mission><Value><Name>Education</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Excellence</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Access</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Equality</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Competition</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Efficiency</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Effectiveness</Name><Description/></Value><Value><Name>Accountability</Name><Description/></Value><Goal><Name>Learning Outcomes</Name><Description>Support state and local efforts to improve learning outcomes for all P–12 students in every community.</Description><Identifier>_7d25b568-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>1</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Person"><Name>Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education</Name><Description>Goal Leader</Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Supportive Offices</Name><Description>Several offices across the Department support Goal 1, including the Office of Elementary and
Secondary Education; the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; the Office for Civil Rights; the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education; the Office of Planning,
Evaluation, and Policy Development; the Institute of Education Sciences; the Office of
Postsecondary Education; and the Office of English Language Acquisition</Description></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>States and districts have a responsibility to provide all underserved students, including students
with disabilities, English learners, and students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds,
with equitable access to educational resources, services, and opportunities. Additional resources
that meet students’ social, emotional, and health needs—and that build resilience and are
responsive to trauma—should be readily available to all students.
^
The Department will work to provide schools with funding and evidence-based resources to
ensure that educators, staff, and students have access to a safe, supportive, and inclusive learning
environment, which is a vital step to safely reopening the nation’s school buildings. Efforts are
underway to fully understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on students, educators, and
school staff, including collecting data on the status of in-person learning to help students and
teachers return to the classroom safely. The Department will address the academic emotional,
health, and safety needs of students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, such as
underserved students, through its various programs (including its grant programs) and policies
(including its regulations where it has authority on these topics) and by supporting digital equity
and tackling identified disparities for which it has authority to address.
^
The Department awards approximately $40 billion annually, provided through the regular
appropriations process, in formula and competitive grants to states, school districts, and
nonprofit organizations. In addition, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early
2020, Congress provided approximately $200 billion in additional emergency supplemental
appropriations to support P–12 education through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security (CARES) Act; the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2021 (CRRSAA); and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP). States and school districts
can use CARES, CRRSAA, and ARP funds to expand access to digital and remote learning;
stabilize the educator workforce; purchase materials (e.g., personal protective equipment,
laptops, and instructional materials) to enable a return to safe, in-person learning; and address the
impact of lost instructional time on students, particularly disadvantaged students who have
suffered a disproportionate impact from pandemic-related interruptions to their schooling.
^
Funding available through ARP will dramatically expand state and local capacity to address
these issues, and states will submit plans describing how they will use ARP funds to address the
social, emotional, mental health, and academic needs of students; implement strategies to
accelerate learning; and maintain the operation of and continuity of education-related services,
including by stabilizing the workforce and avoiding layoffs. </OtherInformation><Objective><Name>Options</Name><Description>Increase high-quality educational options.
</Description><Identifier>_7d25b644-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>1.1</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Work to address educational inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19
pandemic and target resources and support to students with the greatest needs. The
pandemic is an impetus to revisit the definition of “non-traditional” education.
• Support states in developing or strengthening crucial summer, afterschool, and other
extended learning and enrichment programs and facilitating robust family and community
engagement and input on how to improve access to in-school and out-of-school learning
opportunities for historically underserved students.
• Monitor Full-Service Community Schools (FSCS) grantees for the implementation of their
approved applications, review annual performance reports, and conduct quarterly calls
with grantees.
• Conduct a joint project directors meeting for the Magnet Schools Assistance Program and the
FSCS Program in December 2021 that includes opportunities for technical assistance from
field leaders, policy organizations, and philanthropic organizations to scale and enhance
grantee initiatives.
• Support the development, improvement, and expansion of FSCS as a strategy to provide
wrap-around support for students and families, including through an ongoing evaluation of
FSCS led by the Department’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES).
• Build evidence about the implementation and/or efficacy of programs related to public school
opportunities or parent engagement, including both new and ongoing work at IES related to
Statewide Family Engagement Centers and magnet schools. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Access</Name><Description>Provide all P–12 students with equal access to high-quality educational opportunities.</Description><Identifier>_7d25b720-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>1.2</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>P–12 students</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Support projects and programs that improve students’ social, emotional, and academic
development, such as identifying conditions of the learning environment that contribute to
success and engaging with families and community leaders.
• Monitor states for the implementation of their approved plans for complying with Education
Stabilization Fund requirements. Specifically, the Office of Elementary and Secondary
Education (OESE) will:
o Monitor states for compliance with the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic
Security Act; the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2021; and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) in fiscal year (FY) 2022.
States will be chosen based on a risk assessment. To support grantees in preparing for
the Department’s monitoring activities, OESE will provide Monitoring Office Hours
sessions online to engage grantees and field questions. Additional timely information
regarding monitoring will be provided to grantees through updates via the
Department’s Grants Management System—G5—which supports the Department’s
life cycle business process, and/or through regular “News Blast” emails to grantees
and associated stakeholders.
o Review every grantees’ annual performance report in spring 2022 to evaluate uses of
funds and provide technical assistance as needed.
o Determine outcomes associated with OESE’s methods for monitoring compliance and
assess whether additional tools, methods, or communications should be explored to
support implementation of key ARP requirements in FY 2023.
• Monitor states for the implementation of their approved plans for complying with the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as amended by the Every Student
Succeeds Act (ESSA), including report card requirements. Specifically, OESE will:
o Monitor states for compliance with Title I, Part A; Title II, Part A; and Title III,
Part A of ESEA in FY 2022. States will be chosen based on a risk assessment.
o Determine the outcomes associated with OESE’s methods for monitoring compliance
and assess whether additional tools, methods, or communications should be explored
to support state implementation of key ESEA requirements in FY 2022.
• Review every state’s report card in January 2022 to evaluate whether they have been
published and include required information for parents and stakeholders, including the list of
schools identified for comprehensive or targeted support and improvement; data on
demographic subgroups (e.g., students experiencing homelessness, students in foster care, and students with a parent in the Armed Forces); data on per-pupil expenditures; and
information on districts and schools receiving school improvement funds, including the
amount of funds and types of strategies implemented.
• Support and monitor states and districts in the implementation of multi-tiered systems of
support to improve school climate and access to mental health services for students exposed
to violence and other traumatic events.
• Support projects that increase school capacity to better address the social, emotional,
behavioral, physical, and academic needs of historically underserved students (e.g., students
with disabilities, English learners, students experiencing homelessness or trauma, students
without access to technology, and migrant students).
• Support state educational agencies (SEAs) that implement model programs that enable access
to trauma-specific mental health services for students from low-income households and other
underserved students who have experienced trauma or other adverse childhood experiences
that may negatively affect their educational engagement and ability.
• Support SEAs to increase their capacity to assist school districts by providing training and
technical assistance in the development and implementation of high-quality school
emergency operations plans.
• Publish guidance documents on key issues related to the equitable and effective use of
technology and mental health services for vulnerable populations.
• Publish guidance documents to support COVID-19 response and recovery, including
frequently asked questions on the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief
(ESSER) Fund and the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief uses of funds as well as the
Maintenance of Equity and Maintenance of Effort provisions.
• Conduct rulemaking on the Emergency Assistance for Non-Public Schools and ARP ESSER
programs.
• Work collaboratively with 19 other federal agencies that are members of the U.S.
Interagency Council on Homelessness to provide technical assistance and information to
address the needs of homeless children and youths. The Department will award additional
ARP funding in FY 2021 to support the education of children and youths experiencing
homelessness. In addition, the Department plans to provide technical assistance and conduct
evaluation activities, particularly on the uses of ARP funds under this program.
• Work collaboratively with other agencies to increase racial and socioeconomic diversity
through the Magnet Schools Assistance Program and other educational settings.
• Publish guidance on voluntary desegregation efforts under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
of 1964. 
• Work collaboratively with other agencies to improve the quality of educational programs in
juvenile justice facilities.
• Publish guidance that instructs schools, per civil rights laws, to eliminate disparities in
discipline practices.
• Use the results of a national needs assessment conducted in FY 2021 to inform improvements
to the Migrant Student Information Exchange (MSIX) and the Department’s related technical
assistance. OESE’s Office of Migrant Education worked with contractors to conduct a needs
assessment regarding intra- and inter-state transfer of educational records of migratory
students. The improvements will ensure school staff and other Migrant Education Program
stakeholders have access to, and the capacity to effectively use, MSIX data to meet the
unique educational needs of migratory students, including students with disabilities and
underserved children.
• Monitor the eight states in the cohort of the Differentiated Monitoring and Support plan for
their implementation of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act requirements to improve
outcomes for infants, toddlers, children, and youths with disabilities. These states will be
monitored over a three-year period. The first year, 2021–2022, is pre-site work. The second
year, 2022–2023, is the on-site visit and letter of findings. The third year, 2023–2024, is for
corrective action or needed technical assistance.
• Enforce civil rights laws effectively by investigating and resolving complaints of
discrimination and by conducting compliance reviews and directed investigations
consistent with applicable statutes and regulations, case law, and internal procedures.
• Obtain appropriate and robust remedies in resolution agreements and monitor the
implementation of resolution agreements to ensure that recipients comply with the law.
Complementing these enforcement activities, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will also
issue guidance and technical assistance addressing equality of opportunity under civil rights
laws. OCR will continue to collect and publish data related to civil rights and equity through
its Civil Rights Data Collection. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>College &amp; Careers</Name><Description>Prepare all students for successful transition to college and careers by supporting access to dual enrollment, job skills development and high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).</Description><Identifier>_7d25b806-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>1.3</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Work to expand equitable access to evidence-based policies and programs that support a
successful transition from high school to postsecondary education and careers, including dual
or concurrent enrollment programs; access to accelerated coursework, such as Advanced
Placement and International Baccalaureate courses to earn postsecondary credit while still in high school; high-quality science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
instruction, including computer science; and job skills development through high-quality
career, technical, and adult education programs. These options are critical for students as they
prepare for the transition to postsecondary institutions and careers and the quickly changing
demands of the technology-driven global economy.
• Increase the number of teachers with additional certifications or training in high-demand
areas who can effectively prepare students for career pathways through high-quality career
and technical education (CTE) programs by designing instruction in ways that are engaging
and provide students with opportunities to think critically and solve complex problems, apply
their learning in authentic and real-world settings, communicate and collaborate effectively,
and develop academic mindsets, including through project-based, work-based, or other
experiential learning opportunities and through effective integration of technology.
• Support projects that strengthen community colleges, historically Black colleges and
universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian American and Native American Pacific
Islander-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and other minorityserving institutions.
• Increase the number of individuals, including students with disabilities and other underserved
students, who enroll in postsecondary institutions or pursue skills needed for the workforce
through multiple workforce pathways, including by reducing costs and loan repayment
obligations for students.
• Increase access to cybersecurity programs of study for students in underserved communities
and expand high school pathways to postsecondary cybersecurity programs at community
and technical colleges designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity by the
National Security Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
• Support grant recipients of the Pathways to STEM Apprenticeship for High School CTE
Students demonstration grant program, which expands pathways and improves the transition
of high school CTE students to postsecondary education and employment through
apprenticeships in STEM fields, including computer science, that begin during high school.
• Support the grant recipients of the Perkins Innovation and Modernization Program to
identify, support, and evaluate evidence-based and innovative strategies and activities to
improve and modernize CTE and ensure workforce skills taught in CTE programs funded
under the Perkins statute align with labor market needs.
• Launch the CTE STEM Index Project to support the development of CTE programs by
providing a tool to better estimate the demand for STEM jobs and the skills that can be
gained in CTE to enter STEM career pathways.</OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Evidence &amp; Performance</Name><Description>Support agencies and institutions in the implementation of evidence-based strategies and practices that build the capacity of school staff and families to support students’ academic performance.</Description><Identifier>_7d25b914-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>1.4</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue to provide support to the education community as it recovers from the abrupt
transition from traditional to virtual learning. With the quarantining of virtually all
Americans beginning in mid-March 2020, the Department rapidly pivoted to provide support
to tens of millions of children who were being educated virtually, families who were helping
to fulfill the role of teachers, and educators who were developing and delivering virtual
instruction. OESE, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and IES
formed a Technical Assistance Coordination Team within one week of the stay-at-home
orders to develop coordinated support for children, families, and educators. The Technical
Assistance Coordination Team continues to act in a coordinating role to ensure the
Department’s support is effectively and efficiently delivered and will continue in this role as
most students return to in-person learning. Providing evidence-based support and resources
will continue to be a priority for the Department as schools reopen to assess students’
learning needs.
• Continue to leverage the Department’s statutory authority under ESSA Section 8601 to
conduct high-quality evaluations through IES that are relevant to ESEA programs and can
answer questions of strategic importance, offer evidence that can support program
improvement, and identify effective strategies for improving student achievement,
particularly for students of color, low-income students, and other underserved students.
• Identify opportunities to further build and use evidence in the Department’s grant
programs—both formula and competitive. This includes updating the Education
Department’s General Administrative Regulations to build and use evidence effectively.
In addition, this includes developing strategies and sharing resources on evidence building
and use in collaboration with IES to identify meaningful opportunities for evidence
building consistent with the Department’s forthcoming FY 2022–2026 Learning Agenda.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to disseminate resources on the use of
evidence, including internal trainings and workshops to build staff capacity to support
formula and competitive grantees and the broader education community.
• Release products from IES’ What Works Clearinghouse that support the adoption of
evidence-based practices in P–12 education, including topics such as promoting social and
behavioral success for learning in elementary schools and assisting students struggling with
reading in grades 4 through 9. </OtherInformation></Objective></Goal><Goal><Name>Postsecondary Education</Name><Description>Expand postsecondary educational opportunities, improve outcomes to foster economic opportunity and promote an informed, thoughtful and productive citizenry.</Description><Identifier>_7d25ba22-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Person"><Name>Assistant Secretary for Postsecondary Education</Name><Description>Goal Leader</Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Supporting Offices</Name><Description>Several offices across the Department support Goal 2, including FSA; OPE; the Office of Career,
Technical, and Adult Education; the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services; the
Office for Civil Rights; the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development; and the
Institute of Education Sciences.</Description></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department is prioritizing achieving equitable opportunities and outcomes for students,
including economically underserved students, students with disabilities, English learners, and
students from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. The Department will continue to support
students in their access to and completion of postsecondary education, especially underserved
students and students with the greatest needs. This support will include sharing education data to
promote best practices, using evidence to develop and continue strategies that work, and being
transparent with the education community about successes and challenges that students face.
^
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act was passed by Congress on March 27,
2020. This bill provided approximately $14 billion for the Higher Education Emergency Relief
Fund (HEERF), administered by the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE). On
December 27, 2020, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2021 (i.e., HEERF II) was signed into law, and the Department announced an additional
$22.7 billion available to institutions of higher education to ensure learning continues for
students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021
(i.e., HEERF III) was signed into law on March 11, 2021, and made $36.9 billion in new
investments to the HEERF Program.
^
For a complete list of COVID-19 flexibilities currently offered by the Department, review the
COVID-19 Resources for Schools, Students, and Families.
^
The Department is focusing attention on having the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) deliver
world-class customer and partner experiences through the modernization of its systems and
operations. To be the most trusted and reliable source of student financial aid information and
services in the nation, FSA must continuously improve the quality of service for students,
families, and borrowers. </OtherInformation><Objective><Name>College &amp; Lifelong Learning</Name><Description>Support educational institutions, students, parents and communities to increase access and completion of college, lifelong learning and career, technical and adult education.</Description><Identifier>_7d25bb3a-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2.1</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Educational Institutions</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Students</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Parents</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Communities</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Address challenges resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic through the Office of
Postsecondary Education’s (OPE’s) administration of the Higher Education Emergency
Relief programs and implementation of waivers and flexibilities offered to grantees. The
COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to remote learning have created academic challenges
and greatly exacerbated financial and mental health issues for an untold number of students,
particularly underserved students. The challenges, including widespread job losses and the
transition to virtual learning, have imperiled students’ access to and progress in higher
education.
• Issue invitational priorities to grantees to provide integrated student support services
(i.e., wrap-around services) for students to address concerns such as mental health, basic
needs, and academic support due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Grant applicants will be asked
to describe ways they will collaborate with partners to provide resources to support students
and communities hit hardest by the pandemic and implement evidence-based best practices to
address the existing inequities exacerbated by the pandemic.
• Issue new guidance allowing colleges to use emergency funds in more flexible ways,
including expanding flexibilities for student and institutional needs; empowering institutions
to use their funds to discharge student debts, support student services, and re-engage those
students who may have left college due to financial concerns associated with the COVID-19
pandemic; and emphasizing ways to support vulnerable students.
• Support the development and implementation of student success programs that include
multiple interventions, such as academic advising, the provision of financial resources,
structured pathways, and other student supports to increase credential attainment.
• Review and reconsider existing regulations, orders, guidance, policies, and other similar
agency actions, including the 2020 amendments to the Department’s regulations
implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, entitled
“Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving
Federal Financial Assistance,” as required by Executive Order (EO) 14021, Guaranteeing an
Educational Environment Free from Discrimination on the Basis of Sex, Including Sexual
Orientation or Gender Identity, including convening a public hearing and issuing new
guidance, as described in the Letter to Students, Educators, and other Stakeholders issued by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on April 6, 2021. OCR also anticipates conducting
rulemaking to amend Title IX’s implementing regulations.
• Facilitate institutions’ use of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act
flexibilities related to the administration of Title IV and Higher Education Act of 1965
programs as well as flexibilities outlined in the Federal Student Aid Programs Federal
Register Notice using authority of the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students
Act of 2003 to assist students affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in completing their
programs of study.
• Use high-quality data for transparency, accountability, and institutional improvement to
conduct negotiated rulemaking that supports postsecondary students and loan borrowers.
• Scale cross-agency coordination to increase knowledge among potentially eligible students
about public benefits available to them in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Improve access to quality educational programs available in correctional settings.
• Continue to increase access to federal student aid and improve the customer experience
through the services available on the StudentAid.gov website and simplification of the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid® (FAFSA®) form. In this way, the Department remains
focused on enhancing its delivery of information, systems, and operations to expand
postsecondary school access and improve affordability and completion. Specifically:
o Continue to work toward improving access to the FAFSA® form as well as the ease
of completing the FAFSA® process. By focusing on increasing customer knowledge
about the FAFSA® form and the associated application periods while working to
decrease the burden on students and families of verifying FAFSA® data, the
Department will better assist students and families with understanding and
completing the FAFSA® process to receive aid in a timely manner.
o Support FAFSA® simplification, including using the flexibilities provided to the
office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) through the Fostering Undergraduate Talent by
Unlocking Resources for Education (FUTURE) Act and the FAFSA Simplification Act
of 2020.
• Continue to provide technical assistance, on-campus site visits, specialized staff training,
and internal assessments for minority and under-resourced institutions participating in
Title IV programs.
• Effectively enforce civil rights laws by investigating and resolving complaints of
discrimination, compliance reviews, and directed investigations consistent with applicable
statutes and regulations, case laws, and internal procedures. This includes obtaining
appropriate and robust remedies in resolution agreements and monitoring their
implementation to ensure that recipients are in compliance with the law. Complementing these enforcement activities, OCR will also issue guidance and technical assistance
addressing equality of opportunity under civil rights laws. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Evidence &amp; Practices</Name><Description>Support agencies and educational institutions in identifying and using evidence-based strategies or other promising practices to improve educational opportunities and successfully prepare individuals to compete in the global economy.</Description><Identifier>_7d25bdba-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2.2</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue to connect Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) adult education
program participants to jobs, as measured by the number of participants in unsubsidized
employment during the second quarter after exiting the program. The general employment
rate has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Office of Career, Technical, and
Adult Education expects the employment rate of WIOA participants to also be affected in
the future.
• Identify opportunities to further build and use evidence in the Department’s grant programs,
both formula and competitive. This includes updating the Education Department General
Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) and Other Applicable Grant Regulations to build and
use evidence effectively. In addition, this includes developing strategies and sharing
resources on evidence building and use in collaboration with the Institute of Education
Sciences to identify meaningful opportunities for evidence building consistent with the
Department’s forthcoming fiscal years (FY) 2022–2026 Learning Agenda.
• Use the Monitoring and Technical Assistance Guide for the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Program to conduct monitoring and provide technical assistance to state VR agencies, with a
focus on the performance outcomes of individuals served by the VR Program and the
Supported Employment Program.
• Continue to provide technical assistance to all state VR agencies related to the WIOA
performance indicators, including those captured by measures 2.2.C and 2.2.D (see the
Goal 2 Performance Measures section for further details), and support these agencies in
collecting and reporting high-quality performance data.
• Provide technical assistance to promote the development and use of stackable credentials by
community and technical colleges to improve the attainment of career and technical
education (CTE) credentials by their students. By awarding credit for a range of education,
training, workplace learning, and skill-building experiences that “stack” toward associate
degrees, stackable credential programs are meant to help working students develop the skills
they need to simultaneously advance on the job and earn credentials that enable further study.
Such programs are designed to accelerate credit attainment and may increase the likelihood
of degree completion. 
• Disseminate the Introduction to Stackable Credentials. This resource provides practical steps
for enhancing employer engagement, designing programs with stackable credentials,
supporting student completion, and sustaining program responsiveness to employer needs.
• Disseminate a Young Adult Diversion Toolkit to help state and local governments learn
how to provide justice-involved young adults with alternatives to prosecution, incarceration,
or both. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Credentials, Skills &amp; Careers</Name><Description>Support agencies and educational institutions as they create or expand innovative and affordable paths to relevant careers by providing postsecondary credentials or job-ready skills.</Description><Identifier>_7d25bf04-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2.3</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue to provide grants, outreach, and technical assistance to institutions preparing youth
and adult learners for the emerging workforce, with a focus on increasing the number and
proportion of students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, students with
disabilities, and other underserved students who enroll in and complete postsecondary
education programs. The Department will continue to support multiple pathways to success,
such as community colleges, technical schools, and four-year institutions.
• Identify opportunities to create clearer career pathways for students that may potentially
reduce the time to complete a degree and the overall cost of college, including dual
enrollment or concurrent enrollment, and to make transfers of course credits more
seamless and transparent.
• Support programs that connect students and out-of-school youths with disabilities to
resources that will assist them in transitioning to adult life, including connecting them
to CTE and VR.</OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Student Aid</Name><Description>Improve quality of service for customers across the entire student aid life cycle.</Description><Identifier>_7d25c058-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2.4</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Increase access to college by working toward simplifying the FAFSA® form and various
financial aid products offered by FSA to help solve acute problems. FSA is closely
coordinating the implementation of the FUTURE Act, the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020,
and the modernization of the FAFSA® backend systems. As FSA implements these acts and
system enhancements, students and parents will have a new experience from completion of
the FAFSA® form through repayment.
• Offer an outstanding customer experience and improved personal outcomes for every
student, family, and borrower. FSA’s Digital Customer Care (DCC) platform is the digital
front door for FSA’s customers (i.e., students, parents, and borrowers). DCC brings to life a
personalized, customer-centric experience, with interaction channels, including mobile, web,
social media, email, live agent, virtual agent, chat, and mail. FSA will:
o Modernize the technology, processes, and operations to improve student, parent, and
borrower experiences and outcomes as well as those of student aid partners, including
institutions of higher education.
o Continue to release new features that assist customers and partners to ensure easier,
more seamless customer and partner interactions with FSA across the student aid life
cycle through an enterprise-wide, FSA-branded digital platform. This will enable
FSA to maintain an ongoing relationship with its customers and empower customers
and partners to receive additional support.
o Work with customers to increase their understanding of the student aid life cycle,
financing, and customer support, which will be refined through the ongoing analysis
of customer and partner data and feedback and will be continuously improved
through activities such as iterative user testing.
o Increase postsecondary school access, affordability, and completion by enhancing the
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Help Tool and the PSLF and Temporary
Expanded PSLF certification and application forms as well as providing
enhancements to Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education
Grant agreements and counseling. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Student Loans</Name><Description>Enhance students’ and parents’ ability to repay their federal student loans by providing accurate and timely information, relevant tools and manageable repayment options.</Description><Identifier>_7d25c1d4-f696-11ec-8837-fa360d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>2.5</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Students</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Parents</Name><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue to build on its comprehensive framework for student aid management that allows
students to understand and access information about college options and associated costs,
loan counseling and guidance, support for retention, loan repayment options, and borrower
benefits. FSA assists borrowers in identifying the appropriate information and financial
pathways to meet their educational goals and lessen long-term debt associated with
their choices.
• Support and continue to widely disseminate information on the CARES Act that provided
temporary relief on Department-held federal student loans, which included suspension of
loan payments, cessation of collections on defaulted loans, and a 0 percent interest rate. As of the second quarter of FY 2021, the Department will expand the 0 percent interest rate and
pause collections activity to 1.14 million borrowers who defaulted on a privately held Federal
Family Education Loan Program loan. This action will protect more than 800,000 additional
borrowers who are at risk of having their federal tax refunds seized to repay a defaulted loan.
This relief will be made retroactive to March 13, 2020, the start of the COVID-19 national
emergency. All temporary student loan relief has been extended by law and EO until
September 30, 2021.
• Increase collaboration and collective action across the Department, led by FSA and OPE, to
further advance information and materials that inform students and parents about federal
student loan repayment options, both before and throughout the student aid life cycle.
• Assess regularly and improve the quality of service for customers and partners across the
entire student aid life cycle. This effort involves enhancing operational efficiency, flexibility,
and oversight of entities that directly support the Department’s constituents to include
contractors and financial institutions.
• Emphasize effective engagement of its customers and partners, as this is critical to the
success of the student loan programs’ overall goals and objectives. A major priority for FSA
is to engage with stakeholders and to enhance the customer and partner experience, which
will ultimately lead to improved taxpayer outcomes.
• Continue, with the end-user in mind, to test, evaluate, and launch/scale, by the end of
FY 2022, new customer- and partner-facing products. Whenever possible, these will be
developed with focus groups, user testing, and customer feedback integrated.
• Continue to build out a state-of-the-art data and analytics capability to provide meaningful
customer insights to support more informed decision-making regarding loan repayment. </OtherInformation></Objective></Goal><Goal><Name>Data</Name><Description>Strengthen the quality, accessibility and use of education data through better management, increased privacy protections and transparency.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b6dec-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>3</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Person"><Name>Chief Data Officer</Name><Description>Goal Leader</Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Contributing Offices</Name><Description>Several offices across the Department support Goal 3, including the National Center for
Education Statistics within the Institute of Education Sciences; the Office of Planning,
Evaluation, and Policy Development; the Office of the Chief Information Officer; the office of
Federal Student Aid; the Office for Civil Rights; and the Office of the General Counsel. </Description></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department continues its focus on developing solutions at the enterprise level in the areas of
data management, security, access, and transparency. The Department makes significant efforts
to ensure that data are accurate, timely, and accessible so they may be used to inform decisions,
investments, and policy that contribute to improved outcomes and educational equity for students
at both the P–12 and higher education levels.
^
The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act and the Federal Data Strategy put federal
agencies on notice that data and evidence need to play a more prominent role in how the federal
government functions. The Department recognizes that holistically adopting an agency-wide
Data Strategy is the path to effectively meet mission objectives and establish funding priorities.
Such a strategy treats data as an asset from which valuable insights can be derived—insights that
can be used to inform Administration policy, effectively steward taxpayer funds, and ultimately
improve national educational equity and outcomes.
^
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic drove home the need for an agency-wide approach to data
management as the Department pivoted to meet rapidly changing data needs. The agency stood
up new grant programs to meet the needs of students during these challenging times and shared
information with the public on how the Department is supporting states and other grantees in
P–12 and higher education. A cohesive, agency-wide data strategy will further enhance the
Department’s response to current and future data needs in support of the agency’s mission.
^
In fiscal year 2020, the Data Governance Board, comprising senior leaders in the Department,
helped assess and advance the Department’s data maturity. Subsequently, a Department Data
Strategy was published in December 2020 and includes a vision to realize the full potential of
data to improve educational equity and outcomes and lead the nation in a new era of evidencebased policy insights and data-driven operations. The Data Strategy will help the Department
respond to current and future needs in support of its mission, goals, and objectives. </OtherInformation><Objective><Name>Capacity &amp; Governance</Name><Description>Improve the Department’s data governance, data life cycle management and the capacity to support education data.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b7224-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>3.1</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue to implement the requirements of the Evidence Act as outlined in Office of
Management and Budget’s Memorandums M-19-23 and M-20-12 as well as additional
implementation memorandums for phases 2 and 3 when released.
• Actively examine its data governance structure and policies and, throughout fiscal year
(FY) 2021, evaluate and improve that structure for agency data governance, developing
policies, procedures, and constructs in support of transparent decision-making. The
Department recognizes that existing processes and structures may have allowed discoverable
inequities to go unnoticed in its agency’s programs. These efforts will be led by the
Department’s Chief Data Officer in consultation with the Department’s Statistical Official
and Evaluation Officer and its Data Governance Board (DGB).
• Continue to convene the DGB to discuss and evaluate high-priority data needs, which are
detailed in the Department’s inaugural Data Strategy. Offices in the Department will
implement goals and objectives under the Data Strategy, such as how best to address data
needs in the Department’s FY 2022–2026 Learning Agenda and implement a data investment
management process.
• Establish an agency-wide capital planning process by identifying best practices and assessing
existing data-related workflows for gaps and overlaps.
• Define an efficient process for review and approval of data-related projects and infrastructure
that remediates the burden on principal offices while better aligning expectations for data
investments with the goals of Department leadership, the DGB, and needs of the National
Center for Education Statistics as the Federal principal statistical agency responsible for
producing education statistics and data.
• Continue using annual data maturity assessments to identify specific data management
functions in need of additional support and implement action plans both within offices and
across the agency.
• Oversee implementation of the data life cycle management policy adopted in FY 2021.
• Develop and execute a human capital strategy for data management, identifying
improvements in how the Department recruits, develops, retains, and leverages government
personnel to ensure life cycle data management within principal offices and as an enterprise. 
Additionally, the Department will implement a short-term plan to remedy key staffing gaps
through creative solutions and prioritized hiring while longer-term planning is completed.
• Highlight actions being taken by states that in 2020 received either an FY 2019 or FY 2020
supplemental grant award through the Statewide Longitudinal Data System Program. These
awards were made at the beginning (FY 2019 awards were made in March 2020) and at the
height (FY 2020 supplemental awards were made in September 2020) of the COVID-19
pandemic. Efforts during FY 2021 focus on highlighting the data system needs and plans
within grant applications.
• Establish data standards across the agency to reduce the burden and costs associated with
collecting, validating, and integrating data. Externally, this involves the continued use of
Common Education Data Standards in data collections from educational agencies and
institutions. Internally, the Department will enhance the process for approving information
collections to support FAIR (i.e., Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable)
principles and build on metadata management efforts from the Open Data Platform and
Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 reporting processes.
• Complete the revision of the Information Quality Act (IQA) guidance and strongly promote
the application of data quality standards in accordance with IQA. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Transparency &amp; Privacy</Name><Description>Improve privacy protections for, and transparency of, education data both at the Department and in the education community.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b7756-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>3.2</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Remain committed to protecting student privacy. While education data can be used to inform
and drive transformative efforts, the vast amount and sensitivity of these data make it
imperative that the Department and the educational institutions that maintain student data
take steps to adequately protect them. Demand for data security technical assistance at
institutions has been steadily increasing over the last several years, resulting in the
Department prioritizing efforts in this area through a variety of approaches, from conferences
and regional meetings, to targeted technical assistance calls and webinars. The Department
continues improving student privacy protections and ensuring the inclusion of transparency
best practices through administering the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
(FERPA); developing and disseminating privacy and security training; and making technical
assistance available to states, districts, and institutions of higher education (IHEs). The
Department also focuses on providing outreach activities targeting data privacy and
information technology security requirements at IHEs through collaboration across the
Department.
• Support the January 2021 Presidential Memorandum, Restoring Trust in Government
through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking, directing agencies to
make evidence-based decisions guided by the best available science and data. To meet this
mandate, the Department must continue to develop and implement methods to analyze,
interpret, and disseminate education data and support education stakeholders in doing the
same. The Department will continue to focus on increasing access to education data at all
levels and improving the tools necessary to support the appropriate use of education data
for decision-making by the Department and its stakeholders.
• Publish the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for FERPA and Protection of Pupil Rights
Amendment (PPRA), with updates and clarifications of policy and technical issues. The
proposed regulations are also needed to implement statutory amendments to FERPA
contained in the Uninterrupted Scholars Act of 2013 and the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act
of 2010 to reflect changes related to the enforcement responsibilities of the office concerning
FERPA/PPRA and to make a change in the name of the office designated to administer both
FERPA and PPRA.
• Continue the collaboration between the Student Privacy Policy Office’s (SPPO’s) Privacy
Technical Assistance Center and the office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) to provide a
variety of training opportunities in FY 2022 to enhance data privacy and information security
at IHEs.
• Achieve SPPO’s goal of reviewing 1,504 local educational agency (LEA) websites to assess
their inclusion of transparency best practices by the end of FY 2022. The goal represents
approximately 10 percent of operational LEA websites in the country. Throughout the
reviews and during the development of year-end annual reports, SPPO is identifying trends
to facilitate the delivery of targeted technical assistance. In completing the review of the
statistically representative sample, SPPO will use the results to generate an overall summary
report and consider the need for additional guidance or best practices in transparency. The
FY 2022 year-end report and overall summary report is scheduled to be completed in late
2022. The Department will announce the availability of the report, promote its contents,
and post it with all other related reports on SPPO’s website.
• Continue to refine processes to actively monitor cybersecurity compliance and the risk
factors associated with performing cybersecurity reviews.
• Work to remediate Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act noncompliance in IHEs and work with IHEs to
proactively put in place compliance programs to reduce the number of noncompliant audits
over time.
• Continue engagements with nongovernmental organizations to inform the development of
best-practice programmatic improvements and communicate the strategic direction changes
as recommended by the IHE Task Force. The IHE Task Force was convened in FY 2021 to outline the operational overview of program management; identify the program oversight
groups, roles and responsibilities; and identify the program workstreams that support the
vision of the IHE Cybersecurity Program.
• Continue to address the requirements to:
o Educate, support, and incentivize IHEs to mature their cybersecurity postures to
protect the Department, FSA, and student data more effectively.
o Address the federal mandate to protect controlled unclassified information that is
transmitted, processed, stored, and destroyed by Title IV eligible IHEs in accordance
with Executive Order 13556, Controlled Unclassified Information, implementing
Regulation 32 CFR Part 2002 in the Code of Federal Regulations and the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171, Protecting
Controlled Unclassified Information in Nonfederal Systems and Organizations.
o Mature FSA’s existing IHE Title IV data breach notification, threat intelligence,
incident response, and remediation processes. </OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Access &amp; Decision-Making</Name><Description>Increase access to, and use of, education data to make informed decisions both at the Department and in the education community.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b7b84-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>3.3</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Complete several near-term analytical initiatives that can support the identification and
elimination of programmatic inconsistencies, such as the collection and retention of open
data and the evaluation of completeness and accuracy of Department data, in addition to
examining its data governance structures and processes for systemic weaknesses. To
prioritize its open data and transparency initiatives, the Department will engage internal and
external stakeholders (including the public) on its data needs and codify the results in the
Department’s first Open Data Plan.
• Implement the required Standard Application Portal for requests to access restricted use data
in accordance with the Evidence Act.
• Develop for external researchers an additional tier of access to high-priority, micro-level data
assets, such as those stewarded by FSA. The Department recognizes that varied experiences,
expertise, and backgrounds, including those that stretch beyond its organization boundaries,
are valuable in analytically identifying and solving programmatic inequities.
• Expand on the FY 2021 launch of the Department’s Open Data Platform to operationalize a
comprehensive data inventory for the agency, connecting data releases with data sources in
the Department’s Data Inventory and elsewhere, increasing the catalogued data assets it
profiles for both externally available open data and internal sources subject to open data priorities, and subsequently reviewing all data assets for release consistent with mandates and
exclusions in the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018.
• Include metadata for restricted use data sets in the Federal Standard Application Portal for all
Department restricted use data files.
• Meet requirements to allocate resources to fulfill the responsibilities of effective geospatial
data collection, production, and stewardship with regard to related activities of the covered
agency and, as necessary, to support the activities of the committee in geospatial data assets
as required by the Geospatial Data Act of 2018.
• Complete and subsequently release a FY 2022 update of College Scorecard earnings data and
other student and institutional metrics to ensure customers are accessing the most recent
outcome data to inform their postsecondary education choices and help them find the best fit.
• Refine and expand the existing transparency portal with data from the Education
Stabilization Fund grant recipients to further improve program implementation, inform
policy decisions, and provide public accountability. The fund was initially established
through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, with subsequent
investments through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2021 and the American Rescue Plan of 2021.
• Explore opportunities to link elementary, secondary, and postsecondary data to yield new
insights and identify current educational inequities to inform Department priorities and help
close opportunity gaps.
• Ensure the strategic use of data in public discourse and debate as well as in Department
operations (e.g., resource allocation, acquisition and contract strategies, rulemaking efforts,
and grant administration) consistent with the Department’s inaugural Data Strategy.
• Increase Departmental staff capacity to leverage data in everyday decisions through
continued assessment of data competencies, implementation of a new data literacy program,
and development of Department-wide statistical standards and procedures.
• Launch a pilot enterprise-wide data analytics platform to provide access to analysis-ready
Department data, analytics tools, and data visualizations and dashboards to support
operations and program and policy decisions.
• Incorporate data systems with student information into the enterprise-wide data analytics
platform to analyze the impact of efforts to improve educational equity and outcomes.
• Integrate data visualization and storytelling into priority communications and Department
culture. Democratize business intelligence and develop data visualizations and dashboards
for program staff and leaders that meet their needs for timely and actionable information so
they can use data for everyday decisions and to address discoverable inequities. </OtherInformation></Objective></Goal><Goal><Name>Efficiency, Effectiveness &amp; Accountability</Name><Description>Reform the effectiveness, efficiency and accountability of the Department.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b7eae-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>4</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Organization"><Name>Office of Finance and Operations</Name><Description>Goal Leader</Description></Stakeholder><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Generic_Group"><Name>Supporting Offices</Name><Description>Due to the cross-cutting nature of Goal 4, all offices in the Department support this goal.</Description></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>On January 20, 2021, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 13992, Revocation of
Certain Executive Orders Concerning Federal Regulation, which calls for agencies to confront
urgent challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, economic recovery, racial justice, and
climate change using robust regulatory action. In addition, the EO revokes several prior EOs,
including EO 13771 and EO 13777, which served as the basis for strategic objective 4.1.
Therefore, strategic objective 4.1, as written in the fiscal years 2018–2022 Strategic Plan, and its
associated metrics are no longer being implemented.
^
The work of the Office of the General Counsel will support the policies in the Presidential
Memorandum issued on January 26, 2021, Modernizing Regulatory Review, which states, in part,
“Our Nation today faces serious challenges, including a massive global pandemic; a major
economic downturn; systemic racial inequality; and the undeniable reality and accelerating threat
of climate change. It is the policy of my Administration to mobilize the power of the Federal
Government to rebuild our nation and address these and other challenges. As we do so, it is
important that we evaluate the processes and principles that govern regulatory review to ensure
swift and effective Federal action. Regulations that promote the public interest are vital for
tackling national priorities.”
^
Ensuring that the Department’s systems and data are protected through enhanced cybersecurity
remains a high priority for the Department. The Department will continue to provide proactive
cybersecurity services, monitor and enhance threat intelligence capabilities, explore shared
services and cloud capabilities, and improve its cybersecurity workforce.
^
The Department’s data-driven human capital strategy focuses on improving employee
engagement, performance, and competency development. The Department will continue to build
the skills and knowledge of its workforce and will transition from identifying competency gaps
to prioritizing learning and development opportunities and identifying best practices for closing
competency gaps. Furthermore, the Department will focus on improving Federal Employee
Viewpoint Survey scores, particularly the Employee Engagement Index. </OtherInformation><Objective><Name>Regulation</Name><Description>Improve regulatory processes.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b8156-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>4.1</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Organization"><Name>Office of the General Counsel (OGC)</Name><Description>The Department’s Office of the General Counsel (OGC) will:
• No longer include, beginning in fiscal year (FY) 2021, now-revoked Executive Order
(EO) 13771 information, such as the number of regulatory and deregulatory actions issued
and the total incremental costs, including costs or costs savings carried over from previous
fiscal years, in its regulatory impact analyses for proposed and final regulations.
• Work, beginning in FY 2021, toward rescinding the interim final rule on Rulemaking and
Guidance Procedures, which was enacted in part to implement now-revoked EO 13891.
• Work, beginning in FY 2021, with the Department’s principal operating components to
determine how best to effectuate the priorities in EO 13992 and how the Department can
measure progress on those objectives.
• Work, in FY 2021, in connection with the policies stated in the Presidential Memorandum,
Modernizing Regulatory Review, with principal operating components to determine priorities
in these areas. OGC and the principal operating components will then develop Strategic
Goal(s), performance measures, and metric targets focused on effectuating the
Administration’s priorities. As part of this process, OGC will advise the principal operating
components on the instrument (e.g., guidance or regulations) that would best assist to legally
effectuate the priorities and Strategic Goals. The performance measures developed through
this consultation process will help to focus Department action from an early stage on these
priorities, whether they will be carried out through regulations, guidance, or other means.
Reporting on the new Strategic Goal(s), performance measures, and metric targets will begin
in FY 2022.
• Provide support to principal operating components on initiating regulatory efforts and
exploring other avenues to work across the Department to incorporate national priorities
consistent with applicable laws. </Description></Stakeholder><OtherInformation/></Objective><Objective><Name>Risks</Name><Description>Identify, assess, monitor and manage enterprise risks.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b858e-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>4.2</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Organization"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Further integrate formal Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) partnerships and practices into
major cross-Department initiatives to ensure data and risk consistently and objectively
inform decision-making. 
• Conduct enhanced risk assessments and proactive planning processes that systematically
consider public health and safety crises, including natural disasters, to identify potential
impacts to Department operations and its mission to result in more effective guidance and
responses to stakeholders and more efficient administration of supplemental funding
(e.g., inform grant programming and provide surge capacity staffing).
• Implement an enhanced, user-friendly ERM application to more efficiently and effectively
facilitate data collection, analysis, reporting, and dissemination of risk management
information and activities throughout the Department.
• Develop and implement enhanced and innovative training and developmental opportunities
for various levels of Department staff and management to further the natural integration of
ERM principles into daily work and activities.</OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Cybersecurity</Name><Description>Strengthen the Department’s cybersecurity by enhancing protections for its information technology infrastructure, systems and data.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b88d6-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>4.3</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Organization"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Expand and optimize capabilities that enable data-driven cybersecurity decisions. Key
components of this initiative that will be implemented are ongoing enhancements to the
Enterprise Cybersecurity Data Lake to incorporate additional data sets that support various
cybersecurity functional areas and the implementation of advanced data analytics.
• Continue to consolidate agency Security Operations Centers (SOCs) and optimize
automation and orchestration across SOC tools to further improve incident detection and
response capabilities in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s)
Memorandum M-19-02, Fiscal Year 2018-2019 Guidance on Federal Information Security
and Privacy Management Requirements, and the Department’s Cybersecurity Operation
Maturation Plan.
• Continue to strengthen cybersecurity protections in accordance with the Information
Resources Management Strategic Plan FY 2020 – FY 2024 and Information Technology (IT)
Modernization Roadmap and ensure alignment with guidance from the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Specifically:
o Continue to implement the Enterprise Identity, Credential, and Access Management
(ICAM) solution that will be the authoritative source of digital identity records and
enable the Department to provide centralized ICAM services to all Department
information systems. 
o Expand the Enterprise ICAM solution to provide centralized user role and account
management services to all Department information systems. The Department will
also add multi-factor authentication services to the suite of Enterprise ICAM services.
o Continue to leverage the DHS Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM)
Program to implement asset management and identity and access management
capabilities for applicable Department information systems in accordance with the
Department’s Information Security Continuous Monitoring roadmap.
o Leverage DHS’s CDM Program to implement a boundary protection capability.
• Continue implementation of OMB’s Memorandum M-19-26, Update to the Trusted Internet
Connections (TIC) Initiative, and adopt DHS guidance for the implementation of TIC 3.0.
This will be part of a multi-year modernization initiative to enhance and transform the
Department’s network security architecture that leverages NIST frameworks and industry
best practices for securing cloud-based assets.
• Integrate security principles in application development and deployment practices as part of
the Department’s Information and Communications Technology Supply Chain Risk
Management Program established in FY 2021 in accordance with the National Defense
Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2019, the Strengthening and Enhancing Cyber-capabilities
by Utilizing Risk Exposure Technology Act, and EO 13873.
• Map and align knowledge, skills, and abilities with NIST Special Publication 800-181,
National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Cybersecurity Workforce Framework. The
aim is to establish training and certification standards for the Department’s information
systems security officer workforce and monitor progress through IT governance, life cycle
management processes, and Department-wide quarterly performance reviews.</OtherInformation></Objective><Objective><Name>Workforce</Name><Description>Improve the engagement and preparation of the Department’s workforce using professional development and accountability measures.</Description><Identifier>_4d5b8b60-f6fe-11ec-a795-129a1d83ea00</Identifier><SequenceIndicator>4.4</SequenceIndicator><Stakeholder StakeholderTypeType="Organization"><Name/><Description/></Stakeholder><OtherInformation>The Department will:
• Continue implementation of its National Engagement Strategy (NES) to improve the
Department’s employee engagement index score in the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey
(FEVS) to a score of 67 percent in FY 2022. Specifically:
o Issue a Pulse Survey focusing on NES key focus areas in Quarter 1 of FY 2022.
o Assess FY 2021 FEVS results and issue individual principal operating component
reports by Quarter 3 of FY 2022.
o Assess the Department’s NES based on FY 2020 and FY 2021 FEVS and Pulse
Survey results and update the strategy as appropriate.
o Sustain use of engagement action plans and ensure all participants provide quarterly
updates on progress made toward achieving improvement goals.
o Publish scalable best practices after analyzing the results of employee engagement
action plans established by principal operating components.
• Complete and implement competency models to close employees’ job competency gaps
across the Department. Specifically:
o Draft, validate, and implement competency models, including career maps and
training plans, for six additional job categories by FY 2023.
o Conduct a competency assessment to measure and assess gap closures.
o Prioritize learning and developmental opportunities and share best practices for
closing competency gaps.
o Continue the linkage between employee performance plans and agency Strategic
Goals and objectives.
• Identify and address gaps between the workforce of today and the human capital needs of
tomorrow. As part of the workforce planning process, the Department is assessing the most
efficient and effective ways to recruit, train, and retain data professionals to ensure the
Department is able to use data most effectively to meet its mission.
• Ensure continued use of a performance plan template to automatically pre-populate employee
engagement as a mandatory critical element in the performance plans of supervisors.</OtherInformation></Objective></Goal></StrategicPlanCore><AdministrativeInformation><StartDate>2021-10-01</StartDate><EndDate>2022-09-30</EndDate><PublicationDate>2022-06-28</PublicationDate><Source>https://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/2022plan/fy2022-apr.pdf</Source><Submitter><GivenName>Owen</GivenName><Surname>Ambur</Surname><PhoneNumber/><EmailAddress>Owen.Ambur@verizon.net</EmailAddress></Submitter></AdministrativeInformation></PerformancePlanOrReport>