This Annual Plan presents the major initiatives and priorities the U.S. Department of Education (Department) Office of Inspector General (OIG) intends to undertake to assist the Department in fulfilling its responsibilities to America's taxpayers and students. The Department continues to face significant challenges in FY 2016 that impact its ability to effectively achieve its mission of promoting student achievement and preparing for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. In response to these challenges, the focus of new work within the FY 2016 Annual Plan includes projects to assess high-priority areas such as oversight and monitoring of Federal student financial assistance programs, elementary and secondary programs, grantees, and contractors; information technology security; data quality and reporting; the effectiveness of Department internal operations; and emerging areas among the Department's programs. This Annual Plan aligns the OIG's work and resources to achieve their mission, meet the goals of their Strategic Plan, and focus attention across challenge areas to the Department. To these ends, OIG's planned and ongoing work involves Department programs and operations at all levels--Federal, State, and local. [For the FY 2015 Annual Plan, see ED621282.]