Organization of US Education - Tertiary Institutions

Organization of US Education - Tertiary Institutions

Organization of US Education - Tertiary Institutions

Organization of U.S. Education:

Tertiary Institutions

The individual school, postsecondary institution, or other provider is the competent authority in the United States for nearly all academic matters. There are nearly 130,000 individual institutions in the U.S. education system, including nearly 117,000 primary and secondary schools, nearly 6,000 postsecondary career and technical schools, and just under 4,000 degree-granting institutions of higher education. These institutions vary widely as to type, ownership, and governance arrangements.

POSTSECONDARY CAREER AND TECHNICAL SCHOOLS

Career and technical schools provide short training courses, and sometimes specialized degree programs, in what used to be called postsecondary vocational education.  The vast majority of career and technical schools are private and many of them are operated on a for-profit basis.  Career and technical schools are approved and regulated by state governments and may be accredited (see Accreditation and Quality Assurance).  Accreditation is important because only schools and other providers accredited by recognized accrediting agencies can provide training that is commonly accepted in other states and by employers and licensing authorities outside the home state.

NOTE: Some career and technical programs are provided by community colleges, but that is not all that community colleges do and these institutions should be treated as higher education institutions, not exclusively as vocational schools.

ED Career and Technical Education Page provides extensive information about federal programs in this area plus research, data, and other resources.

National Research Center on Career and Technical Education (NRCCTE) is a federally funded center conducting research projects and providing information and data.

Association of Career and Technical Education (ACTE) is a national association providing information about the history and philosophy of career and technical education, plus current activities.

ED Career Colleges and Technical Schools Page provides information on selecting an accredited school and links to school directories, state agencies, and recognized accrediting agencies for this level and type of education.

Career Colleges Association (CCA) is a membership association of over 1,200 private for-profit institutions that provide training for specific occupations at the non-degree and degree levels.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Higher education institutions in the United States are organized and licensed or chartered as non-profit or for-profit corporations, regardless of whether they are public or private.  These corporate entities are governed by boards of trustees, who are citizens appointed by a governor or legislature (public institutions) or elected by the board itself (private institutions).  Institutions thus established may be single campus institutions, multi-campus institutions or systems comprising several independent institutions.

Public institutions, in addition to having governing boards appointed by state authorities, will also receive some annual allocation of state budget funds; some of their property may be state owned; and they may be subject to state regulations of other kinds depending on the nature of their relationship to the state as defined in their charters.  Public institutions are internally self-governing and autonomous with respect to academic decision-making.

Private institutions are independent of state control even though they are licensed or authorized by state governments.  They may be non-profit or for-profit, and may be secular or affiliated with a religious community.  Some private institutions may be authorized by state governments to receive state operating funds and to provide some public services, such as operating publicly funded academic programs or functioning as state land-grant institutions receiving federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Both public and private institutions may charge students tuition and fees; may receive gifts and donations and hold an invested endowment; and may earn income from research and instructional grants and contracts.  Public institutions may have restrictions set by states on how much they can charge students and may be required to keep non-state gift and other income separate, often in foundations administered by alumni.

General Higher Education INFORMATION

American Council on Education (ACE) is the national association representing the presidents and senior officials of all U.S. degree-granting higher education institutions.

Washington Higher Education Secretariat (WHES) is a leadership consortium of the major higher education institutional and policy organizations located in the Washington, DC area.

Carnegie Classification of Higher Education is a widely used typology of U.S. institutions of higher education.  NOTE: The Carnegie Classification is not an official classification and is not a ranking of institutions.  It should not be used as such.

Community and Junior Colleges

Community colleges are comprehensive public institutions that provide a wide variety of educational services, ranging from adult and community education services, through postsecondary career and technical education, to academic and professional studies at the university level permitting transfer to higher level studies.  Some community colleges have begun to offer accredited bachelor’s degree programs.  Nearly all community colleges have transfer arrangements with local public and private colleges and universities (called articulation agreements) that permit qualified students who have completed approved courses of study to transfer to bachelor’s level studies with up to two years of academic credit.

American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is the national association representing public community colleges and private 2-year, or junior, colleges.

PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

Institutions that offer the bachelor’s and higher degrees are often called “senior” colleges or universities, to distinguish them from “junior” colleges and other institutions offering the associate degree as their highest qualification.  However, some colleges and universities offer studies at all degree levels from the associate to the doctorate.  The terms “college” and “university” are not legally protected, nor are institutional titles such as “institute,” “academy,” or others.  An institution is permitted to use the title bestowed upon it in its state charter or license to operate.  Institutions are classified according to the highest degree they award, regardless of title, as well as whether they specialize in a few subjects or offer a comprehensive range of programs, and whether they serve special populations.  None of these are considered qualitative distinctions by themselves.  Programs are accredited at each degree level, and accredited institutions that offer programs at the same level are considered to meet the same minimum standards.

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) is a national association representing the state-funded and state-affiliated higher education institutions in the United States.

Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) > is a national association of higher education institutions, including both public and private institutions as well as universities offering graduate studies, that are committed to undergraduate (bachelor’s level) education in the U.S. tradition of the liberal arts.

Association of American Universities (AAU) is a national association of comprehensive research universities that focus on doctoral studies in a wide variety of subjects, and are concerned with issues of scientific research, research funding, and related policy issues.

Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is a national association of private higher education institutions, especially independent undergraduate colleges and small to mid-sized universities emphasizing undergraduate teaching as well as research.

National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) is a national associate of private higher education institutions of all types and emphasizing both teaching and research.

National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) is a national association of state colleges and universities established and  partially funded under the First and Second Morrill Acts of the U.S. government (1862 and 1890) plus other state higher education institutions.

HIGHER EDUCATION SERVING SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

Many private and public colleges are characterized by historical service to a particular ethnic group, race, or gender.  There is a long tradition of higher education institutions being founded for these purposes.  Tribal colleges founded by the American Indian nations, historically black colleges and universities and single-sex colleges are only among the most well-known of these types of institutions.  Useful links include:

ED Directory of Postsecondary Minority-Serving Institutions

American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC)

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)

United Negro College Fund (UNCF)

Women's College Coalition (WCC)

FAITH-RELATED HIGHER EDUCATION

The oldest tradition in U.S. higher education, dating to 1636 and the founding of Harvard College (then a Puritan Congregationalist institution), is the establishment and operation of higher education institutions by religious communities.   Unlike seminaries and similar schools, which prepare individuals specifically for religious vocations and related occupations, faith-related institutions function similarly to secular institutions in that they offer a variety of subjects, respect academic freedom and prepare students for many different careers.  At the same time, faith-related institutions offer distinctive environments for learning and for student development.  Most of them qualify for recognition by the U.S. federal student assistance program and are fully accredited by recognized agencies.  Many are among the most well-known and respected U.S. colleges and universities.  Among the faith-related institutions in the United States, the following links provide a sampling:

Buddhist

World Buddhist Directory [Search by region, country, state and type of institution.]

DharmaNet Academic Studies Resources

Jewish

Academic Jewish Studies Internet Directory

Association of Jewish Studies (AJS) Directory of Programs

Latter-Day Saints (LDS)

BeSmart Directory of LDS Colleges and Universities

Muslim

IslamicFinder Education Page [U.S. and international links]

Orthodox Christian

Orthodox Christian Education Commission (OCEC) [Links to various Orthodox churches and their education sites]

Protestant Denominations

Adventist Colleges and Universities

African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Institutions

AME Zion Colleges and Universities

American Baptist-Related Colleges and Universities

Apostolic Pentecostal Colleges Directory

Assemblies of God Colleges and Universities

Association of Episcopal Colleges (AEC)

Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities (APCU)

Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Institutions

Church of Christ Affiliated Colleges and Universities

Churches of Christ Universities Directory

Church of the Nazarene Colleges and Universities

Colleges and Universities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) [Evangelical]

Disciples of Christ Higher Education

Friends Association for Higher Education (FAHE)

Holiness Colleges

International Association of Baptist Colleges and Universities [Southern Baptist Convention]

Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Higher Education Directory

Lutheran Educational Conference of North America

Mennonite Education Agency (MEA)

Pentecostal Holiness Affiliated Colleges

Reformed Colleges

United Church of Christ (UCC) Related Colleges and Universities

United Methodist Higher Education

United Pentecostal Church International College Directory

Wesleyan Church Colleges and Universities

Roman Catholic

Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU)

Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU)

Organization of US Education - The Local Role

Organization of US Education - The Local Role

Organization of US Education - The Local Role

Organization of U.S. Education:

The Local Role

The local level of control is the heart of the U.S. education system at the primary and secondary levels.  Local communities operate schools, implement and enforce state laws and policies, develop and implement their own educational policies, hire and supervise professional teaching staffs, and raise money to pay for schools (usually through property taxes plus special bond issues).

SCHOOL DISTRICT RESOURCES

Public education at the local level is organized by school districts, of which there are over 14,000.  These districts are governed by school boards comprised of elected citizens who exercise broad policy oversight of operations, budgets, and staff, and may oversee local school curricula within state guidelines.  Local education agencies perform operational oversight and administrative support for U.S. public pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools as well as many special education, adult learning, and vocational training centers.  School boards generally oversee district operations via professional district superintendents and district administrative staffs.

Local agencies do not usually exercise authority over local private schools or higher education institutions, except for a few municipally operated public colleges and universities.

National School Boards Association (NSBA) provides information, resources, and databases related to the work of the over 14,000 local school boards across the United States.

School District Demographic System (SDDS) is a national cooperative database on the characteristics of American local school districts administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

American Association of School Administrators (AASA) is the national association for chief executives, usually called superintendents, of local school districts.

RELATED LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESOURCES

U.S. Conference of Mayors Education Page provides information about educational issues and initiatives of importance to the municipal governments within the United States.

National Association of Counties (NACO) provides information on policies and initiatives concerning education of interest to the county governments within each U.S. state and some territories.

URBAN AND RURAL SPECIAL INTEREST RESOURCES

Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) is a national association of the local education authorities in the largest U.S. metropolitan areas and provides information related to issues affecting urban and inner city education.

Urban Superintendents Association of America (USAA) is a national organization bringing together the chief school executives of major metropolitan school districts to work on issues of common concern.

Organizations Concerned About Rural Education (OCRE) is a coalition of national associations involved in issues and initiatives related to education outside U.S. cities and suburbs.

National Rural Education Association (NREA) is an association promoting relations among rural area schools and school districts.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

Parent organizations are important components of education at the local level.  Parental involvement is essential to U.S. primary and secondary education and is organized in every school district, as well as for individual schools.

ED Parents' Page provides information on the initiatives being taken at the federal level to strengthen parental involvement and make resources available.

EROD Directory of State Parent-Teacher Association Offices provides links and contact information for the state offices that coordinate PTA activity.

National Parent-Teacher Association (NPTA) is a nationwide coalition of organized parent groups in local communities that have developed formal arrangements with individual schools. The PTA provides information on current issues of concern to member chapters and extensive resources.

National Coalition for Parent Involvement in Education (NCPIE) is an organization that seeks to help parents and schools build effective collaborations, both in regular schooling and special education.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Community cooperation and support for the schools is an important resource that creates partnerships, provides student work opportunities, contributes extra funds and educational resources, provides supplemental services, and promotes support for the educational program.  School-business partnerships are important resources for investment in local programs and providing learning opportunities for students.

ED Supplemental Services Page provides information and resources for creating local community partnerships.

National Community Education Association (NCEA) is a national organization dedicated to assisting school districts and community partners – businesses, civic organizations, and others – to build learning communities.

Council for Corporate and School Partnerships is a national organization that continues the work of the National Alliance of Business in helping schools, districts, and business form effective learning collaborations.

SCHOOL CHOICE

School choice involves the provision of educational options for parents and students.  These may be alternatives to traditional public schools, such as magnet schools or public charter schools, or they may include voucher and other programs to enable private schools to be part of school choice programs.  In all U.S. states, choice also includes the legal right for parents to homeschool their children.

ED School Choice Home Page contains definitions of the various choice alternatives and links to information resources for each.

Organization of U.S. Education - The Federal Role

Organization of U.S. Education - The Federal Role

Organization of U.S. Education - The Federal Role

Organization of U.S. Education:

The Federal Role

The U.S. federal government does not have any direct authority over education in the United States.  There is no national ministry of education and no education framework law or laws in the United States.

The role of the U.S. federal government is limited to the following:

• Exercising leadership in promoting educational policies and reform efforts of national scope;
• Administering federal assistance programs authorized and appropriated by Congress;
• Enforcing federal civil rights laws as they pertain to education;
• Providing information and statistics about education at the national and international levels; and
• Providing technical expertise to the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, other federal agencies and Executive Office of the President in conducting the foreign affairs of the United States as these pertain to education and within the limited scope of federal power in this area.

The federal government does not:

• Own, control or oversee U.S. schools or postsecondary institutions*;
• Inspect, accredit, or license schools, postsecondary institutions, or other educational providers;
• Set curricula or content standards for academic or professional subjects;
• Hire or license faculty or other educational professionals;
• Set educational standards for the admission, enrollment, progress, or graduation of students at any level;
• Set standards, license, or regulate professional occupations or practicing professionals (other than federal civilian and military personnel); or
• Determine or allocate educational budgets for states, localities, or institutions.

*Except for institutions established to serve federal personnel and their families, such as the military service academies and advanced service schools, plus public schools located overseas to educate children of U.S. personnel stationed abroad.

The U.S. Department of Education is the lead federal agency in education.  Its roles are limited to: establishing policies on federal financial aid for education and administering programs and funds; collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research; focusing national attention on key educational issues; and prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is the lead federal agency in foreign affairs.  It cooperates with ED and other federal agencies on international matters pertaining to their expertise and jurisdiction, including education, and oversees federal educational and cultural exchange programs.

Other Federal Agencies have significant commitments to education at various levels, particularly in the provision of assistance and supporting research, training, and development.  These agencies include:

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

U.S. Department of the Interior (INT)

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)

U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT)

U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs (VA)

U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

U.S. National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)

U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)

U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF)

Organization of US Education at School Level

Organization of US Education at School Level

Organization of US Education at School Level

Organization of U.S. Education:

The School Level

The individual school, postsecondary institution, or other provider is the competent authority in the United States for nearly all academic matters. There are nearly 130,000 individual institutions in the U.S. education system, including nearly 117,000 primary and secondary schools, nearly 6,000 postsecondary career and technical schools, and just under 4,000 degree-granting institutions of higher education. These institutions vary widely as to type, ownership, and governance arrangements.

PRESCHOOL PROVIDERS

Early childhood, or preschool, education is available in nearly every U.S. community, and most states now require that public preschool opportunities be made available by school districts.  Private preschool providers also exist nearly everywhere.   Preschool is considered part of what is called Early Childhood Education in the United States, and it goes by several names: nursery school, preschool, and kindergarten being the most common.

ED Early Childhood Resource Page provides extensive information and links pertaining to federal, regional and national programs supporting early childhood education.

National Center for Early Childhood Development and Learning is federally funded research and information center on early childhood development.

National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care (NRC) is a federally sponsored program that conducts research, provides information and evaluates standards for child care policy across the United States.

National Association of Child Care Professionals (NACCP) is a professional association for child care center managers and teachers that also accredits child care programs across the United States.

National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is a  membership organization that accredits family day care centers across the United States.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a national organization for early childhood educators and accredits both professional education programs as well as early childhood education and day care programs throughout the country.

NAEYC Accreditation Page provides information on early education and child care programs accredited by NAEYC and NAEYC accreditation policies.  NOTE: NAEYC accreditation is a private matter, although it is widely respected and recognized in many states.  The U.S. Department of Education has no authority to recognize or endorse the accreditation of early childhood programs or providers.

National Afterschool Association (NAA) > is an association that accredits and provides information on programs providing child care after the end of the regular school day and outside the school for young children of preschool and school-entry age.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Primary schools are called elementary schools, intermediate (upper primary or lower secondary) schools are called middle schools, and secondary schools are called high schools.  Heads of public primary and secondary schools are called principals, while the heads of private schools may be called principals, headmasters, or heads of school.  In addition, schools may have other administrative staff in addition to teachers and teaching assistants.  There may also be teaching assistants, counselors, librarians and computer specialists, school nurses, food service staff, custodial staff and administrative staff.

Public Schools.  Primary and secondary public schools are governed by local school districts and their boards.  Policies and regulations tend to be uniform across all schools within a district, but can vary among districts. Individual schools are administered within the confines of these general requirements, so autonomy is limited.  States vary as to the curricular freedom they give local schools, but most impose a basic statewide curricular framework which local schools may embellish to a limited degree, and also issue a statewide list of approved textbooks for each grade level from which locals may select or, in some cases, require the use of a single set of approved texts.

Schools are organized into elementary(primary) schools, middle schools, and high (secondary) schools.  Primary or elementary education ranges from grade 1 to grades 4-7, depending on state and school district policy.  Middle schools serve pre-adolescent and young adolescent students between grades 5 and 9, with most in the grade 6-8 range.  Middle schools in the upper grade range (7-9) are sometimes referred to as junior high schools.  Secondary or high schools enroll students in the upper grades, generally 9-12 with variations.  In the United States these tend to be comprehensive schools enrolling students of widely different interests and capabilities who follow different educational tracks within the same school.

American Association of School Administrators (AASA) is a national association of school district and school building administrators concerned with promoting public education.

National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) is the professional association representing the heads of primary schools.

National Middle Schools Association (NMSA) is the organization serving the professional educators who work in middle schools and parents whose children are enrolled in such schools.

National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) is the national association for heads of secondary schools.

NCES National Public School and District Locator is a searchable database of all individual public schools and local school districts participating in the Public School Universe Survey.

Private Schools.  Private primary and secondary schools are governed by their own self-appointed boards of trustees and raise their own operating incomes without state or local government support.   They may be operated by independent boards or they may be affiliated with a religious organization such as a diocese, religious order, local church, or state or national religious organization.

Private schools make their own hiring and admissions policies and determine their own curricula and other academic policies.  Private schools do, however, pay close attention to local and state school curricula and graduation policies in order to facilitate the transfer of students to and from public schools and to ensure that students who graduate from secondary programs have met or exceeded the expectations for state graduation requirements and – when appropriate - for admission to postsecondary institutions.

ED Office of Non-Public Education (ONPE) is the U.S. Department of Education’s liaison office to the private school community.

ED Private School Organizations Directory is a linked directory of associations related to private schools, including membership bodies, accrediting agencies, religious organizations and others.

NCES Private Schools Directory is a searchable database of all private schools participating in the Private School Universe Survey.

ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS

Traditional public and private schools are not the only recognized types of schools in the U.S. education system.  In addition to regular public schools and private schools, there are several other forms of schooling that are legally recognized and that serve as successful models for parents seeking different educational experiences for school-age children.

Charter Schools.  Charter schools are public schools established by parent groups, communities, or organizations to fulfill specific needs, serve special populations, or adhere to special curricula or instructional practices.   They receive public funding and support but are freed from school district regulations and may enroll students from anywhere in a district.  Charter schools operate via a performance agreement, or charter, that sets forth the mission, program, student population, and methods of evaluation and assessment.  Charters usually last from 3-5 years and are renewable.  Over 3,000 charter schools have been established since the early 1990s.

ED Charter Schools Page provides extensive information about federal programs as well as links to resources concerning charter schools.

U.S. Charter Schools (USCS) is a Web site providing extensive information on the charter school movement, its legal status, and a state-by-state directory.

National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) is a national association of the state, local, and institutional authorities that issue charters and oversee charter schools.

Charter School Leadership Council (CSLC) is an organization providing managerial , legal, and advocacy assistance to the charter school movement.

Magnet Schools.  Magnet schools are regular public schools that have a special educational theme, mode of instruction, subject emphasis, or other characteristic and are permitted to enroll students from across the entire school district rather than being confined to normal school attendance boundaries.  Magnet programs have similar features but are located within regular public schools rather than being separate schools.  The legal purpose of magnets is to promote equal access to unique educational opportunities by minority students who would otherwise be confined to regular schools based on residence.  Examples of magnet schools and programs are frequently found in curricular areas such as science and technology, the arts, or career education; and in modes of instruction such as experimental, traditional, Montessori, or others.

ED Magnet School Assistance Page provides information on federal assistance available to school districts seeking to develop magnet schools or programs.

Magnet Schools of America (Magnet) is a national organization that promotes the magnet school concept.

Home Schooling.  Individual instruction of children and young adults at home has a long history in North America, and was in fact the first method of education available to the European colonists prior to the establishment of schools.  Home instruction was typically performed by parents or itinerant teachers called tutors.   Today, there is again a popular interest in home schooling, and over 1 million students receive home schooling annually.  Home schooling is legally recognized and regulated in all U.S. states.  Home schooling is usually performed by parents and there is an extensive array of services, materials, and resources to assist homeschooling parents and children.  Qualified home school graduates are recognized as school graduates by the states and may be admitted to U.S. higher education institutions.

Contemporary professional tutors offer services ranging from coaching in specific subjects to a full range of school instruction to children living at home, who are homebound, or whose personal or parental responsibilities make regular schooling impossible.  Tutors are licensed by states and are often certified by professional associations.

National Home Education Network (NHEN) provides extensive information and resources related to home schooling, including a directory of state laws pertaining to home schooling.

Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) was founded as a legal assistance organization for the U.S. and international home schooling communities, particularly those choosing to home school because of religious convictions, but also offers a wide variety of information and resources pertaining to the home school movement.

National Home Education Research Institute (NHERI) is an organization providing research and statistics on homeschooling.

National Tutoring Association (NTA) is the largest U.S. professional association for tutors and provides certification as well as other services for tutors, remedial educators, and private special educators at all education levels.

US Education State Role III - Other Educational Services

US Education State Role III - Other Educational Services

US Education State Role III - Other Educational Services

Organization of U.S. Education:

State Role III - Other Educational Services

States oversee a variety of educational services in addition to the regular school system, career education, and higher education.  These include special education services for persons with disabilities that affect learning, services for homeless and migrant families, adult education services, and educationally related services such as libraries.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Special education is closely regulated in the United States and state programs are significantly supported by federal funds, as is research in special education.  Students are mainstreamed, or placed in regular schools and classrooms, to the extent possible and all persons with diagnosed disabilities have a right to special education services under federal law.

ED Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is the federal program agency responsible for assisting state agencies and providing support for national research and development in the areas of special education and rehabilitation.

EROD Directory of State Special Education Offices provides links and contact information for state agencies that oversee special education services.

EROD Directory of State Health Offices for Children with Special Needs provides links and contact information for state agencies that provide services to children diagnosed with disabilities that affect learning.

EROD Directory of State Assistance Offices for Parents of Special Needs Children provides links and contact information for state-supported organizations helping parents care for children living with disabilities.

EROD Directory of State Vocational Rehabilitative Services provides links and contact information for state agencies that oversee services to children and adults needing educational, physical and occupational rehabilitation assistance.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS

Educational services for the homeless and migrant workers are also significantly supported by federal funding.

EROD Directory of State Agencies Serving Homeless Children and Youth provides links and contact information for state agencies that oversee services to homeless children and youth and their families.

National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE) is a federally funded (U.S. Department of Education) research and information center providing resources for professionals and others involved in planning and delivering educational services to homeless persons of all ages.

MIGRANT EDUCATION SERVICES

Migrants are defined in the United States as seasonal workers who travel back and forth across the U.S. border on a temporary basis to pursue employment, usually in the agricultural or services industries.  Migrant workers are often accompanied by their families and thus require social, educational, and health services.  The federal government and the states cooperate in the provision of migrant education services, as do the neighboring countries of Canada and Mexico.

Migrant Education Resource Center (MERC) is a federally funded information center that provides resources for educators and administrators of migrant education.

MERC State Resources Map is an interactive map of links to state migrant education offices, programs and other resources including health services.

ADULT EDUCATION SERVICES

Adult education as defined here means basic literacy and educational services for persons who did not complete their educations when of school age.  Special services of this type are also available in prisons and known as correctional education.

Adult continuing education, which is considered part of postsecondary and higher education, and continuing education in the professions are dealt with under the topic Structure of U.S. Education.

OVAE Adult Education and Literacy Resources Page is a link to the Office of Vocational and Adult Education’s Adult Education Homepage, which provides information and resources covering a wide variety of adult education topics.

EROD Directory of State Adult Education Agencies provides links and contact information for the state agencies responsible for overseeing adult education services, especially adult basic education.

EROD Directory of State Correctional Education Agencies provides links and contact information for state agencies that provide educational services to incarcerated youth and adults.

EROD Directory of State Literacy Resource Centers provides links and contact information for state centers that assist adult educators with resources and materials to support basic literacy programs.

STATE LIBRARY AND CULTURAL SERVICES

A variety of state agencies and organizations provide cultural and information services to their residents which supplement regular educational programs.

Cultural Services

EROD Directory of State Councils of the Arts provides links and contact information for state councils that support the visual and performing arts.

EROD Directory of State Coordinators of National History Day provides links and contact information for state history studies programs.

EROD Directory of State Councils for the Humanities provides links and contact information for state councils that support education, research and other programs in the humanities.

Libraries

EROD Directory of State Library Agencies provides links and contact information for state agencies that coordinate state libraries and support local public libraries.

Chief Officers of State Library Agencies (COSLA) is the national association of directors of state and territorial library systems.

Public Libraries Association (PLA) is the national association of librarians who manage and work in state and local public libraries.

Natural Sciences and Mathematics

NAAS Directory of State Academies of Science, sponsored by the National Association of Academies of Science (NAAS), provides links and contact information for state councils and other bodies concerned with promoting science and mathematics.

US Education - State Role II - Tertiary Education

US Education - State Role II - Tertiary Education

US Education - State Role II - Tertiary Education

Organization of U.S. Education:

State Role II - Tertiary Education

CAREER AND TECHNICAL (VOCATIONAL) EDUCATION

States exercise oversight over vocational education and private career training in a variety of ways.  School-level career or vocational education is overseen as part of the responsibility of PK-12 authorities plus specialized vocational education offices.  Private career training providers are regulated via a variety of authorities depending on the state or territory.

EROD Directory of State Vocational and Technical Education Agencies provides contact information and links to state vocational education agencies.

EROD Directory of State Tech-Prep Coordinators provides contact information and links to state offices that coordinate Tech-Prep, a program that aligns secondary and postsecondary vocational education and training and permits high school graduates with vocational diplomas to proceed immediately to postsecondary programs.

National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEC) is the national membership association representing the state officials responsible for administering vocational and career training programs.

State Career College Agencies is a directory of the state agencies that oversee the licensing and regulation of private for-profit institutions providing non-degree and degree level training in specific vocational, professional, and technical fields.

National Association of State Administrators and Supervisors of Private Schools (NASASPS) is the national organization for state officials who oversee the approval and licensure of private career (vocational) training providers, as well as other private schools in some cases.

OVAE Career and Technical Education Page (Office of Vocational and Adult Education) provides general information and links to important federal laws, policy initiatives, and programs pertaining to vocational education as well as links to specialized organizations.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Public and private higher education institutions enjoy more autonomy and are more internally self-governing than are schools. Nevertheless, state governments exercise oversight and coordinating authority over higher education within their jurisdictions, issue corporate charters to institutions, regulate standards and quality to varying degrees, and may have regulatory authority over various aspects of the operation of public institutions.

EROD Directory of State Higher Education Agencies provides contact information and links for all state and territorial higher education commissions.

State Higher Education Executive Officer Network (SHEEO) is the national network of the state postsecondary education officials who head state higher education boards and postsecondary agencies.

EROD Directory of State Community College Boards and Agencies provides contact information and links for the states and territories that operate separate oversight boards for their public community college systems.

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) is the national association representing specialized boards of trustees that oversee public community colleges and 2-year associate degree programs.

Public colleges and universities are affiliated with state governments, and occasionally municipal governments, through agreements, charters, budget allocations, state-appointed boards of trustees, state regulations of various types, and sometimes state oversight of facilities.  The national associations representing public (state) higher education institutions include:

American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)

American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)

National Association of State Colleges and Land-Grant Universities (NASULGC)

OVERSIGHT OF STUDENT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

States provide financial assistance programs for students who are residents and who seek to attend higher education institutions, and they also help to administer federal funds provided to state residents and institutions.  These assistance programs are required to be administered by public authorities that can account for the monies distributed as loans and grants and for the repayment of loans issued to residents of each state.

EROD Directory of State Education Grant Agencies provides links and contact information for state agencies that provide assistance to postsecondary students.

EROD Directory of State Educational Loan Guaranty Agencies provides links and contact information to state-based non-profit organizations that administer federal student assistance programs within their jurisdictions.

National Association of State Student Grant-in-Aid Programs (NASSGAP) is the association representing state directors of state-based  (not federal) student financial assistance programs.