U.S. Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education was established on May 4, 1980 by congress in

the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979).

Their goal is to ensure equal access to education and to promote education excellence

for all Americans.

The Department of Education has a mission with many goals. These goals are to

strengthen the Federal commitment to assuring access to equal educational

opportunity for every individual and encourage the increased involvement of the

public, parents, and students in Federal education programs. They also want to

supplement and complement the efforts of states and the local school systems, the

private sector, public and private nonprofit educational research institutions,

community-based organizations, parents, and students to improve the quality of

education. High on their agenda is to improve the management and coordination of

Federal programs and activities.

There are also national goals for American students. As an outcome of the historic

Governors' Meeting in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1989, the Governors of the 50 states

adopted the six National Education Goals for the education of all students in the

United States. Two other goals were added later. The original six goals are:

All children in America will start school ready to learn.

The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent.

All students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12 having demonstrated competency over

challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, foreign

languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography, and

every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well,

so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and

productive employment in our Nation's modern economy.

United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science

achievement.

Every adult American will be literate and will possess the knowledge and skills

necessary to compete in a global economy and exercise the rights and

responsibilities of citizenship.

Every school in the United States will be free of drugs, violence, and the

unauthorized presence of firearms and alcohol and will offer a disciplined

environment conducive to learning.

These two goals were the ones that were added later.

The Nation's teaching force will have access to programs for the continued

improvement of their professional skills and the opportunity to acquire the

knowledge and skills needed to instruct and prepare all American students for the

next century.

Every school will promote partnerships that will increase parental involvement and

participation in promoting the social, emotional, and academic growth of children.

The U.S. Department of Education works with every state and local government.

They try to help each state as they feel fit. They will give grants of money to each

state to help them carry out education as they see fit.

The Department of Education greatly helps our national education. They put

money aside for most of our schools and supplies. It is a good part of the executive

branch.