As a precursor to this annual report, in February 2018, the Department of Education (the Department) issued its "U.S. Department of Education Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2018-22" (Strategic Plan). The Strategic Plan establishes four broad, overarching goals--one goal each in the areas of K-12 education, postsecondary education and…

The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the Congress on the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. This Semiannual Report presents the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Department…

Over the course of two short years and through quiet regulatory actions, many of which have not garnered many headlines, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has loosened accountability for U.S. schools and colleges, putting millions of students at risk of civil rights abuses and fraudulent financial schemes. Through aggressive use of its regulatory…

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play an important and unique role in the higher education system and in their local and regional economies. Small Business Administration (SBA) works with many colleges and universities to provide entrepreneurial training and counseling on campuses. SBA is also part of a long-standing White…

Can an academic institution be truly free if it relies on government funding? Federal dollars mean federal mandates, and those mandates grow increasingly draconian. More and more, they stifle debate on open questions, demand denial of verifiable scientific truths, eliminate due process for students accused of misdeeds by other students, or insist…

This document includes the "FY 2022 Annual Performance Report" and "FY 2024 Annual Performance Plan." The "FY 2022 Annual Performance Report" provides narrative and data on the US Department of Education's progress toward the strategic goals and objectives outlined in its "Fiscal Years 2022-2026 Strategic…

This document records testimony from a hearing held to examine strengthening accreditation to better protect students and taxpayers. Member statements were presented by: (1) Honorable Virginia Foxx, Chairwoman, Committee on Education and the Workforce; and (2) Honorable Robert C. Scott, Ranking Member, Committee on Education and the Workforce.…

COVID-19 has exposed vast and systemic inequities, and calls for a redesigned education system are growing in number and volume. Top-of-mind issues, such as what reopening should look like, administering in-person versus remote instruction, and keeping students and staff safe, are incredibly important. But now, however, is also the time to…

The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the Congress on the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. This Semiannual Report presents the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Department…

The purpose of this study is to investigate policy coalitions of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) at U.S. congressional hearings. This study is grounded in the advocacy coalition framework, which argues that advocacy coalitions are forged by policy actors who have similar policy preferences. To identify the coalitions, according to the policy…

Achieving prosperity for all Americans could not be more urgent. Although the United States remains the most prosperous nation on earth, millions of citizens are losing faith in the American dream of upward mobility, and in American-style capitalism itself. This crisis of confidence has widened the divide afflicting American politics and cries out…

This report is the seventh publication in a series of informational briefings developed as part of "The Guardians Initiative: Reclaiming the Public Trust," an effort to educate and engage trustees as advocates on key issues in higher education. The report shows how academic research generates technological, educational, and cultural…

In the context of a long history of racial exclusion, policies designed to address racial inequalities continue to face strong opposition. This is especially true in the higher education sector, where there is strong resistance to efforts specifically designed to rectify racial discrimination (e.g., race-based affirmative action). This report…

Community colleges offer an important pathway to the middle class. However, many students fall off the path along the way; almost half of students drop out and only 38% complete a degree within eight years, according to an analysis by Preston Cooper of the American Enterprise Institute. These statistics are even worse for at-risk, minority and…

Half a million higher education graduates enter the labour market every year in Mexico. While their labour market outcomes are considerably better on average than those of upper secondary education graduates, some higher education graduates face periods of inactivity and unemployment. Many graduates who find work end up being over-qualified or…