The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education is a division of the United States Department of Education. Its purpose is to promote academic excellence, enhance educational opportunities and equity for all of America's children and families, and to improve the quality of teaching and learning by providing leadership, technical assistance, and financial things.

Responsibilities

This article is part of a series on
Education in the United States
Summary
By state and in insular areas By subject area History of education in the United States History of education in Chicago History of education in Kentucky History of education in Massachusetts History of education in Missouri History of education in New York City
Issues
Accreditation Primary and secondary Post-secondary Financing Educational attainment Law Literacy Policy Post-secondary issues Bubble Cost and financing Credentialism Elite overproduction Graduate unemployment Student financial aid Student loans Reform Charter schools Inequality Achievement gaps Racial achievement gap Desegregation busing Gender achievement gap School choice School corporal punishment Sexual harassment Foreign involvement
Levels of education
K–12 - Early childhood (Primary – Secondary) – Post-secondary Organizations
Education portal  United States portal
v t e

The Office is responsible for directing, coordinating, and recommending policy for programs designed to:

• Assist State and local educational agencies to improve the achievement of elementary and secondary school students.
• Help ensure equal access to services leading to such improvement for all children, particularly children who are educationally disadvantaged, Native American, children of migrant workers, or homeless.
• Foster educational improvement at the State and local levels.
• Provide financial assistance to local educational agencies whose local revenues are affected by Federal activities.

Organization

The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education is under the supervision of the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education, who reports to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary. The Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education serves as principal adviser to the Secretary of Education on all matters related to elementary and secondary education.

The current Assistant Secretary is Frank Brogan, who has been serving since his Senate confirmation on June 25, 2018. Previous office holders include: Ann Whalen (2015–2017), Deborah Delisle (2012–2015), and Thelma Melendez (2009–2011).

The Office includes 6 Departments:

• Student Achievement and School Accountability Programs
• Office of Migrant Education
• Impact Aid Programs
• Office of Indian Education
• School Support and Technology Programs
• Academic Improvement and Teacher Quality Programs