U.S. Department of EducationU.S. Department of EducationDofEd_5065b007-b4e6-4bb4-ad90-d449604963dcTo ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation_3a96a792-8d1c-4778-892d-088517cbd405Strategic Goal 1Individuals and groups who work in social systems such as the American education system are strongly influenced by the system’s culture. To improve such a system, the most potent strategy for change is cultural change. Therefore, through the effective implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act, we will create a culture characterized by accountability for results, flexibility and local control, expanded parental options, and the use of instructional practices based on scientific research; and we will embed these principles in programs and activities throughout the Department._d1f2ab86-8607-4f20-9448-799202fbe3361Objective 1.1Link federal education funding to accountability for results._de69598e-1865-4eb5-b1c5-38063a7509631.1To create a culture of achievement, we must demonstrate that achievement counts, at the local, state and federal levels. We will work with our partners to make accountability for results the hallmark of our education system. In alignment with No Child Left Behind, states will develop systems that hold local schools accountable for results. State progress on a number of achievement indicators will be reported annually. Federal education programs will also be held accountable; those that do not demonstrate results in terms of student outcomes will be either reformed or eliminated.Objective 1.2Increase flexibility and local control._7281fc89-d039-4148-b08f-ddcf256977411.2As the president has said, “Local schools now have a mandate to reform, and we are giving them the freedom to reform.” States, school districts and other grantees will receive increased flexibility over the use of federal funds, and greater responsiveness from the Department to their concerns, in exchange for greater accountability for results. Information technology initiatives will dramatically reduce the data collection burden on state and local officials by seamlessly collecting and disseminating performance information. Increased flexibility will be a core principle incorporated in all legislative proposals.Objective 1.3Increase information and options for parents_4232ab0b-090d-485d-88f4-9e5ab8f47f3a1.3Parents are children’s first and most important teachers. The Department will aggressively implement the parental involvement, information and options components of No Child Left Behind and encourage states and communities to provide additional choices to parents. States and districts will be required to publish report cards that provide school performance information to parents. Children trapped in failing or unsafe schools will have the opportunity to attend better public schools (including charter schools) or use federal funds for private tutoring. Public school options, including charter schools, will be strongly supported for all students, as will private school options for disadvantaged children. The Department will also work with Congress to embed greater parental choice, involvement and information in all federal education programs, as well as within the tax code.Objective 1.4Encourage the use of scientifically-based methods within federal education programs_553c3842-664c-461c-bf23-eeb2299e2d8e1.4Part of the cultural transformation needed throughout the American education system is the switch from a fascination with instructional fads to a focus on scientifically-based research. This cultural change is addressed further in Goal Four, where we describe how the Department will develop and disseminate sound educational research. The Department will also work to embed the best science in all of our programs to ensure the use of methods that work.Strategic Goal 2In education, the bottom line is student learning. As a result of the hard work of students, educators, parents, and leaders at the state and local levels, American students will dramatically improve their achievement in reading, mathematics and science, while receiving a rich, well-rounded education. The Department will lead a national campaign to ensure that every child is reading at grade level by third grade. Pre-school and elementary school teachers throughout the nation will receive training in the proven components of effective early reading instruction. To ensure that students become proficient in mathematics and science, the Department will establish a broad collaboration of school districts, colleges and universities, and research institutions to improve the quality of instruction. The Department will lead a campaign to improve the rigor of the high school curriculum and to design new options for adolescent students. Because student achievement is dependent upon the effort of well-prepared teachers and school leaders, the Department will establish initiatives to ensure that the supply of highquality teachers and principals meets demand._c7982101-f196-4974-b6ea-14e646f9ad5c2 Objective 2.1Ensure that all students read on grade level by the third grade_c43c6568-2024-45b3-8c55-7b40f4d5a6c72.1President Bush and Congress set a goal through No Child Left Behind that all children will read at grade level by third grade. To reach this goal we must ensure that reading instruction is based on solid scientific research. We will build a strong understanding of the five essential components of good reading instruction and the importance of early cognitive development. We will boost reading achievement for all students, including minority and low-income children, English language learners, and children with disabilities.Objective 2.2Improve mathematics and science achievement for all students_3c63e474-c6b6-4a57-afaf-13028935f7bd2.2The National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (the Glenn Commission) and the Hart-Rudman commission on national security both made clear that America’s future depends upon improvements in mathematics and science achievement. Currently, international comparisons such as the Third International Mathematics and Science Study show middle and high school students in America performing at or below the average level. The National Assessment of Educational Progress shows eighth-grade student performance below proficient in mathematics and science for 70 percent of our students and 90 percent of our minority students. For this situation to improve, the quality of teaching in these subjects must improve. Every student deserves to have teachers who possess strong content knowledge in their areas of teaching, as well as effective strategies to engage all students. Mathematics and science teachers must have opportunities to remain current in their fields and take advantage of new technologies to make their subject areas meaningful and engaging for their students.Objective 2.3Improve the performance of all high school students_6f5c82c2-3055-4bea-a4a3-e911e18be31b2.3The demands of a competitive economy and flexible workplace require every American youth to acquire solid academic preparation for an effective transition from high school to postsecondary education and then to the workplace. Today’s youth need strong academic skills in written and oral communication, mathematics and science, problem solving and teamwork. Yet the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows 12th grade achievement declining at the same time that the national dropout rate is increasing. We must do better. American high schools must be held accountable for raising the academic achievement of all students. At the same time, our education system should offer customized learning opportunities to adolescents, tapping into community colleges, education technology, and other nontraditional sources to boost learning and career preparation for students.Objective 2.4Improve teacher and principal quality_d7b65f31-85b0-4e60-93c2-ab1b389ace9c2.4The president has called for a quality teacher in every classroom. He has said, “Education reform is empty if it does not take account of the needs of educators. Teachers are not the objects of education reform. They are the engines of education reform. They have a high calling, and we must respect it.” We will work to ensure that all of our nation’s schools have the high-quality teachers they need to boost student achievement, both by recruiting new, highly qualified teachers and by providing current teachers access to rigorous professional development. This is especially critical in schools where many children have been left behind. In addition, we will work to strengthen the leadership corps, as we know from research and experience that strong principals are essential for the improvement of student achievement.Strategic Goal 3The terrorist attacks have created a new environment in which we must ensure that our children are safe from threats both foreign and domestic. The Department will work to maintain a safe and drug-free environment in which every child can learn. In addition, as the president has said, “Teaching is more than training, and learning is more than literacy. Our children must be educated in reading and writing—but also in right and wrong.” He quoted Martin Luther King, Jr., who said “Intelligence plus character—that is the true goal of education.” We will focus the nation’s education system on our children’s hearts, as well as their minds._7e7f6e7d-a9a4-4ff0-93b6-022094ddc9ea3Objective 3.1Ensure that our nation’s schools are safe and drugfree and that students are free of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs_487f1962-31d4-4028-871d-8920a5860f293.1Teaching and learning to the high standards demanded in No Child Left Behind requires that our nation’s schools be safe and that our students abstain from the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs. In order to ensure that our schools are safe and our students drug-free, the Department of Education will focus on four areas: best practices; data collection and dissemination; coordination of efforts; and addressing safe school priorities in a timely manner.Objective 3.2Promote strong character and citizenship among our Nation’s youth_a4c048c2-7d62-4759-85f9-58b8a85b6ce13.2Recent events have unified our nation and rekindled a spirit of community and patriotism. The Department will build upon this energy to launch a national campaign to promote character development and citizenship in our youth. We will also highlight programs and schools that have demonstrated evidence of improved student safety and the development of character in their students.Strategic Goal 4Unlike medicine, agriculture and industrial production, the field of education operates largely on the basis of ideology and professional consensus. As such, it is subject to fads and is incapable of the cumulative progress that follows from the application of the scientific method and from the systematic collection and use of objective information in policy making. We will change education to make it an evidence-based field. We will accomplish this goal by dramatically improving the quality and relevance of research funded or conducted by the Department. Also, we will provide policymakers, educators, parents, and other concerned citizens with ready access to syntheses of research and objective information that allow more informed and effective decisions, and we will encourage the use of this knowledge (especially within federal education programs, as explained in Objective 1.4)._5b66fb41-df8c-42a8-8ad3-d8a876d4e0be4Objective 4.1Raise the quality of research funded or conducted by the Department_21b66e7e-d305-44d0-b2ea-8677dd7d5c4b4.1The Department is a primary source of funding for education research. Thus, we have an opportunity and an obligation to ensure that the research funded or published by the Department is of the highest quality. We will develop and enforce rigorous standards, overhaul the peer review process, and focus the Department’s research activities on topics of greatest relevance to educational practice.Objective 4.2Increase the relevance of our research in order to meet the needs of our customers_12da72ce-1db7-47f4-8f33-defc60efea594.2The Department will seek to understand the needs of our primary customers—federal, state and local policymakers, educators, parents and individuals with disabilities—and will ensure that our research is relevant to those needs. The Department will ensure that high-quality research—whether or not it is funded by the Department— is synthesized, publicized, and disseminated widely. In order to facilitate access to high-quality research, the Department will create and regularly update an online database of scientifically rigorous research on what works in education. The Department also will create user-friendly syntheses of quality research that communicate effective practices to a wide audience.Strategic Goal 5The Department provides support for enhancing the quality of and access to postsecondary and adult education and employment in multiple ways. The Department’s programs provide financial aid to increase access to college; help institutions of higher education improve their quality; provide mentoring and tutoring services to help students master the knowledge needed to get into and complete college; inform middle and high school students about what it takes to go to college; provide needed support to help people with disabilities achieve employment; and provide support to adults in meeting more basic educational needs. The Department will work to improve the effectiveness of all institutions, including four-year schools, community colleges, technology-based programs and others._60168bf6-f4e1-46c0-82b9-880b132c12c15Objective 5.1Reduce the gaps in college access and completion among student populations differing by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and disability while increasing the educational attainment of all_81b81c6b-2b4e-4a3f-8329-1af0692099495.1The economy of the 21st century requires more workers than ever to develop skills and master knowledge beyond the high-school level. Although progress has been made over the years to increase participation and graduation levels for all individuals, large gaps still exist between low-income and middle- and high-income students, between minority and nonminority students, and between students with disabilities and their non-disabled peers. In the year 2000, according to NCES data, 65.7 percent of white youth aged 16 to 24 enrolled in college the fall following high school graduation, while only 54.9 percent of their African American peers and 52.9 percent of their Hispanic peers were similarly enrolled. Graduation rates show similar gaps. The Department will work to close these gaps through its student financial aid and institutional aid programs. In addition, the Department will continue its efforts to enhance preparation for college, increase knowledge about college preparation and financial aid availability, and improve college support services for students from all economic and social backgrounds.Objective 5.2Strengthen accountability of postsecondary institutions_0d9cf4b0-c6df-4eb9-9595-d3440bc572465.2Although American institutions of higher education are among the best in the world, the public and many policymakers are especially concerned about the effectiveness of postsecondary institutions in two areas: preparing high-quality teachers and completing the education of students within a reasonable time. An effective strategy for ensuring that institutions are held accountable for results is to make information on student achievement and attainment available to the public. This way, prospective students will be able to make informed choices about where to attend college and how to spend their tuition dollars. Addressing widespread concern about the quality of new teachers, Congress established an accountability system for teacher preparation programs in Title II when reauthorizing the Higher Education Act (HEA) in 1998. This system provides for the first time basic information on the quality of teacher program completers. Public and Congressional critics of this system note, however, that it needs to be strengthened to produce information that is more useful to the public and policymakers. As part of the next reauthorization of HEA, the Department will recommend refinements to this system. Congress also has addressed concerns about the effectiveness of postsecondary institutions in graduating students in a timely fashion. In amendments to the HEA in 1992, Congress required institutions of higher education to report the proportions of their students who complete their educational programs. Critics have pointed out that these measures are not effectively integrated into accountability systems in most states, and thus are not routinely used in evaluating postsecondary institutions. In the next reauthorization, the Department will recommend steps to strengthen the usefulness of these measures so that they can be incorporated into state accountability systems. Successfully meeting this objective will require the cooperation of the postsecondary community, the states and Congress.Objective 5.3Establish effective funding mechanisms for postsecondary education_570e0681-cbc4-442d-b55f-d9eb46a4eb665.3The financing of postsecondary education continues to be a challenge for many students and their families. According to the College Board, the average costs of attendance for 2001-2002 are $17,123 for four-year private institutions (up 5.5 percent from the previous year); $3,754 in four-year public institutions (up 7.7 percent from the previous year); and $1,738 for two-year public institutions (up 5.8 percent from the previous year). With tuitions rising faster than inflation, students are borrowing more money than in the past to attend college. The median student federal loan amount tripled between 1990 and 1999, rising from $4,000 to $11,199, and students are increasingly turning to non-federal sources of loans including credit cards to pay college expenses. These trends are occurring even though funding for Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants and other campus-based aid programs continue to grow. In response to the concerns about the price of college, the Department will create a study group to examine the factors that contribute to the rising costs of postsecondary education. Through the study group, the Department will seek ideas and suggestions for achieving cost efficiencies and cost reductions among postsecondary institutions. The group will also consider effective funding strategies for nontraditional and part-time students, including those participating in distance learning via technology. The Department will then disseminate the findings. In addition, the Department will continue to work toward a more efficient Title IV aid process for the benefit of all parties participating in these programs.Objective 5.4Strengthen Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Tribal Colleges and Universities_e973f467-eeed-430c-b6ec-316a4e16ec575.4An important strategy in closing the gap between lowincome and minority students and their high-income, nonminority peers is to strengthen the quality of educational opportunities in institutions dedicated to serving lowincome and minority students. Through various programs and initiatives, the Department promotes the quality of institutions serving low-income and minority students. There is more, however, that can and should be done by the Department to offer access to information, training and technical assistance opportunities that contribute to the fiscal soundness of these institutions.Objective 5.5Enhance the literacy and employment skills of American adults_3e774440-8699-4568-8526-ca6bd3f045d95.5National surveys indicate that between 70 and 90 million adults in the United States have limited English literacy skills that inhibit their ability to support their families and exercise other important social responsibilities. Shockingly, this includes an estimated 10 million high school graduates and 1.5 million college graduates. Current classroom-based services reach only about three million individuals with adult basic education and English literacy services. Combined with education services delivered through other social services for adults, only a fraction of the need for enhanced literacy is being addressed. Working with state and local partners, we will develop new models of flexible, high-quality basic education and English literacy services to help a larger percentage of America’s adult population, including individuals with disabilities, receive the literacy skills they need for workplace learning, postsecondary learning and lifelong personal and career growth. We will also work with state vocational rehabilitation programs, other federal agencies and others to improve employment outcomes for adults with disabilities and will aggressively implement the president’s New Freedom Initiative.Strategic Goal 6In order to create a culture of achievement throughout the nation’s educational system, we must first create a culture of accountability within the Department. We will do so by aggressively implementing the President’s Management Agenda, including his initiative on community- and faith-based organizations. Through our work to create a culture of accountability and establish management excellence, we will earn the President’s Quality Award._c9be0344-8be0-4509-afec-b5ad6d2f71346Objective 6.1Develop and maintain financial integrity and management and internal controls_832b1323-bae4-4312-a0a7-ec872b319d7f6The first step to management excellence is to provide managers and external stakeholders with timely financial information to aid them when making programmatic and asset-related decisions. Financial integrity also means that we maintain effective internal controls to reduce the risk of errors and permit effective monitoring of programs and processes and that employees assume responsibility for identifying and addressing problems.Objective 6.2Improve the strategic management of the Department’s human capital_0d1127f7-6d94-4ba6-92aa-3f901c7cd6476.2 A key element of creating a Departmentwide culture of performance excellence and accountability is the strategic investment in human capital. The Department will develop and carry out a plan for human capital management that supports the Department’s mission by ensuring that skilled, high-performing employees are available and deployed appropriately. This plan will be supported by a competitive sourcing plan that ensures that services are provided at a maximum level of cost effectiveness. We will delayer the organization and ensure that our work is citizen-centered.Objective 6.3Manage information technology resources, using e-gov, to improve services for our customers and partners_808ee4a0-1a30-40f1-9f9d-605a63f7c7bf6.3The Department must leverage information technology to perform its business functions more efficiently and to better serve our partners, internal customers and external customers. Improved Department accountability requires that we effectively manage IT investments, protect data integrity and confidentiality, improve data management and increase our effectiveness in the use of technology in customer service. We will use information technology to support effective business processes and we will improve and simplify ineffective business processes before applying information technology. We will prioritize IT investments across program offices based on our prioritization of the Department’s business needs. Re-engineered business processes will ensure that state and local education institutions and institutions of higher education can communicate effectively with the Department without undue burden. We will assure confidentiality and accessibility.Objective 6.4Modernize the Federal Student Assistance programs and reduce their high-risk status_8b08aa23-fb83-4f40-bfb4-14ef79d69a776.4While Federal Student Assistance has made some progress in recent years in modernizing its systems, it remains on the General Accounting Office’s high-risk program list. It is also the only Department program identified for corrective action by the President’s Management Agenda. The Department, in partnership with FSA, will continue to improve and integrate its financial and management information systems to manage the student aid programs effectively. We will reduce the programs’ vulnerability to fraud, waste, error and mismanagement.Objective 6.5Achieve budget and performance integration to link funding decisions to results_def554b0-64fc-4abb-ade1-bcadd2cd5fa86.5The Department will seek funding for programs that work, and will seek to reform or eliminate programs that do not. The budget execution process will be linked to the secretary’s strategic plan to ensure that high priority activities are funded. The Department will have standard, integrated budgeting, performance and accounting information systems at the program level in order to provide timely feedback for management that will be consolidated at the agency and government levels.Objective 6.6Leverage the contributions of community- and faithbased organizations to increase the effectiveness of Department programs_8375af32-c188-4b92-b1cd-bdff1c46ba456.6America is richly blessed by the diversity and vigor of neighborhood heroes: civic, social, charitable and religious groups. These quiet champions lift people’s lives in ways that are beyond government’s know-how, usually on shoestring budgets, and they heal our nation’s ills one heart and one act of kindness at a time. The indispensable and transforming work of charitable service groups— including faith-based groups—must be encouraged. These organizations bring the spirit of compassion, volunteerism and close connection to communities to their work. The Department will encourage their active participation in its programs.Objective 6.7By becoming a high performance, customer-focused organization, earn the President’s Quality Award_bcaad6a3-3ac5-4ad8-ac7a-4478c611c59f6.7As a result of implementing the Blueprint for Management Excellence, the President’s Management Agenda, the recommendations of the Culture of Accountability team and this Strategic Plan, the Department will be in a position to compete for and win the President’s Quality Award by FY 2004.2002-01-012007-12-312010-02-08http://www.ed.gov/about/reports/strat/plan2002-07/plan.pdfArthurColman (www.drybridge.com)202-512-2055colman@drybridge.com