Immediate Office of the Assistant Secretary
The Assistant Secretary serves as the principal adviser to the Secretary on all matters relating to policy development, implementation, and review; performance measurement and evaluation; budget proposals and processes, data strategy and governance, and student privacy. To that end, the Assistant Secretary manages and coordinates the Department's planning, evaluation, data, policy development and budget activities, working with the Office of the Secretary, the Department's grant-making offices, IES, the Office of Finance and Operations (OFO), and external organizations, such as Congress and the Office of Management and Budget.
Responsibilities include:
- Managing the policy development process, including coordinating policy development across offices, and managing the Policy Committee.
- Acting as a policy clearinghouse for the Secretary including policy development and analyzing and developing policy and legislative proposals, including proposals developed outside the Department and by Members of Congress.
- Identifying issues, preparing options, and making recommendations about policy priorities to the Secretary, other Assistant Secretaries at the Department, the White House, and the Congress.
- Advising and counseling the Secretary about the consequences of actions and events within and outside the Department and provides information and analyses that enable the Secretary to anticipate, avoid, and resolve potential problems and conflicts.
- Maintaining continuing liaison with other agencies in the Executive Branch and with external educational organizations.
- Representing the Secretary and the Department in explaining and defending policies and program priorities to Department officials, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Congress, and the public.
- Directing the review and analyses program evaluations, analytics, and data management; identifying evidence necessary for effective policy, budget, and legislative development.
Executive Office
The Executive Office serves as the principal staff of the Assistant Secretary in developing, coordinating, and implementing internal administrative matters such as personnel, budget, financial management, organization, contracts, facilities, correspondence control, clearance processes, and support services. The Executive Office coordinates with other elements of the Department, advises on matters of concern to the Assistant Secretary, and performs special assignments as directed.