Department of Education
Promotes student achievement and educational excellence
Mission & Role
Purpose and functions
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The department identifies four key functions:[18]
- Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education and distributing as well as monitoring those funds.
- Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research.
- Focusing national attention on key issues in education and making recommendations for education reform.
- Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.
The Department of Education is a member of the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness[19] and works with federal partners to ensure proper education for homeless and runaway youth in the United States.
History
History
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Early history
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In 1867, President Andrew Johnson signed legislation to create a Department of Education. It was seen as a way to collect information and statistics about the nation's schools and provide advice to schools in the same way the Department of Agriculture helped farmers.[20] The department was originally proposed by Henry Barnard and leaders of the National Teachers Association, renamed the National Education Association. Barnard served as the first United States Commissioner of Education. He resigned when the office was reconfigured as a bureau in the Department of Interior, known as the United States Office of Education due to concerns it would have too much control over local schools.[21][22][23]
Over the years, the office remained relatively small, operating under different titles and housed in various agencies, including the United States Department of the Interior and the former United States Department of Health Education and Welfare (HEW), now the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).[23] In 1920, an unsuccessful attempt at creating a Department of Education, headed by a secretary of education, came with the Smith–Towner Bill.[24]
In 1939, the organization, then a bureau, was transferred to the Federal Security Agency, where it was renamed as the Office of Education. After World War II, President Dwight D. Eisenhower promulgated "Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1953". The Federal Security Agency was abolished and most of its functions were transferred to the newly formed HEW.[25]
Promotion to department
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In 1979, President Carter advocated for creating a cabinet-level Department of Education.[26] Carter's plan was to transfer most of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare's education-related functions to the Department of Education.[26] Carter also planned to transfer the education-related functions of the departments of Defense, Justice, Housing and Urban Development, and Agriculture, as well as a few other federal entities.[26] Among the federal education-related programs that were not proposed to be transferred were Headstart, the Department of Agriculture's school lunch and nutrition programs, the Department of the Interior's Native Americans' education programs, and the Department of Labor's education and training programs.[26]
Upgrading Education to cabinet-level status in 1979 was opposed by many in the Republican Party, who saw the department as unconstitutional, arguing that the Constitution does not mention education, and deemed it an unnecessary and illegal federal bureaucratic intrusion into local affairs. However, others saw the department as constitutional under the Commerce Clause, and that the funding role of the department is constitutional under the Taxing and Spending Clause. The National Education Association supported the bi
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Agency overview, history, and program data sourced from Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA 3.0).
Key Regulations
Title IX Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex
Prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs, covering athletics, admissions, and harassment.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Protects the privacy of student education records and gives parents and students rights to access and control their records.
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
Establishes the federal student loan program including loan types, interest rates, repayment plans, and forgiveness options.
Energy Conservation Standards for Consumer Products
Sets minimum energy efficiency standards for household appliances and commercial equipment.
Enforcement Actions
FTC v. Facebook — Privacy Violations
Respondent: Facebook, Inc. (now Meta Platforms, Inc.)
The FTC imposed a record-breaking $5 billion penalty on Facebook for violating a 2012 consent order that required the company to protect users' privacy. The settlement resolved allegations that Facebo...
Outcome: $5 billion fine; restructured corporate governance; independent privacy oversight.
FTC v. Wyndham Worldwide — Data Security Failures
Respondent: Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
The FTC settled charges against Wyndham Worldwide after three data breaches between 2008 and 2010 compromised the payment card information of more than 619,000 consumers and led to more than $10.6 mil...
Outcome: Comprehensive security program required; 20 years of third-party audits; FTC authority upheld on appeal.
FTC v. Amazon — Dark Patterns in Prime Enrollment
Respondent: Amazon.com, Inc.
The FTC sued Amazon alleging that the company used manipulative user interface designs, known as dark patterns, to trick millions of consumers into enrolling in its Amazon Prime subscription service a...
Outcome: Litigation ongoing; seeking injunctive relief, civil penalties, and restitution.
FTC v. Equifax — Data Breach Settlement
Respondent: Equifax Inc.
Equifax agreed to pay at least $575 million—potentially up to $700 million—to settle charges related to its 2017 data breach, which exposed the personal information of approximately 147 million Americ...
Outcome: Up to $700M settlement; $425M consumer fund; 20 years of security assessments.
FTC v. Kellogg/Albertsons Merger Challenge
Respondent: Kroger Company and Albertsons Companies, Inc.
The FTC sued to block the proposed $24.6 billion merger of Kroger and Albertsons, the two largest supermarket chains in the United States. The FTC alleged that the merger would eliminate direct compet...
Outcome: FTC filed suit to block merger; litigation pending; divestiture plan challenged as inadequate.
FTC v. Match Group — Deceptive Use of Fake Profiles
Respondent: Match Group, Inc. (Match.com)
The FTC sued Match Group, the operator of Match.com, alleging that the company used fake love interest advertisements to trick consumers into purchasing paid subscriptions. According to the complaint,...
Outcome: Litigation resulted in settlement requiring refunds and business practice changes.
FTC v. Epic Games — Children's Privacy Violations (Fortnite)
Respondent: Epic Games, Inc.
The FTC imposed a record-breaking $520 million penalty on Epic Games, the maker of Fortnite, for violating children's privacy laws and using dark patterns to trick players into making purchases. The $...
Outcome: $520M total penalties; record COPPA fine; $245M in consumer refunds.
FTC v. Qualcomm — Anticompetitive Licensing Practices
Respondent: Qualcomm Incorporated
The FTC sued Qualcomm alleging that the semiconductor company used anticompetitive tactics to maintain its monopoly in the supply of certain baseband processors used in cell phones and other devices. ...
Outcome: District court ruled for FTC; reversed on appeal by Ninth Circuit; FTC declined further review.
FTC v. Frontier Communications — Internet Speed Deception
Respondent: Frontier Communications
The FTC sued Frontier Communications for failing to provide internet speeds advertised to customers in many areas it served. The complaint alleged that Frontier charged customers for internet service ...
Outcome: $8.5M settlement; required to stop advertising undeliverable speeds; customer restitution.