United States. Department of Education

The United States Department of Education is the federal agency responsible for establishing policy for, administering, and coordinating much of the federal government's assistance to education. According to the department's own overview, education in the United States is mainly a state and local responsibility, but the department provides leadership and funding to help schools and students across the country.

Its mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. Congress created the department through the Department of Education Organization Act, signed in 1979, and it began operating on May 4, 1980.

The department is headquartered in Washington, D.C., in the Lyndon Baines Johnson Building. It is led by the secretary of education, a Cabinet member who advises the president on federal education policy and oversees the department's work.