Department of Education

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes ......................................................................2

Amounts Available for Obligation ............................................................................................3

Obligations by Object Classification, Office of Inspector General ...........................................4

Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)....................5

Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, CRRSA Act (P.L. 116-260) ...................6

Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, ARP Act (P.L. 117-02)...........................7

Summary of Changes..............................................................................................................8

Authorizing Legislation ............................................................................................................9

Appropriations History ...........................................................................................................10

Activities: 

Office of Inspector General..............................................................................................11
1

Appropriations Language

For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General, as authorized by section 

212 of the Department of Education Organization Act, $76,452,000, of which $2,000,000 

shall remain available until expended.1

NOTES

A full-year 2022 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; 

therefore, the budget assumes this account is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2022 (Division 

A of P.L. 117-43, as amended). The amounts included for 2022 reflect the annualized level provided by the 

continuing resolution.

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document which follows the appropriations language.
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

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Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1...of which up to $2,000,000, shall remain

available until expended.

The language provides that of the amount 

appropriated, $2 million would be no-year 

funding. The need for the additional flexibility 

is for two main reasons: (1) due to delays in 

hiring, multiyear funds provide additional 

flexibility to allow the OIG to restore its FTE 

level; and (2) since 15 percent of the OIG 

budget is associated with common support 

provided by the Department, multiyear funds 

allow for flexibility if actual costs are lower 

than expected and funds are returned to the 

OIG at end of the fiscal year, or if actual costs 

are higher than expected and additional funds 

are required for the OIG.
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Amounts Available for Obligation

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation and Adjustments 2021 2022 2023

Discretionary budget authority:

Appropriation $63,000 $63,000 $76,452

Transfer from:

Department of Education, CRRSAA Act1 for:

Inspector General (P.L. 116-260) 5,000 0 0

Subtotal, adjusted discretionary appropriation 5,000 0 0

Mandatory budget authority:

Transfer from: 

 Department of Education, American Rescue Act2 for: 

Inspector General

5,000 0 0

Subtotal, mandatory appropriation 5,000 0 0

Total, discretionary and mandatory 

appropriation 73,000 63,000 76,452

Disaster Relief unobligated balance, start of year 3,255 1,897 198

CARES Act unobligated balance, start of year 6,905 4,629 0

CRRSAA Act unobligated balance, start of year 0 5,000 2,703

American Rescue Plan Act unobligated balance, start of year 0 5,000 5,000

Disaster Relief unobligated balance, end of year -1,878 -198 0

CARES Act unobligated balance, end of year -2,905 0 0

CRRSAA Act unobligated balance, end of year -5,000 -2,297 0

American Rescue Plan Act unobligated balance, end of year -5,000 -5,000 0

Total, direct obligations 68,377 72,031 84,353

1 CRRSAA Act Funding includes appropriations from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental 

Appropriations Act of 2021.

2 American Rescue Plan Act Funding includes appropriations from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
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Obligations by Object Classification, Office of Inspector General

(dollars in thousands)

Object Class

2021

Actual

2022

Estimate

2023

Request

Change 

from 2022

to 2023

11.10 Full-time permanent $24,265 $30,914 $35,860 $4,946

11.31 Full-time temporary 1,097 0 0 0

11.32 Part-time 454 0 0 0

11.51 Overtime 1,658 0 0 0

11.52 Awards 482 1,031 1,137 106

Subtotal, Personnel Comp. 27,956 31,945 36,997 5,052

12.00 Benefits 11,930 13,513 15,741 2,228

Subtotal, Per. Com. & Ben. 39,886 45,458 52,887 7,429

21.00 Travel 195 736 1,828 1,092

22.00 Transportation of things 0 0 0 0

23.10 Rental payments to GSA 6,084 4,767 4,919 152

23.31 Communications 126 161 168 7

23.32 Postage/fees 4 4 27 23

Subtotal, 23 6,214 4,932 5,114 182

24.00 Printing and reproduction 0 1 1 0

25.10

Advisory and assistance 

services 691 0 0 0

25.21 Other services 2,348 2,620 4,084 1,464

25.22 Training/tuition contracts 430 750 724 -26

25.30

Goods/services from Federal

Sources 1,456 1,211 1,584 373 

25.71 Operations/maint of equip. 0 5 5 0

25.72 IT services/contracts 5,996 5,992 8,673 2,681

Subtotal, 25 10,921 10,578 15,070 4,492

26.00 Supplies 88 159 164 5

31.10 IT equipment/software 3,094 856 961 105

31.30 Other equipment 81 280 427 147

Subtotal, 31 3,175 1,136 1,388 252

32.00 Building alterations 11 0 0 0 

Total, Budget Authority 60,490 63,000 76,452 13,452
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Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, CARES Act (P.L. 116-136)

(dollars in thousands)

Object class number Object Class

2021 

Actual

2022

Estimate

2023 

Request

Change 

from 2022 

to 2023

11.31 Full-time temporary $1,757 $2,326 0 -$2,326

Compensation subtotal 1,757 2,326 0 -2,326

12.00 Benefits 473 783 0 -783

Comp/benefits subtotal 2,230 3,109 0 -3,109

21.00 Travel 26 157 0 -157

23.31 Communications 0 25 0 -25

25.21 Other services 19 42 0 -42

25.22 Training/tuition contracts 0 30 0 -30

25.72 IT services/contracts 0 950 0 -950

Subtotal 25 19 1,022 0 -1,022

26.00 Supplies 1 8 0 -8

31.10 IT equipment/software 0 333 0 -333

Total, Obligations 2,276 4,629 0 -4,629
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Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, CRRSA Act (P.L. 116-260)

(dollars in thousands)

Object class number Object Class

2021

Actual

2022

Estimate

2023 

Request

Change 

from 2022 

to 2023

11.31 Full-time temporary 0 $1,667 $1,950 +$283

Compensation subtotal 0 1,667 1,950 +283

12.00 Benefits 0 630 666 36

Comp/benefits subtotal 0 2,297 2,616 +319

21.00 Travel 0 0 50 +50

25.21 Other services 0 0 22 +22

25.22 Training/tuition contracts 0 0 15 +15

Subtotal 25 0 0 37 +37

Total, Obligations 0 2,297 2,703 +406
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Obligations by Object Classification, Supplemental, ARP Act (P.L. 117-02)

(dollars in thousands)

Object class number

Object Class 2021 

Actual

2022

Estimate

2023 

Request

Change 

from 2022 

to 2023

11.31 Full-time temporary 0 0 $3,396 +$3,396

12.00 Benefits 0 0 1,290 +1,290

13.00 Benefits for former personnel 0 0 0 0

Comp/benefits subtotal 0 0 4,686 +4,686

21.00 Travel 0 0 113 +113

25.10 Advisory and assistance services 0 0 64 +64

25.21 Other services 0 0 40 +40

25.22 Training/tuition contracts 0 0 51 +51

Subtotal 25 0 0 155 +155

Total, Obligations 0 0 4,954 +4,954
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Summary of Changes

 (dollars in thousands)

2022 $63,000

2023 76,452

Net change +13,452

2022 Base

Change 

from Base

Built-in:

Increase in salaries and benefits for 26 FTE, projected benefits 

increase, and a 4.6 percent pay raise.

$45,458 +$7,429

Program:

Decrease in Training 750 -26

Increase in Other Equipment 280 +147

Increase in Supplies 159 +5

Increase in Postage/fees 4 +23

Increase in IT Services/Contracts

Increase in Other services

5,992

2,620

+2,681

+1,464

Net changes in other areas 7,737 +1,729

 Net Change +13,452
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Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2022 

Authorized

2022 

Estimate

2023 

Authorized

2023

Request

Inspector General (DEOA, Section 212) Indefinite $63,000 Indefinite $76,452

Total appropriation 63,000 76,452
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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance

Senate 

Allowance Appropriation

20141 $62,347 N/A $59,700 $57,791

Transfer (P.L.113-6) 0 0 0 1,100

20152 59,181 N/A 58,791 57,791

20163 59,256 $59,256 57,791 59,256

20174 61,941 59,256 59,256 59,256

20185 61,143 59,256 61,143 61,143

20196 63,418 61,143 61,143 61,143

20207 63,418 67,418 61,143 63,000

20218 68,019 64,000 63,000 63,000

20229 70,115 70,115 70,115 63,000

2023 76,452

1 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance reflects 

Committee action only.

2 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance 

reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

3 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations 

bill, which proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

4 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.

5 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriation bill; the Senate 

allowance reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation 

reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141).

6 The levels for the House and Senate allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and

Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245).

7 The Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94).

8 The level for the House Allowance reflects subcommittee action. The level for Senate Allowance reflects the 

Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects Division H of the FY 2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 

(P.L. 116-260).

9 The House allowance reflects floor action on the FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act; the Senate allowance 

reflects the Chairman’s mark; and the Appropriation reflects the annualized continuing resolution level.
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Office of Inspector General

(Department of Education Organization Act, Section 212)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: Indefinite 

Budget Authority: Period of fund availability: 

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

Personnel Compensation and Benefits 

Costs

$45,458 $52,887 +$7,429

Non-Personnel Costs 17,542 23,565 +6,023

Total $63,000 $76,452 +13,452

FTE 2271 2532 +26

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 

The Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) mission is to promote efficiency, effectiveness, and 

integrity in the U.S. Department of Education's (Department) programs and operations through 

independent and objective audits, investigations, inspections, and other activities. The role of the 

OIG is to monitor the Department's performance and report to the Congress and to the Secretary 

on opportunities for improvement and any problems or deficiencies.

The OIG has authority to inquire about all program and administrative activities of the 

Department and related activities of all parties working under contracts, grants, or other 

arrangements with the Department. OIG staff and contracted auditors both make inquiries.

To carry out its responsibilities, the OIG audits and inspects Department programs and 

operations to determine compliance with applicable laws and regulations, economy and 

efficiency of operations, and effectiveness in achieving program goals. The OIG also conducts 

criminal, civil, and administrative investigations related to the Department’s programs and 

operations.

In addition, the OIG maintains a hotline portal (https://oighotline.ed.gov) where anyone may 

report fraud, waste, or abuse involving Department of Education funds or programs as well as 

whistleblower reprisal complaints. Allegations can be reported in six languages. The OIG also 

maintains a hotline phone number (1-800-MISUSED) that provides instructions on how to 

report fraud, waste, or abuse. Each month the hotline receives about 300 complaints and 

200 telephone contacts. The OIG also receives over 100 complaints per month through 

Federal Student Aid’s (FSA) Feedback system.

1 Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022 FTE totals excludes CARES, CRRSA, and ARP Act FTE.

2 Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 FTE totals excludes CRRSA, and ARP Act FTE.
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $61,143

2019 61,143

2020 63,000

2020 CARES Act 7,000

2021 63,000

2021 CRRSA Act 5,000

2021 Mandatory ARP Act 5,000

2022 Estimate 63,000

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST 

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $76.4 million, $13.4 million more than a fiscal 

year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The requested funding 

level includes $2 million in no-year funding to allow for flexibility if actual costs are higher or 

lower than expected, especially for overhead and shared services. The OIG understands that 

this is a significant increase to its budgetary resources. However, it is a necessary increase that 

will allow the OIG to cover its operational expenses, enhance its information technology (IT) 

infrastructure, and most importantly, hire critically needed full-time equivalent (FTE) employees.

At the fiscal year 2023 requested funding level, the OIG will have the ability to sustain 253 FTEs, 

an increase of 26 FTEs from fiscal year 2022. This will allow the OIG to expand its audit and 

investigative efforts and provide more robust and effective oversight of the OIG’s expanding and 

diverse programs, operations, and funding.

The request supports the OIG’s continued operations from locations throughout the country. In 

fiscal year 2023, about 60 percent of the OIG’s staff will be assigned to 16 regional and field 

office locations in Ann Arbor, Michigan; Atlanta, Georgia; Boston, Massachusetts; Chicago, 

Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; Kansas City, Missouri; Long Beach, California; 

Nashville, Tennessee; New York, New York; Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;

Pembroke Pines, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; Sacramento, California; and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The remaining 40 percent will be in the Washington, DC, headquarters office. Below you will find 

the OIG’s justification for the requested amount, including information on operational and 

distribution costs and OIG priorities specific to its audit, investigative, and IT security efforts.

No-Year Funding

The OIG’s fiscal year 2022 appropriation included $2 million in no-year funding. For fiscal year 

2023, the OIG requests $2 million for no-year funding, level with the fiscal year 2023

appropriation. This no-year funding provides the OIG with additional flexibility for frequent, 

unanticipated year-end changes usually associated with common support and central IT support 

provided by the Department. These multiyear funds allow for flexibility if actual costs are lower 

than expected and funds are returned to the OIG at the end of the fiscal year, or if actual costs 

are higher than expected and additional funds are required from the OIG.
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Staffing Challenges and FY 2023 Opportunities

The overriding purpose of the requested level of funding is for the OIG to maintain the size of its 

staff to ensure sufficient oversight of the Department’s annual budget. The Department’s fiscal 

year 2021 enacted level is more than $95 billion, $73.5 billion in discretionary funding and $103

billion in mandatory funding. Within this amount it administers more than 100 programs and 

makes more than $70 billion in grants each year. It also disburses about $115 billion in student 

aid each year and manages an outstanding loan portfolio of more than $1.6 trillion. 

This makes the Department one of the largest financial institutions in the country, as well as one 

of the largest grant-making Federal agencies. It also operates with about 4,000 FTEs and relies 

heavily on contractor and subcontractor support, particularly in administering the Federal student 

aid programs. The Department’s funding flows out to thousands of eligible entities, including all 

the States and territories, more than 17,000 school districts, about 5,6000 institutions of higher 

education, and more than 10 million individual recipients of Federal student aid funds each year.

With such a large number of programs, program participants, and contractors providing support, 

effective oversight and monitoring of the Department’s programs, operations, and program 

participants are critical. Oversight and monitoring, however, are longstanding management 

challenges for the Department due to insufficient funding. As the entity responsible for 

overseeing the Department’s operations, programs, and funds, the OIG and its role are vital. Yet 

providing sufficient oversight has been a challenge for the OIG over the last 7 years due to its 

limited staff.

Staffing Challenges

The OIG is grateful for the $17 million that the Congress authorized for its coronavirus-related

oversight activities specific to the $280 billion the Department received to help States, schools, 

and institutions of higher education meet their needs and the needs of their students impacted by 

the pandemic. To date, we have brought 18 term employees on board to assist with our 

pandemic relief oversight efforts. We continue to evaluate contract vehicles to further assist with 

our pandemic relief aid oversight efforts. Although having the ability to bring on term employees 

and contractors helps with our coronavirus-related work, it unfortunately does not help address 

our ongoing annual needs.

Simply put, the OIG has not had sufficient funding to hire the FTEs needed to meet the needs 

and demands for our oversight work.

• Impact on Audit-Related Work

o The inability to bring on board much-needed staff has resulted in many of the 

Department’s programs and operations not receiving oversight. We have not been 

able to cover some key programs and operations to determine whether they are being 

carried out as required by law, reaching the intended recipients, or achieving the 

desired results. For example, our planned work on the implementation of requirements 

under the Every Student Succeeds Act has been delayed. We also have not reviewed

in many years some large programs with annual appropriations near or above

$1 billion, such as 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Career and Technical 

Education, and Strengthening Institutions, to assess whether they are being effectively 

administered to achieve their objectives.
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o Increases in the number of statutorily required work items have also impacted our 

ability to review as many programs and operations as we could. Our limited audit staff 

must complete the mandatory work. Statutory reviews added to the OIG’s 

responsibilities over the past several years include the purchase card program, the 

small business innovation research program, the Digital Accountability and 

Transparency Act, the Grants Oversight and New Efficiency Act, and the Geospatial 

Data Act. Audit staff must also conduct mandatory work involving non-Federal audits 

(quality control reviews of single and compliance audits) and oversight of two large 

financial statement audits of the Department and FSA.

o During fiscal years 2020, 2021, and thus far in 2022, we received multiple requests 

from Congress to conduct unplanned audit-related work involving significant issues. In 

fiscal year 2021, we were able to initiate work in response to one of those requests, 

and it is the same thus far in 2022—we can initiate work in response to only one of 

those requests.

o Given our limited audit staffing, we regularly find ourselves unable to conduct other 

discretionary work listed in our Annual Plans because new priorities or mandates 

emerge.

• Impact on Investigations

o Limited resources impact the number of criminal investigators we can hire, which in 

turn limits the number of investigations we can conduct.

o OIG investigative operations have been limited to only those cases posing the highest 

risk to the Department’s funds, programs, and operations, leaving other allegations of 

fraud, corruption, or malfeasance uninvestigated by the OIG.

o We have also had to limit our outreach efforts in geographic areas where we have not 

been receiving allegations, but where we believe fraud exists at the same level as 

other States.

o Whistleblower reprisal investigations have a statutory deadline for completion, and 

they must take priority. This requires OIG investigative operations to reassign limited 

resources to ensure we meet the statutory mandate for conducting such 

investigations.

• Impact on IT Security Work

o The Department maintains 116 systems that are classified as operational and are 

reportable under the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA). Many of 

those systems contain the personally identifiable information of millions of people and 

are used to administer and disburse billions of Federal student aid dollars.

o Due to limited resources, the OIG can complete only the statutory FISMA audit. It is 

resource intensive, leaving the OIG unable to conduct other targeted audits of IT

systems and security functions, such as the breach notification procedures at 

institutions receiving Federal student aid and housing departmental data.
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Over the last several years, and as shown in previous budget submissions, unanticipated costs 

associated with common support and general personnel and non-personnel services have 

required the OIG to divert funds it intended to use for FTEs to cover those costs. As a result, the 

OIG has not been able to keep pace with the need for its audit and investigative services. 

The requested FTE level for fiscal year 2023 will allow the OIG to maintain critically needed staff 

to support our audit, investigative, and IT security efforts. The chart below shows the OIG’s 

staffing level since 2014 and our anticipated 2023 staffing level based on our appropriations 

request.

Staffing Opportunities

At the fiscal year 2023 requested funding level, the OIG will be able to increase its staffing to 

253 FTEs. This represents an increase of 26 FTEs. This will enable the OIG to accomplish the 

following: 

• Expand its Audit Services component.

o Expand and adequately staff a new component within Audit Services to conduct 

inspections, evaluations, and quick response work.

o Expedite nationwide audit work to allow the OIG to cover multiple external entities 

(such as States) simultaneously and complete work in a timelier fashion.

o Increase audit coverage of emerging areas and programs and operations with 

heightened risk.

200

220

240

260

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

FTE

Fiscal Year

OIG Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) Employment

OIG Regular FTE
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• Expand its Investigation Services.

o Conduct additional administrative, criminal, and civil investigations into credible 

allegations of fraud involving the Department’s funds, operations, and programs.

o Increase investigative efforts on conducting Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations, 

special interest inquiries, quick response work (fraud alerts), congressional 

investigations, and allegations of administrative and criminal misconduct against 

Department employees.

o Expand fraud awareness outreach efforts to help educate and train stakeholders and 

the public on education-related fraud schemes and fraud indicators.

• Expand its Information Technology Audits, Computer Crimes, and Forensic Support 

Services:

o Conduct additional data analytics projects to proactively identify criminal activity 

impacting the Department’s programs; examine the effectiveness of its programs; and 

proactively identify fiscal year misuse, theft, and other criminal activity involving the 

Department’s funds.

o Conduct more robust vulnerability assessments that would greatly increase our ability 

to identify and report security threats against the Department’s IT infrastructure. In 

particular, protect against the loss or compromise of sensitive information. 

FY 2023 Distribution of Costs 

The chart below is a summary and breakdown of the OIG’s distribution costs for fiscal year 2023. 

Overhead

15.4%, $11.8

Other Non-Personnel

15.4%, $11.8

Personnel 

Compensation & 

Benefits

69.2%, $52.9

FY 2023 Distribution of Costs

($ in millions)

Overhead includes funding not executed by the OIG: rent, telecommunication, 

interagency agreements, and IT services. 

Other Non-Personnel includes funding executed by the OIG: travel, advisory 

and assistance services, training, and CIGIE support.
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Personnel Compensation and Benefits Costs

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests $52.887 million for Personnel Compensation and 

Benefits, $7.429 million more than the fiscal year 2022 level. It is the largest of OIG’s operational 

costs which is 69.18 percent of the OIG budget. At the fiscal year 2023 funding request, the OIG 

will be able to sustain 253 FTEs. The Personnel Compensation and Benefits amount includes

4.6 percent proposed cost of living increase and law enforcement availability pay (required by 

5 U.S.C. § 5545) for criminal investigators who are required to be available during hours that are 

not part of the regular work week.

Overhead

Overhead is the OIG’s second largest pool of costs (15.4 percent of the OIG budget). The fiscal 

year 2023 budget request includes $11.763 million for anticipated overhead cost/departmental 

centralized services. Rent and the Administration’s IT contract use about 83.92 percent of the 

centralized services resources. The IT services and contracts amounts are primarily for the 

Department’s IT contracts, which cover equipment, telecommunications, processing services, 

network support, end-user support, maintenance, and improvements. Other items included in 

overhead costs are interagency agreements for services such as payroll processing, guard 

services, and background security investigations.

Departmental Centralized Services

(dollars in thousands)

Item

2022

Estimate 2023 Request Difference

Rent $4,767 $4,919 +$152

Central IT 4,551 4,969 +418

Other Central Support 1,738 1,875 +137

Centralized Services $11,056 $11,763 $707

Other Non-Personnel Costs

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests $11.802 million for Other Non-Personnel, $5.177 million

more than the fiscal year 2022 level. This represents 15.4 percent of the OIG’s overall budget

including travel, training, good/services from shared Federal services, IT needs that are not 

covered by the OIG’s centralized services, and other services (which consists of a change to the 

advisory and assistance services included in previous submissions). 

Travel

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG request $1.828 million for travel, $1.092 million more than the fiscal 

year 2022 level. The OIG anticipates a return to regular travel practices post-pandemic. While

conducting their work, OIG staff regularly travel to locations across the country to interview staff 

and examine records at State educational agencies, local educational agencies, schools, other 

grantees, loan servicers, contractors, and other recipients of Federal education funds. OIG 

criminal investigators also travel to Federal, State, and local courthouses, and numerous 
OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

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locations to interview witnesses, conduct search and arrest warrants, and testify at court 

hearings. These destinations often fall outside of where OIG staff are located, thus necessitating 

travel.

Training

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests $724,000 for training, $26,000 below the fiscal year 2022

level. This includes training funds for professional, statutorily mandated, or other required 

training for the OIG’s auditors, investigators, business professionals, and other staff. As required 

by the Government Accountability Office, auditors performing work under generally accepted 

Government auditing standards must maintain professional competencies through 80 hours of 

continuing professional education every 2 years. The OIG’s criminal investigators must also 

complete mandatory law enforcement training requirements to obtain and maintain their statutory

law enforcement authorities. In addition, the requested amount will cover the costs of review 

courses and examinations to obtain professional certifications, enhance IT skills to address everincreasing computer requirements and combat threats, and increase competencies for all OIG 

staff. 

To minimize costs, the OIG will continue to use online courses where practical, and use courses 

offered through the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) and 

other OIGs. The OIG also uses qualified in-house staff to deliver training, including accredited 

trainers to deliver firearms and other mandated training to OIG investigators. The OIG will use 

vendor-offered courses only for critical training not available through these means.

In accordance with of the Inspector General Act, 5 U.S.C. app 3 § 6(g)(1), the Inspector General 

has certified that the amount requested for required training of our staff, including amounts 

designated for the statutorily required training provided by the Federal Law Enforcement Training 

Center, the Inspector General Criminal Investigator Academy, and in the Department’s

centralized services, would satisfy all the OIG’s fiscal year 2023 training requirements.

Goods/Services from Government

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests $1.584 million for Goods and Services from shared 

Federal sources, $373,000 more than the fiscal year 2022 level. Within this request, $282,872

will cover the OIG’s funding support for CIGIE, in accordance with § 6(g) of the Inspector 

General Act of 1978, as amended, 5 U.S.C. This contribution is 0.37 percent of the OIG 2023 

designated funding level based on a total budget request of $76.452 million, including the CIGIE 

amount. The fiscal year 2023 request also includes $322,000 in miscellaneous interagency 

agreements covering a variety of services provided by other Federal agencies, of which $95,000

is designated for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and the Inspector General 

Criminal Investigator Academy for required training.

Advisory and Assistance Services

In fiscal year 2023, the OIG funding request for the FISMA audit will be realigned under Other 

Services.
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Other Services

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests $4.084 million for Other Services, $1.464 million more 

than the fiscal year 2022 level. This includes services for its statutory financial statements audit 

and its FISMA audit. In addition, it consists of $603,880 for car leases.

• Financial Statements Audits. In accordance with the Inspector General Act of 1978, as 

amended, and the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990, as amended, the OIG oversees 

the financial statement audits. The audits will result in reports on the Department’s and 

FSA’s financial statements. Audits will examine and analyze account balances, review 

applicable financial systems, and evaluate internal controls and compliance with certain 

laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements. The audits will assess the fair 

presentation of the financial statements, make recommendations for improving financial 

management and accountability, and identify areas requiring further review by 

management. 

• FISMA. Title III of the E-Government Act, the Federal Information Security Management 

Act of 2002, as amended by FISMA, requires inspectors general to perform independent 

evaluations of the effectiveness of their agency’s information security programs. The 

requested funding will result in reports on the effectiveness of general and technical IT 

security controls of the Department’s mission-critical and support systems and the 

Department’s overall information security plans, programs, and practices.

Building Alterations

In FY 2023, the OIG’s budget request does not include funds for our anticipated expiring leases 

and construction costs associated with our offices and any other building alteration costs. These 

funds have been included in the Department’s budget request. As such, the Department will be 

responsible for covering those costs directly.

OIG IT Needs Not Covered by Departmental Centralized Services

The OIG’s budget request includes IT Services and Contracts and IT Equipment and Software 

that are not covered under Centralized Services. 

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests [excluding Centralized Services] $3.720 million for IT 

Services and Contracts, $2.276 million more than the fiscal year 2022 level. The requested level 

is for system support and expertise executed by the OIG. This funding includes cybersecurity, 

program, and maintenance costs associated with supporting various OIG systems and 

applications. These services are critical for supporting OIG IT security operations and computer 

forensics. 

For fiscal year 2023, the OIG requests [excluding Centralized Services] $953,000 for IT 

Equipment and Software, $104,000 more than the fiscal year 2022 level. This requested amount 

will cover support for noncentralized IT software maintenance agreements, software license 

renewals, and equipment purchases necessary for the OIG to conduct its audit and investigative 

work.
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FY 2023 GOALS AND PRIORITIES

The OIG’s strategic goals are the following:

• Goal 1: Deliver high-quality, timely, and impactful products and services that promote 

efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in the Department’s operations and programs.

• Goal 2: Cultivate a diverse, highly skilled, and inspired workforce with enough resources to 

carry out the OIG’s mission.

• Goal 3: Implement internal processes that promote organizational effectiveness, stewardship

of resources, and accountability.

The OIG will meet these goals through audits, investigations, human capital planning, enterprise 

risk management, and other activities. These activities may identify problems, deficiencies, or 

opportunities for improvement, and the OIG will communicate the results to those who need the 

information and who will monitor the results of the work to ensure issues are addressed. For

fiscal year 2023, the OIG plans audit and investigative work to cover the following priorities and 

high-risk areas.

Audit Priorities

Given the large number of Department’s programs and participants, effective oversight and 

monitoring are critical. However, oversight and monitoring are longstanding management 

challenges for the Department. These factors increase the significance of the OIG Audit 

Services’ role in promoting the efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s

programs and operations. The appropriations request for additional FTEs will include staff for the

Audit Services component, which will allow the component to expand its reach and efforts in the 

following high-risk areas.

Student Financial Assistance Programs

• Contractors. FSA relies heavily on contractors to operate its computer systems and perform 

many of the functions necessary to process, award, service, and account for student aid. The 

OIG has consistently identified problems with FSA’s contract oversight. In fiscal year 2023, 

the OIG will continue to focus on FSA’s contractor oversight, most notably on activities 

related to FSA’s Next Generation Loan Servicing Environment. 

• Postsecondary Institutions. The OIG plans to continue to conduct audits of proprietary, 

nonprofit, and public schools. The interests of schools may not always align with the 

purposes of the Federal student financial assistance programs and could harm students and 

lead to the misuse of Federal funds. Planned and ongoing work may include compliance with 

Career Pathways program and Ability to Benefit requirements and FSA’s processes for 

overseeing proprietary school compliance with 90/10 revenue requirements.

• Oversight and Monitoring of Student Financial Assistance Program Participants. The 

OIG’s audits of FSA’s oversight of program participants, schools, lenders, and servicers have 

consistently identified weaknesses. Planned work includes an assessment of the extent to 

which FSA identifies individuals who belong to underserved communities and performs 
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related outreach and an assessment of the extent to which the Department reported on 

experimental sites initiatives to Congress and the public.

State and Local Programs

• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act. ESSA is a departure from its predecessor, as it provides States with more 

flexibility and control over education policy. In fiscal year 2023, the OIG will initiate reviews of

States’ implementation of their ESSA State plans, focusing specifically on Statewide 

accountability systems and required assessments, and the Department’s oversight 

processes to ensure that the plans are being followed. 

• Charter Schools. The Department’s Charter Schools Program provides funding that is 

intended to help create new public charter schools, replicate high-quality public charter 

schools, and disseminate information about effective practices within charter schools. The 

OIG’s ongoing work includes reviews of the Department’s oversight of Charter School 

Program Grants for Replication and Expansion of High-Quality Charter Schools, also known 

as Charter Management Organization grants, and the effectiveness of Charter School 

Program Grants in increasing the number of charter schools.

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA authorizes programs to help 

educate children with disabilities and governs how States and public agencies provide early 

intervention, special education, and related services. Planned work includes a review to 

determine what steps the Department has taken to implement its final regulations on 

significant disproportionality in special education.

Departmental Operations

• Financial Statement Audits. The Government Management Reform Act of 1994 expanded 

the Chief Financial Officers Act of 1990 by requiring, among other things, the annual 

preparation and audit of organization-wide financial statements of the Executive Branch 

departments. The OIG annually oversees and monitors the work performed by an 

independent public accounting firm contracted to provide an opinion on whether Department 

and FSA financial statements are fairly presented. Under OIG oversight, the independent 

public accounting firm also reports any material weaknesses and significant deficiencies in 

the Department’s or FSA’s internal control over financial reporting and any instances of 

noncompliance with certain laws, regulations, contracts, and grant agreements.

• FISMA Audit. The Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 permanently 

reauthorized the framework established in the Government Information Security Reform Act 

of 2000 by continuing its annual review and reporting requirement, as well as including new 

provisions that further strengthened the Federal government’s data and information systems 

security. This guidance was further updated with the enactment of FISMA, which requires the 

OIG to perform an annual evaluation assessing the effectiveness of the agency’s information 

security program. Each year, the OIG plans and executes an annual audit to determine 

whether the Department and FSA’s overall IT security programs and practices are effective 

as they relate to Federal information security requirements.

• Improper Payments. The Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019 requires each agency’s 

inspector general to determine the agency’s compliance with the statute for each fiscal year. 
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As part of this review, the OIG also evaluates various actions concerning improper payments 

taken by the agency.

Emerging Areas 

• Quick Response Work. Throughout the year, the OIG allocates resources in response to 

high-priority, time-sensitive issues. This work may be based on requests from Congress or 

Department program offices, hotline allegations, or OIG performed risk analysis. Objectives 

will vary based on the nature of the referral or concerns identified.

Investigation Priorities

The OIG strives to investigate all legitimate allegations of fraud, corruption, and other criminal 

activity involving the Department’s funds and programs. Unfortunately, due to staffing limitations, 

we have been able to investigate only those matters of the highest priority that would have the 

most significant impact on the Department’s programs and operations. We need and want to do 

more, as bad actors and fraudsters may be able to further their schemes and scams while we 

tackle those higher risk, higher priority cases. OIG investigations are often based on complex 

regulatory schemes, involve persons and entities that are geographically dispersed and can take 

several years to fully develop and resolve, and often result in significant recoveries for the

Federal government. The appropriations request for additional FTEs will include staff for OIG’s 

Investigation Services that will enable the component to expand its reach and efforts in the 

following high-risk areas.

• Postsecondary Education Fraud. The OIG will continue to devote significant resources to 

conducting criminal and civil investigations involving postsecondary education programs.

These programs represent the largest concentration of education program dollars at risk. In 

fiscal year 2021, our postsecondary investigations resulted in the recovery of about 

$16.9 million. These investigations currently represent about 52 percent of the OIG’s 

investigative inventory.

• Elementary and Secondary Education Fraud. The OIG will continue to focus significant 

resources on allegations of bribery and theft involving State and local public-school officials. 

From fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2021, the OIG investigated 123 cases involving 

elementary and secondary education programs. During that time, those investigations 

resulted in 84 indictments, 72 convictions, and 113 civil actions securing more than 

$45.3 million in restitution, fines, and civil recoveries. In fiscal year 2021, our Elementary and 

Secondary Education case resulted in $13.4 million in recoveries. 

• Charter Schools. The OIG will continue to conduct criminal investigations of fraud in charter 

schools. From fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2021, the OIG conducted 

43 investigations, which represented 35 percent of the OIG’s elementary and secondary 

investigative inventory. During that time, charter school investigations resulted in 

17 indictments, 18 convictions, and the recovery of over $17.3 million.

• Distance Education Fraud. The OIG will continue to conduct criminal investigations 

involving fraud resulting from the vulnerabilities associated with the delivery of distance 

education; however, the OIG will generally focus only on cases involving a significant

financial loss. Currently, these investigations represent about 19 percent of all open OIG

cases. The OIG will continue to refer matters that are not investigated or prosecuted to the 

Department so that it can take appropriate action to avoid future improper payments. Distant 
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education fraud rings represent, on average, 19 percent of the cases conducted by the OIG 

from fiscal year 2017 through fiscal year 2021. During this period, investigations in this area 

resulted in 109 indictments, 92 convictions, and recoveries of about $21.1 million. In fiscal 

year 2021, the OIG also referred to the Department distance education matters not 

investigated by the OIG totaling more than $14.9 million in potential fraud.

• Whistleblower Reprisal Investigations. The OIG continues to conduct administrative 

investigations of whistleblower reprisal complaints by contractor or grantee employees, as 

well as evaluate the underlying allegations to determine whether criminal or civil 

investigations are warranted. In 2021, the OIG received 33 whistleblower reprisal complaints 

resulting in 10 preliminary inquiries initiated by the OIG to resolve these allegations and 2 

investigations.

• Network Intrusion/Cybercrime. As the Department’s data systems house the personally 

identifiable information of millions of student loan borrowers and their families, the OIG must 

continue to prioritize its efforts to detect intrusions and unauthorized access into the 

Department’s systems and criminal misuse of the Department’s systems and electronic data. 

As criminal intrusion activity evolves, so must our ability to identify and stop it. The OIG must 

have the ability to identify new and emergency threats and conduct advanced digital 

forensics in support of high-technology investigations.

• Pandemic Relief Aid Investigations. The OIG anticipates an increase in allegations of 

criminal activity associated with funds disbursement 24 to 36 months after the passage of 

three measures providing emergency funding to States, schools, institutions of higher 

education, and students: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act or CARES Act 

(March 2020), the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021-Coronavirus Response and Relief 

Supplemental Appropriations Act (December 2020), and the American Rescue Plan 

(March 2021). This fiscal year 2023 targeted budget request supports the staffing capacity to 

respond to allegations of pandemic relief aid fraud. The OIG will continue to detect fraud and 

conduct criminal investigations resulting from vulnerabilities associated with the diversion of 

pandemic relief aid funds or the illegal interference with the Department’s ability to effectively 

provide authorized assistance. In fiscal year 2021, we conducted 57 preliminary inquiries 

involved pandemic relief funding currently have 9 open investigations.

IT Audits and Cybercrime Priorities

The OIG was one of the first offices of inspectors general to establish a technology-focused 

component combining audit, investigations, analytics, and digital evidence expertise to address 

management and security issues. Information Technology, Audits, and Computer Crime 

Investigations (ITACCI) conducts IT audits, investigates computer-related crimes, provides digital 

forensic services, and conducts proactive data analytics. ITACCI also provides expert data and 

financial analysis in support of OIG investigations and audits, develops risk models, and 

coordinates data mining efforts. The appropriations request for additional FTEs will include staff 

for ITACCI that will enable ITACCI to continue providing first-class technologies and services in 

furtherance of the OIG mission and focus on the following areas.

• Data Analytics. In fiscal year 2023, ITACCI looks to focus its data analytics efforts in the 

growing area of fraud involving Department programs and operations and illegal electronic 

financial transactions. This includes unauthorized payment requests, ineligible program 

participants, and program abuse and fraud. This data analytics activity requires the OIG to 

continue to maintain its data risk assessment systems that allow the OIG to discern patterns 
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indicating fraud, waste, and abuse and allow dynamic audit and investigative planning using 

risk-based analysis. ITACCI also looks to conduct data analytics projects to proactively 

identify criminal activity impacting the Department’s programs; examine the effectiveness of 

these programs; and proactively identify misuse, theft, and other criminal activity involving 

Department funds. ITACCI will be instrumental in providing audit support for pandemic relief 

aid audit work and will use data analytics and our OIG data warehouse to examine the 

effectiveness of the relief programs, and proactively identify misuse, theft, and other criminal 

activity involving pandemic relief aid funds.

• IT Audits. The OIG IT audit efforts will include assessing the effectiveness of the 

Department’s information security program as mandated by FISMA. The Department

maintains 116 systems that are classified as operational and are reportable under the 

FISMA. Many of those systems contain the personally identifiable information of millions of 

people and are used to administer and disburse billions of Federal student aid dollars. Due to 

limited resources, the OIG historically completed only the statutory FISMA audit

requirements. The annual FISMA requirements are resource intensive and have limited the 

OIG’s ability to conduct additional discretionary performance audits of IT systems. By 

contracting for the annual FISMA audit, the OIG can perform additional audits focused on IT 

contracts, specific IT security functions such as the breach notification procedures at 

institutions receiving Federal student aid, and IT governance of departmental data. Additional 

funding would allow ITACCI to conduct more robust vulnerability assessments that would 

greatly increase our ability to identify and report security threats against the Department’s IT

infrastructure. These increased efforts will provide independent, objective results to help the 

Department improve its management of its IT programs and operations.

• IT Oversight and Operational Support. ITACCI is also responsible for providing IT 

oversight and operational support to OIG staff, including designing, installing, testing, 

implementing, and maintaining critical OIG databases and systems, and coordinates the 

purchase of OIG IT hardware, software, and related items. The team works to ensure the 

integrity and security of sensitive OIG audit and investigative data and proactively identify 

and implement technology solutions for the OIG to conduct its mission more efficiently.

Additional ITACCI resources will be dedicated to designing, installing, testing, implementing, 

and maintaining critical OIG systems and ensuring the independence, integrity, and security 

of sensitive OIG audit and investigative data. Additional resources allow ITACCI to be more 

proactive in identifying and implementing solutions for the OIG to conduct its mission more 

efficiently.

ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS

The OIG is grateful to have received supplemental appropriations for it oversight activities 

specific to the coronavirus pandemic and disaster recovery. Through this funding, the OIG has 

hired term employees and looks to hire additional term staff in fiscal year 2022 to assist with our 

oversight work in these areas. The OIG plans to continue this effort in fiscal year 2023.

Pandemic Relief Aid Oversight 

In fiscal year 2020 and fiscal year 2021, the OIG received $17 million to carry out its pandemic 

relief aid oversight activities. The funding was made available through (1) the CARES Act, which

provided the OIG with $7 million for oversight efforts to remain available through September 30, 

2022; (2) the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, which
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provided the OIG with $5 million in no-year funding; and (3) the American Rescue Plan, which

provided the OIG with another $5 million in no-year funding. In fiscal year 2023, the OIG looks to 

do the following.

Audit-Related Work

• Higher Education. Federal pandemic relief aid provided about $78 billion to institutions of 

higher education to meet their needs and the needs of their students impacted by the 

pandemic and requires the implementation of changes to certain Federal student financial 

assistance programs and provided flexibilities to schools. The OIG plans to conduct work in 

fiscal year 2023 that will focus on the Department’s implementation of changes and waivers 

in programmatic requirements. This includes FSA’s processes for return of Title IV waivers, 

cancellation of borrower loans, and exclusion of subsidized loan usage and Federal Pell 

Grant lifetime usage. The OIG will also continue its work related to schools’ use of their 

Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund grants, and the Department’s oversight of these 

funds.

• State and Local Programs. Federal pandemic relief aid provided close to $200 billion to 

assist States and school districts in preventing, preparing for, and responding to the 

coronavirus. The OIG plans to conduct work in fiscal year 2023 that will focus on the 

Department’s grant oversight processes and to continue its work at States and school 

districts. The OIG’s work will include reviews of States’ processes for awarding and 

monitoring subgrants under the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund and the 

Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, as well as school districts’ and 

other entities’ use of these funds. The OIG will also review States’ administration of 

Emergency Assistance to Nonpublic Schools funds.

• Departmental Management. While addressing programmatic changes and performing 

additional grant awarding and monitoring activities for new programs first authorized under 

the three pandemic relief aid laws, the Department must continue to fulfill its existing

responsibilities and maintain operations to help ensure effective program performance and 

compliance. The OIG plans work to assess the Department’s continued oversight of both 

Title IV participants and its early learning, elementary, and secondary education grant 

programs, while implementing coronavirus relief programs and requirements.

Investigation-Related Work

• The OIG anticipates an increase in allegations of criminal activity associated with pandemic 

relief aid funds disbursement 24 to 36 months after the passage of legislation containing

emergency funds for benefits. The OIG will continue to detect fraud and conduct criminal 

investigations resulting from vulnerabilities associated with the diversion of coronavirus 

response and relief aid or the illegal interference with the Department’s ability to effectively 

provide authorized assistance.

Data Analytics-Related Work

• The OIG will continue to use and expand its data analytics capabilities to examine the 

effectiveness of the pandemic response and relief programs, and proactively identify misuse, 

theft, and other criminal activity involving coronavirus-related funds.
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Disaster Recovery Oversight

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 authorized $2.7 billion for the Department to help the 

recovery efforts of States, school districts, and institutions of higher education that were 

impacted by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and the 2017 California wildfires. The 

Additional Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Act of 2019 authorized $165 million 

for necessary expenses related to the consequences of specific hurricanes, typhoons, wildfires, 

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tornadoes, and floods occurring in calendar years 2018 and

2019 in areas for which a major disaster or emergency was declared. The OIG expects to 

continue performing oversight work related to disaster recovery in fiscal year 2023, including 

audit-related reviews of funding allocations, data reliability, and uses of funds under the 

Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations, Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for Displaced 

Students, and Emergency Assistance to Institutions of Higher Education programs. The OIG will 

also continue to investigate allegations of fraud or other criminal activity involving disaster 

recovery funding. Additionally, we will continue working with the National Center for Disaster 

Fraud Working Group, a partnership between the U.S. Department of Justice and various law 

enforcement and regulatory agencies to improve and further the detection, prevention, 

investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters.

PROPOSED PLANS

Two additional proposals are awaiting congressional action that, if passed, could impact OIG 

resources in fiscal year 2023: the America COMPETES Act/U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, 

and the Build Back Better Act. As written, these measures include provisions that would increase 

the Department’s responsibilities by creating new programs or expanding existing programs and 

funding. Although the U.S. House of Representatives’ version of the Build Back Better Act 

includes funding for the OIG to conduct oversight work related to the programs and funding 

included in the bill, the America Competes/U.S. Innovation and Competition Act does not. This 

means that the OIG would need to rely on its annual appropriation to conduct the needed audits, 

investigations, and other oversight work specific to the bill/likely law.

• America COMPETES Act/U.S. Innovation and Competition Act. The House and 

Senate have passed measures authorizing billions of dollars to boost domestic research 

and development of semiconductors, as well as critical supply chains and science, 

technology, engineering, and mathematics education and training. As each chamber has 

passed its own version of this measure, House and Senate negotiators will meet to 

resolve the differences between the two bills and come up with a final bill that will pass 

both chambers. It is likely that the final bill will include new education programs at the K–

12 level, as well as new reporting and transparency requirements for schools that 

participate in the Federal student aid programs. Although several OIGs are provided with 

supplemental funding in the bill, we are not provided with supplemental funding. This 

means that we would need to take staff off other priority assignments to cover work 

specific to this likely new law. Further, this work will run several years, which means we 

will need FTEs rather than term employees to conduct it.

• Build Back Better Act. Under draft proposals in both the House and Senate versions of 

the Build Back Act, the Department would receive significant funding for new programs 

and operations, and it appeared the OIG would receive supplemental funding to carry out 

its oversight work related thereto. However, as of this writing, it appears that there may

not be one Build Back Better Act but a series of smaller bills. Although it is likely that one 
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of those smaller bills would include new responsibilities for the Department, it is unclear 

whether the OIG would receive funding as well. Without supplemental funding, the same 

issues we face with the America COMPETES/U.S. Innovation and Competition Act will 

apply; we would need to take staff off other priority assignments to cover work specific to 

Build Back Better work. Further, this work will run several years, which means we will 

need FTEs rather than term employees to conduct it. 

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Specific results from audits and investigations are summarized twice yearly in the OIG 

Semiannual Report to Congress. All OIG reports are available on OIG’s website, 

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/reports.html.

Performance Measures

In 2017, OIG developed its “Five-Year Strategic Plan” covering fiscal years 2018–2022. The plan 

describes the focus and direction of the OIG’s operations, establishes our organizational goals, 

and outlines the strategies we will employ to reach those goals and the measures we will use to 

evaluate our performance.

Our first goal is to deliver high-quality, timely, and impactful products and services that promote 

efficiency, effectiveness, and integrity in the Department’s operations and programs. The 

strategies adopted to achieve this goal are to (1) maximize value through risk-based resource 

allocation, (2) provide value-added audit, investigative, and other services, (3) deliver timely 

results, (4) effectively and efficiently use technology to identify threats to the Department’s

programs and operations, (5) promote data protection and IT security, and (6) conduct effective 

outreach to promote programmatic and operational integrity.

Our second goal is to cultivate a diverse, highly skilled, and inspired workforce with enough 

resources to carry out the OIG’s mission. The strategies implemented to achieve this goal are to 

(1) cultivate workforce excellence, (2) provide necessary resources, (3) promote an inclusive 

workplace environment, and (4) recognize achievement. OIG issued a Diversity and Inclusion 

Strategic Plan in fiscal year 2019 that articulated specific strategies and actions to move OIG 

forward towards this second goal.

Our third goal is to implement internal processes that promote organizational effectiveness, 

stewardship of resources, and accountability. The strategies in place to achieve this goal are to

(1) promote effective financial operations, (2) deliver superior operational support, (3) provide 

effective quality assurance, and (4) apply an effective enterprise risk management framework.

The following information was included in the fiscal year 2022 President’s Budget Request. This 

section will be updated in its entirety for the fiscal year 2023 President’s Budget. Several key 

performance measures are shown below.
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Measure: Audits initiated each year in accordance with policy and focused on areas of high risk 

or significant importance.

Year Target Actual

2018 85% 100%

2019 85% 100%

2020 85% 100%

2021 85% 100%

2022 85% -

2023 85% -

Measure: Investigations initiated each year in accordance with policy and focused on areas of 

high risk or significant importance.

Year Target Actual

2018 80% 92%

2019 80% 89%

2020 75% 91%

2021 75% 90%

2022 75% -

2023 75% -

Measure: Recommendations in reports issued during the fiscal year accepted by the 

Department and corrective action plans agreed to by OIG management.

Year Target Actual

2018 90% 94%

2019 90% 91%

2020 90% 100%

2021 90% 94%

2022 90% -

2023 90% -

Measure: Audits and alternative projects met the agreed-on dates for field work completed and 

draft report submitted for review in accordance with policy.

Year Target Actual

2018 75% 94%

2019 75% 91%

2020 75% 87%

2021 75% 88%

2022 80% -

2023 80% -
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Measure: Initial audits and alternative projects were evaluated in accordance with policy and 

approved by OIG senior management within 70 days of audit field work completion.

Year Target Actual

2018 NA NA

2019 NA NA

2020 70% 92%

2021 70% 91%

2022 90% -

2023 90% -

Measure: Draft audit and alternative project reports were issued in accordance with policy, 

accepted by OIG management, and issued within 1 year from entrance conference.

Year Target Actual

2018 65% 74%

2019 70% 89%

2020 70% 72%

2021 70% 71%

2022 75% -

2023 75% -

Measure: Preliminary inquiries of fraud, waste, and abuse processed for case initiation 

(investigation) or closure with a final disposition within 120 days.

Year Target Actual

2018 75% 76%

2019 70% 77%

2020 70% 80%

2021 70% 88%

2022 75% -

2023 75% -

Measure: Preliminary inquiries converted to full investigations by OIG management that 

resulted in a criminal, civil or administrative action, or monetary result (Investigation Services).

Year Target Actual

2018 70% 81%

2019 70% 80%

2020 70% 70%

2021 70% 78%

2022 70% -

2023 70% -
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Measure: Preliminary inquiries converted to full investigations by OIG management that 

resulted in a criminal, civil or administrative action, or monetary result, or actionable referral to 

the Department (ITACCI).

Year Target Actual

2018 50% 50%

2019 70% 100%

2020 70% 75%

2021 70% 80%

2022 80% -

2023 80% -

Measure: IT audits issued in accordance with policy and accepted by management by the 

agreed-on date.

Year Target Actual

2018 75% 100%

2019 90% 98%

2020 75% 81%

2021 75% 88%

2022 80% -

2023 80% -

Measure: Substantive comments provided by OIG resulted in changes in legislation, 

regulations, or other policies.

Year Target Actual

2018 70% 86%

2019 70% 78%

2020 70% 71%

2021 70% 90%

2022 75% -

2023 75% -

Measure: Freedom of Information Act responses processed in accordance with statutory 

requirements and delivered to requestors within required deadlines.

Year Target Actual

2018 90% 91%

2019 90% 78%

2020 90% 71%

2021 90% 81%

2022 90% -

2023 90% -
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Measure: Hotline complaints processed in accordance with policy and within the established 

deadlines.

Year Target Actual

2018 75% 94%

2019 80% 95%

2020 85% 95%

2021 85% 94%

2022 85% -

2023 85% -