U.S. Department of Education - FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan and FY 2021 Annual Performance Report - Message from the Secretary

Oct 15, 2026

Presents the U.S. Department of Education’s FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan alongside its FY 2021 Annual Performance Report through the Secretary’s message. Emphasizes education as a service and a “great equalizer,” highlighting equity as a priority. Describes actions taken in FY 2021 to address COVID-19 impacts, support safe reopening, and strengthen social, emotional, mental health, and academic resources. Highlights major federal investments, partnerships, and initiatives to reimagine education with fairness and opportunity for all students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages246

Reading Time10 h 20 min

AccessFree to download

Message from the Secretary

Overview of FY 2023 Plan and FY 2021 Report

COVID-19 response and safe reopening

Equity and targeted support for underserved students

Federal investments and policy initiatives

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FY 2023 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE PLAN AND FY 2021 ANNUAL PERFORMANCE REPORT MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY Miguel A. Cardona, Ed.D. U.S. Secretary of Education I am pleased to present the U.S. Department of Education’s (the Department’s) FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan and FY 2021 Annual Performance Report. I deeply believe that the Department is a service agency, and this report will shape the work we do and the priorities we set for meeting the needs of our nation’s students. We are in a watershed moment for our country. The evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the inequities it has highlighted—and, in many ways, exacerbated—have revealed how much work we must do as individuals, as communities, and as a nation to ensure equitable access to opportunity. This imperative includes the need to reimagine education in our country. This last year was challenging for our nation’s students and families, which is why, in fiscal year (FY) 2021, the Biden–Harris Administration took transformative steps toward ensuring that all students receive a high-quality education that supports their growth and development and equips them for success. In the first year of the Biden–Harris Administration, our top priority was to address the challenges that students faced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. We understood how important it was to help schools and institutions quickly and safely reopen for in-person learning so that students would have the social, emotional, mental health, and academic supports and resources needed to thrive. I spent much of 2021 traveling to states and territories talking to students, families, educators, staff, and faculty. While I have seen firsthand the challenges and opportunities in education, I also have witnessed the resilience of our communities and the immense care our educators, staff, and faculty have for their students. When President Biden took office in January 2021, more than half of kindergarten through grade 12 schools across our country were MESSAGE FROM THE SECRETARY closed. Today, nearly 100 percent of schools are fully open, nurturing our children’s social and emotional well-being and their academic growth in the place where we know children learn best—in their classrooms with their peers and teachers. As educator Horace Mann stated, education has the potential to be the “great equalizer.” This Administration has made equity—ensuring that every child and adult receives what they need to succeed in school—a priority. We understand that going back to how things were before the pandemic would continue to underserve students who most need resources and support, particularly students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities. I am proud that the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP) provides unprecedented resources—$122 billion for elementary and secondary schools and $40 billion for colleges and universities—to help all students, but especially our students most in need. President Biden has also proposed historic investments in education, from preschool through college, through his Build Back Better framework, focusing on educational equity, excellence, and opportunity. The proposal includes free universal prekindergarten and dramatically improved access to childcare so that all children can get a strong start to their education journey. In higher education, increased resources for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and other Minority-Serving Institutions would unlock opportunities for students of color and unleash their potential in our communities. The President’s plan expands access to affordable college with larger Pell Grants for millions of students who dream of getting a degree and supports the development of a stronger pipeline to good jobs and the middle class with workforce development resources and caree

FAQs

What is the purpose of this message?

It introduces the Department’s FY 2023 Annual Performance Plan and the FY 2021 Annual Performance Report, outlining priorities and how the work will support students’ needs.

What major challenge shaped FY 2021 priorities?

The message highlights the evolving COVID-19 pandemic and the inequities it revealed, emphasizing the need to support safe, in-person learning.

How does the message define equity in education?

Equity is described as ensuring every child and adult receives what they need to succeed, with particular attention to students of color, low-income students, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities.

Oct 15, 2026

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