White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics
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| Agency overview | |
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| Formed | September 24, 1990 |
| Agency executives |
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| Parent agency | US Department of Education |
| Website | ED.gov/HispanicInitiative |
The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics is a multi-agency working group within the Department of Education charged with strengthening the nation's capacity to provide high quality education while increasing opportunities for Hispanic American participation in federal education programs. In addition, the Initiative serves as a resource for information related to closing the educational achievement gap for Hispanic Americans. Finally, the Initiative provides staffing to support and coordinate the mission of a President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics.
Despite its title, the Initiative is created by executive order as a fully staffed and funded entity within the United States Department of Education. Its purpose is to provide support for a Presidential Advisory Commission, for organizational purposes also located within the Education Department, which in turn provides advice and guidance to the Secretary of Education and, through him, to the President.
The size of the Commission changes with each new Administration, numbering anywhere between fifteen and twenty-five members, and is usually led by two co-chairs. Commissioners are chosen from a wide variety of backgrounds such as educational/academic, sports figures, business, and entertainment and other celebrities. Membership is honorary and the Commissioners serve without pay. All represent either highly visible Hispanic Americans distinguished in their field or other individuals noted for their commitment to Hispanic matters. In order to fulfill its mission of providing guidance, the Commission issues reports- at regular or irregular intervals depending on its individual directive.
As previously noted, the Initiative is a fully staffed office within the Education Department. It is composed of a mix of appointed and civil service officials and led by an Executive Director. The Director is named either by the President or the Secretary of Education. The Initiative's mission ends with the Administration that created it but the agency does not completely shut down. As a regularly staffed unit, the Initiative continues into a new Administration with a "skeleton crew" on the expectation that a new executive order will be issued or until such time as the staff is reassigned by the Secretary.
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