U.S. Department of Education Fiscal Years 2022-2026 Strategic Plan

Oct 15, 2026

The U.S. Department of Education Fiscal Years 2022–2026 Strategic Plan sets a long-term agenda to ensure every student receives what is needed to thrive. It frames education as a bridge for national recovery by advancing high-quality, equitable, and accessible learning from prekindergarten through postsecondary education. The message emphasizes equity as a cross-cutting priority, supported by pandemic recovery resources, inclusive early learning, stronger continuity through grade 12, and improvements in higher education completion and affordability.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages170

Reading Time7 h 8 min

AccessFree to download

MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY

Strategic vision for education equity and recovery

Role of the Department as a service agency

FY 2022–FY 2026 priorities across early learning, K-12, and higher education

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Fiscal Years 2022–2026 Strategic Plan MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D. U.S. Secretary of Education The scholar and novelist Ralph Ellison once wrote,“Education is all a matter of building bridges.” As we enter a new era of possibility for our nation, education is the critical bridge to America’s recovery, and it is foundational to our rebuilding and resiliency efforts. From prekindergarten through postsecondary learning, education has the power to lift communities, draw people together, strengthen our democracy, drive our economy, and meet our nation’s vast potential. That is why the Department of Education (Department) and entire Biden–Harris Administration are committed to a long-term agenda that ensures every student receives what they need to thrive in school and pursue their vision of success—this is what this Strategic Plan seeks to achieve. The Department has an opportunity and responsibility to support states, districts, teachers, school leaders, and institutions of higher education (IHEs) in delivering on America’s promise of high-quality, equitable, and accessible education. As an educator myself, I take this charge seriously as I consider our policy and programmatic imperatives and their impact on all learners. As the nation continues to reemerge from the pandemic, I am proud that the unprecedented resources provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 are enabling districts, schools, and IHEs to not only recover and rebuild systems and supports to make this vision of an excellent, equitable education for alla reality but also help each student achieve academic success, including closing the gap from pandemic learning loss. Resources from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund and the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund are helping schools and colleges invest in the academic, social, emotional, and mental health resources that our students need and mitigate the impacts ofthe pandemic that, if left unaddressed, would continue longstanding inequities that we, at the Department, seek MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY to eliminate. Addressing these inequities will help ensure that we meet and exceed the Department’s mission to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. I deeply believe that the Department is—and must function as—a service agency. To fulfill this mission, we must work each day to meet the needs of every learner, and we must establish an inclusive and actionable agenda by hearing directly from those we serve: students, including student loan borrowers; teachers; parents and families; and their communities. That is one reason I have prioritized traveling across the country to listen to and learn from Americans in small, rural towns; suburban centers; and our largest cities. It is also why I will continue to ensure that our Department builds policy that centers the voices and experiences of our constituents. This fiscal year (FY) 2022–FY 2026 Strategic Plan reflects this commitment to service, equity, community building, and high-quality service standards for all our internal and external activities as well as President Biden’s vision, which I share, of an excellent education system for all. Equity is a cross-cutting priority integrated into every goal, objective, and strategy within the FY 2022–FY 2026 Strategic Plan. That is because the Department is committed to ensuring every student receives a high-quality education. We believe that all students—regardless of background or circumstance—need and deserve access to educational opportunity, including the resources, supports, and inclusive learning environments that will set them on pathways to succeed in school and in life. This work to positively impact and engage students begins early, which is reflected in the Administration’s deep commitment to universally accessib

FAQs

What is the core purpose of the FY 2022–2026 Strategic Plan?

It outlines a long-term agenda so every student receives the support needed to thrive, including academic success and progress after pandemic learning loss.

How does the plan define equity?

Equity is integrated into every goal, objective, and strategy to ensure all students have access to high-quality education, resources, supports, and inclusive learning environments.

Which education levels does the plan address?

It covers universally accessible early learning, strengthening the prekindergarten-through-grade-12 continuum, and improving outcomes in higher education such as completion rates and affordability.

Oct 15, 2026

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