Department of Education Equity Action Plan
Department of Education Equity Action Plan
The U.S. Department of Education has released its inaugural equity action plan as part of the Biden-Harris Administration's continued commitment to advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the federal government. This plan aligns with the one of the President's first Executive orders: 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
As the Department works to help schools, communities, students, educators, and families recover from the pandemic and rebuild stronger than before March 2020, advancing equity and closing gaps made worse by the pandemic remain a core priority. U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona underscored his priorities earlier this year when he laid out his vision for education in America. The Department's equity action plan builds on current processes already in place and implements new strategies to ensure the advancement of equity as it works to promote student achievement and ensure the nation's education system meets the demands of today's global economy.
The Department plans to advance these efforts in the upcoming year by:
- Supporting America's education system through the COVID-19 pandemic
- Supporting higher education with pandemic relief funding
- Advancing equity through Title IX
- Supporting learners with disabilities
- Supporting student loan borrowers
To deal with both ongoing recovery efforts from the pandemic and begin to remedy long-standing disparities that underserved students and communities face in achieving equal education opportunities, the Department is announcing a series of plans to incorporate equity throughout its operations and mission to meet the needs of every learner. These additional efforts by the Department include:
- Prioritizing college access and college completion
- Ensuring equitable impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding for K-12 students
- Investing in resources to help advance civil rights
- Advancing equity in contracting and procurement
- Advance equity in grant process strategies
The detailed action plan can be found here.