APPENDICES
148 FY 2021 AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Appendix A: Selected Department Web Links 

and Education Resources

COLLEGE COMPLETION TOOLKIT

The College Completion Toolkit provides information 

that governors and other state leaders can use to help 

colleges in their state increase student completion rates. It 

highlights key strategies and offers models to learn from, 

as well as other useful resources. https://www.ed.gov/

college-completion/completion-toolkit

COLLEGE COST LISTS

The Department provides college affordability and 

transparency lists under the Higher Education Opportunity 

Act of 2008. Each list is broken out into nine different 

sectors to allow students to compare costs at similar types 

of institutions, including career and technical programs. 

http://collegecost.ed.gov/

COLLEGE FINANCING PLAN

The College Financing Plan is a consumer tool that 

participating institutions use to notify students about 

their financial aid packages. It is a standardized form that 

is designed to simplify the information that prospective 

students receive about costs and financial aid so that 

they can easily compare institutions and make informed 

decisions about where to attend school. https://www2.

ed.gov/policy/highered/guid/aid-offer/index.html

COLLEGE NAVIGATOR

College Navigator consists of the latest data from the 

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, and 

the core postsecondary education data collection program 

for the National Center for Education Statistics, as well 

as data from Federal Student Aid on cohort default rates, 

the Office of Postsecondary Education on campus safety 

and accreditation, and information on veterans from the 

Veterans Benefits Administration. https://nces.ed.gov/

collegenavigator/

COLLEGE PREPARATION CHECKLIST

This Department tool gives prospective college students 

step-by-step instructions on how to prepare academically 

and financially for education beyond high school. Each 

section is split into subsections for students and parents, 

explaining what needs to be done and which publications or 

websites might be useful to them. http://studentaid.ed.gov

These additional resources within the checklist assist 

students in finding scholarships and grants:

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/prepare-for-college/checklists

https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/

finding-scholarships

COLLEGE SCORECARD

The Department’s College Scorecard makes it easier 

to find out more about a college’s affordability and 

value. The College Scorecard continues to be a tool that 

provides clear, accessible, and reliable data on college 

cost, graduation, debt, and post-college earnings. The 

College Scorecard continues to move the field forward in 

informing college choices with the help of technology and 

open data, making it possible for anyone—a student, a 

school, a policymaker, or a researcher—to decide which 

factors to evaluate. https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/

C O N D I T I O N O F E D U C AT I O N A N D D I G E S T 

OF EDUCATION STATISTICS

The Condition of Education is a congressionally mandated 

annual report that summarizes developments and trends 

in education using the latest available statistics. The report 

presents statistical indicators containing text, figures, and 

data from early learning through graduate-level education, 

as well as labor force outcomes and international 

comparisons. https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/
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SELECTED DEPARTMENT WEb LINKS AND EDUCATION RESOURCES | APPENDICES

The primary purpose of the Digest of Education Statistics 

is to provide a compilation of statistical information 

covering the broad field of American education from 

prekindergarten through graduate school. The digest 

includes a selection of data from many sources, both 

government and private, and draws especially on the 

results of surveys and activities carried out by the National 

Center for Education Statistics. https://nces.ed.gov/

programs/digest/

E D U C AT I O N R E S O U R C E S 

INFORMATION CENTER

The Department offers Education Resources Information 

Center (ERIC)—the world’s largest free, digital 

library of education research. It is composed of 1.8 

million bibliographic records and 400,000 full-text 

materials indexed from 1966 to the present. Each ERIC 

bibliographic record contains an abstract of a journal 

article or grey literature document (for example, a 

technical report or conference paper), along with such 

indexed information as author, title, and publication date. 

https://eric.ed.gov

FEDERAL PROGRAM INVENTORY

The GPRA Modernization Act of 2010, P.L. 111-352, 

requires that the Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) establish a single website with a central inventory 

of all federal programs, including the purpose of each 

program and its contribution to the mission and goals of 

the Department. The initial Federal Program Inventory 

was published in May 2013. The Department described 

each program within 27 budgetary accounts, as well as 

how the programs support the Department’s broader 

strategic goals and objectives.

Since that time, Congress passed the Digital Accountability 

and Transparency Act (DATA Act) requiring new public 

reporting requirements, which impact the definition 

of programs used in this guidance. OMB is currently 

working with agencies to merge the implementation 

of the DATA Act and the Federal Program Inventory 

requirements to the extent possible to avoid duplicate 

efforts. In December 2020 OMB launched an exploratory 

pilot as the next step towards creating a coherent and 

comprehensive inventory. This site provides the history of 

the Federal government’s efforts to create an inventory as 

well as key insights, data from the pilot, and planned next 

steps. https://fpi.omb.gov/

G OV E R N M E N T AC C O U N TA b I L I T Y O F F I C E 

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) supports 

Congress in meeting its constitutional responsibilities and 

helps improve the performance and accountability of the 

federal government for the benefit of the American people. 

https://www.gao.gov/agencies/department-education

GRANTS INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

In addition to student loans and grants, the Department 

offers other discretionary grants. These are awarded using 

a competitive process, and formula grants use formulas 

determined by Congress with no application process. This 

site lists Department discretionary grant competitions 

previously announced, as well as those grant competitions 

planned for later announcement, for new awards organized 

according to the Department’s principal program offices. 

http://www2.ed.gov/fund/grant/find/edlite-forecast.

html

For more information on the Department’s programs, see 

http://www2.ed.gov/programs

N AT I O N A L A S S E S S M E N T O F 

E D U C AT I O N A L P R O G R E S S 

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) 

assesses samples of students in grades 4, 8, and 12 in 

various academic subjects. Results of the assessments are 

reported for the nation and states in terms of comparable 

scale scores and achievement levels—NAEP Basic, NAEP

Proficient, and NAEP Advanced. https://nces.ed.gov/

nationsreportcard/

O F F I C E O F I N S P EC TO R G E N E R A L 

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducts 

independent and objective audits, investigations, 

inspections, and other activities to promote the efficiency, 

effectiveness, and integrity of the Department’s programs 

and operations. http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/

oig/index.html

For a list of recent reports, go to http://www2.ed.gov/

about/offices/list/oig/reports.html

O N E - S TO P S H O P P I N G FO R 

STUDENT LOANS

The Department provides a site where students can 

manage their loans. http://studentloans.gov/
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PERFORMANCE DATA

EDFacts is a Department initiative to put performance 

data at the center of policy, management, and budget 

decisions for all K–12 educational programs. EDFacts

centralizes performance data supplied by K–12 state 

educational agencies with other data assets within the 

Department, such as financial grant information, to enable 

better analysis and use in policy development, planning, 

and management. http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/

edfacts/index.html

P R O J EC T I O N S O F E D U C AT I O N S TAT I S T I C S 

TO 2 0 2 8 

For the 50 states, jurisdictions, and the District of 

Columbia, the tables, figures, and text in this report 

contain data on projections of public elementary and 

secondary enrollment and public high school graduates to 

the year 2028. The report includes a methodology section 

that describes the models and assumptions used to develop 

national and state-level projections. https://nces.ed.gov/

pubs2020/2020024.pdf

R EG I O N A L E D U C AT I O N A L 

LAbORATORY PROGRAM

The Department administers the Regional Education 

Laboratory (REL) program to support the use of research 

and evidence to help states and school districts improve 

their education programs and, ultimately, student 

performance. To do this, each regional REL contractor 

works with teachers, administrators, and policy makers 

to identify “high-leverage” problems of practice and to 

build the research capacity of local stakeholders. Each REL 

develops partnerships with state- and local-level education 

agencies to gather and analyze data, conduct evaluations, 

and provide technical assistance that addresses these “highleverage” problems. https://ies.ed.gov/rels

R E S O U R C E S FO R A D U LT, C A R E E R , A N D 

T EC H N I C A L E D U C AT I O N 

The Department continues to support state and local 

efforts to implement high-quality secondary and 

postsecondary career and technical education programs 

under the nation’s $1.3 billion investment in funding 

under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical 

Education Act (Perkins V). Among the Department’s 

efforts is hosting the Perkins Collaborative Resource 

Network (PCRN) website that provides a one-stop 

shop for information, resources, and data pertaining to 

Perkins V CTE programs. The PCRN Website provides 

individual state profiles containing Perkins V State Plans, 

fiscal information, and accountability data; tools and 

resources from Department-sponsored national activities 

investments; and a Perkins V data explorer where users 

can run reports on trends in student participation and 

outcomes in CTE programs. http://cte.ed.gov

To support the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity 

Act (WIOA), the Department offers professional 

development resources through the Literacy Information 

and Communication System (LINCS). This initiative 

seeks to expand evidence-based practice in the field of 

adult education and literacy. LINCS serves as Office 

of Career, Technical, and Adult Education’s (OCTAE) 

primary outreach and dissemination mechanism to 

adult educators and provides high-quality, on-demand 

educational opportunities to practitioners of adult 

education and literacy, so those practitioners can help 

adult learners successfully transition to postsecondary 

education and 21st-century jobs. LINCS is comprised of: 

the LINCS Resource Collection, which provides online 

access to high-quality, evidence-based materials and 

instructional resources; the LINCS Community, a virtual 

professional learning space where adult educators can 

engage in discussions focused on critical topics to the field 

of adult education; a Learning Portal that offers anytime, 

anywhere professional development courses; a Professional 

Development Center that provides technical assistance 

to states in meeting the state leadership requirements set 

forth in WIOA; and the Learner Center, which provides 

access to federally developed or federally reviewed 

resources to assist adult learners in reaching their learning 

goals. http://lincs.ed.gov/

W H AT W O R KS C L E A R I N G H O U S E P R AC T I C E 

GUIDES FOR EDUCATORS

The Department offers practice guides and other resources 

that help educators address everyday challenges faced in 

classrooms and schools. Developed by a panel of nationally 

recognized experts, practice guides consist of actionable 

recommendations and strategies for overcoming potential 

roadblocks.; The practice guides also provide indication of 

the strength of evidence supporting each recommendation. 

The guides themselves are subjected to rigorous external 

peer review. Users can sort by subject area, academic level, 

and intended audience to find the most recent, relevant, 

and useful guides. https://whatworks.ed.gov
FY 2021 AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 151

Appendix b: Glossary of Acronyms 

and Abbreviations

ABCP Asset-backed Commercial Paper

AFR Agency Financial Report

AP Acquisition Plan

APG Agency Priority Goals

APR Annual Performance Reports

ARP American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

BIE bureau of Indian Education

BOD binding Operational Directive

BPO business Process Operations

BPR business Processing Re-Engineering

CARES Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and 

Economic Security Act of 2020

CEAR Certificate of Excellence in 

Accountability Reporting 

CISA Cybersecurity and Infrastructure 

Security Agency

CIT Central Information Technology

COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019

CPSS Contracts and Purchasing Support 

System

CRRSAA Coronavirus Response and Relief 

Supplemental Appropriation Act of 

2021

CSF Cyber Security Framework

CSRS Civil Service Retirement System

CTE Career and Technical Education

DATA Act Digital Accountability and 

Transparency Act of 2014

DCC Digital and Customer Care

DCIA Debt Collection Improvement Act of 

1996

DDB Death, Disability, and bankruptcy

Department U.S. Department of Education

DGB Data Governance board

DHS U.S. Department of Homeland 

Security

Direct Loan William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan

DL Direct Loan 

DLP Data Loss Prevention

DMA Data Maturity Assessment 

DOL U.S. Department of Labor

DQP Data Quality Plan

EAI Emergency Assistance to Institutions 

of Higher Education

ECASLA Ensuring Continued Access to 

Student Loans Act of 2008

EDCAPS Education Central Automated 

Processing System

EDGMSS-BPA Education Grants Management 

Support Services-blanket Purchase 

Agreement

EDMAPS Enterprise Data Management and 

Analytics Platform Services

EIA Emergency Impact Aid

ELG Evidence Leadership Group 

Emergency 

Impact Aid Temporary Emergency Impact Aid for 

Displaced Students

EO Executive Order’ 

EPM Enterprise Performance Management 

ERIC Education Resources Information 

Center

ERR Entity Risk Review

ERMWG Enterprise Risk Management 

Working Group

ESEA Elementary and Secondary 

Education Act

ESF Education Stabilization Fund

ESSA Every Student Succeeds Act

ESSER Elementary and Secondary School 

Emergency Relief

FAFSA® Free Application for Federal Student 

Aid
152 FY 2021 AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

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FASAB Federal Accounting Standards 

Advisory board

FCRA Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990

FECA Federal Employees’ 

Compensation Act

FERS Federal Employees Retirement 

System

FFB Federal Financing bank

FFEL Federal Family Education Loan

FFMIA Federal Financial Management 

Improvement Act of 1996

FIPSE Fund for the Improvement of 

Postsecondary Education 

FISMA 2014 Federal Information Security 

Modernization Act of 2014

FMFIA Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity 

Act of 1982

FMSS Financial Management Support 

System

FR Financial Report of the U.S. 

Government 

FSA Federal Student Aid

FUTURE Act Fostering Undergraduate Talent by 

Unlocking Resources for Education 

Act

FY Fiscal Year

G5 Grants Management System 

GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting 

Principles

GAO Government Accountability Office

GEER Governor’s Emergency 

Education Relief

GONE Act Grants Oversight and New Efficiency 

Act of 2016

GPO Grants Policy Office

GPRA Government Performance and 

Results Act of 1993

GSA General Services Administration

HBCU Historically black Colleges and 

Universities

HEA Higher Education Act of 1965

HEAL Health Education Assistance Loans

HEERF Higher Education Emergency Relief 

Fund

HHS U.S. Department of Health and 

Human Services

HTTPS Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure

HVA High Value Asset

ICT Information Communication 

Technology

IDEA Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act 

IDR Income-Driven Repayment

IEP Individualized Education Program 

IES Institute of Education Sciences

IET Integrated Education and Training

IHE Institutions of Higher Education

IPP Invoice Processing Platform

IPERA Improper Payments Elimination and 

Recovery Act of 2010

IPERIA Improper Payments Elimination and 

Recovery Improvement Act of 2012

IRS Internal Revenue Service

IT Information Technology

LEA Local Educational Agency

LINCS Literacy Information and 

Communication System

MSI Minority Serving Institutions

NAEP National Assessment of Educational 

Progress

NES National Engagement Strategy

Next Gen FSA Next Generation Federal Student Aid

NIST National Institute of Standards and 

Technology

NSLDS® National Student Loan Data System

OAGA Office of Acquisition and Grants 

Administration

OCDO Office of the Chief Data Officer 

OCIO Office of the Chief Information Officer

OCR Office for Civil Rights

OCTAE Office of Career, Technical, and 

Adult Education
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ODP Open Data Platform

OEDARM Office of Enterprise Data Analytics 

and Risk Management

OELA Office of English 

Language Acquisition

OESE Office of Elementary and Secondary 

Education

OFM Office of Financial Management 

OFO Office of Finance and Operations

OGC Office of the General Council

OHR Office of Human Resources

OIG Office of Inspector General

OMB Office of Management and Budget

OPD Open Data Platform

OPE Office of Postsecondary Education

OPEN Open, Public, Electronic 

and Necessary

OPEPD Office of Planning, Evaluation, and 

Policy Development

OPM Office of Personnel Management

OS Office of the Secretary

OSERS Office of Special Education and 

Rehabilitative Services

P–12 Prekindergarten Through 12th Grade 

PAYE Pay as You Earn

Pell Federal Pell Grant

Pell Program Pell Grant Program 

PIIA Payment Integrity Information Act of 

2019

PIMA Payment Integrity Monitoring 

Application

PIV Personal Identity Verification

PIV-A Personal Identity Verification 

Alternative Solution

PLUS Parent Loan for Undergraduate 

Students 

PO Principal Office

POA&M Plan of Actions & Milestones 

President’s

Budget Budget of the United States 

Government

PSLF Public Service Loan Forgiveness

QSMO Quality Service Management Offices

REL Regional Educational Laboratory

Report Annual Performance Report and

and Plan Annual Performance Plan

RESTART Immediate Aid to Restart School 

Operations 

SBR Statement of budgetary Resources

SCRM Supply Chain Risk Management

SEA State Education Agency

SFS Scholarship for Services

SLA Service-Level Agreement

SSA Social Security Administration

STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, 

and Mathematics

TBMS Technology business Management 

Solutions

TCCU American Indian Tribally Controlled 

Colleges and Universities 

TEACH Teacher Education Assistance for 

College and Higher Education Grant

TEPSLF Temporary Expanded Public Service 

Loan Forgiveness

Title I Title I, Part A

TOP Treasury Offset Program

TPD Total and Permanent Disability 

TPDR Third-Party Debt Relief

Treasury U.S. Department of Treasury

VDP Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

VPN Virtual Private Network

WIOA Workforce Innovation and 

Opportunity Act
154 FY 2021 AGENCY FINANCIAL REPORT | U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Acknowledgments

This Agency Financial Report was produced with 

the energies and talents of our employees and 

contract partners.

Within the Office of Finance and Operations (OFO), 

the Office of Financial Management is responsible 

for certifying, processing, reconciling, evaluating, and 

reporting all agency financial transactions; preparing 

annual financial statements and related notes and 

schedules; and coordinating the external audit of the 

agency’s financial statements.

Also, within OFO, the Office of Budget Service has lead 

responsibility for multiple functions, including developing 

and implementing the Department’s Budget. The Office of 

Acquisition and Grants Administration (OAGA) leads the 

Department toward effective, efficient, and accountable 

acquisition management, as well as develops, manages, 

and provides policy guidance and oversight of the 

Department’s grant management activities and operations.

The Contracts and Acquisitions Management Division, 

within OAGA, is responsible for the solicitation, award, 

administration, and closeout of all contracts and other 

acquisition instruments for the Department.

We offer our sincerest thanks and acknowledgment to 

staff of all participating principal offices. In particular, we 

recognize the following organizations for their contribution:

OTHER CONTRIbUTORS

Federal Student Aid

Office of Communications and Outreach

Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development

Office of the Chief Information Officer

Office of the Inspector General

Office of the Secretary

PARTNERS

Association of Government Accountants

Department of Treasury

Government Accountability Office

Office of Management and Budget

The following companies were contracted to assist in the 

preparation of the U.S. Department of Education 

FY 2021 Agency Financial Report:

FOR GENERAL LAYOUT AND WEb DESIGN

OmniStudio Inc.

FOR ACCOUNTING SERVICES

Cotton & Company LLP

FMR Consulting Inc.

Quality Software Services Inc.

The FY 2021 Agency Financial Report 

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Finance and Operations

An electronic version is available 

on the World Wide Web at 

http://www2.ed.gov/about/reports/annual/index.html

U.S. Department of Education, November 2021
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