http://www.ed.gov 



U.S. Department of Education 
                                

Mission

  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). The Department's mission is to:
  Strengthen the Federal commitment to assuring 
  access to equal educational opportunity for 
  every individual;
  Supplement and complement the efforts of states, 
  the local school systems and other 
  instrumentalities of the states, the private 
  sector, public and private nonprofit educational 
  research institutions, community-based 
  organizations, parents, and students to improve 
  the quality of education;
  Encourage the increased involvement of the 
  public, parents, and students in Federal 
  education programs;
  Promote improvements in the quality and 
  usefulness of education through Federally 
  supported research, evaluation, and sharing of 
  information;
  Improve the coordination of Federal education 
  programs;
  Improve the management of Federal education 
  activities; and
  Increase the accountability of Federal education 
  programs to the President, the Congress, and the 
  public.