About

The Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD) advises the Secretary on all matters relating to policy development, implementation, and review. OPEPD coordinates with Department offices to ensure alignment with the Secretary’s priorities, including a focus of evidence-based practices where the Department and the field can continuously improve by building stronger evidence, making decisions based on a clear understanding of the available evidence, and disseminating evidence to decision makers. In addition, OPEPD oversees the design, supervision, and publication of evaluation studies; it clarifies and enforces of laws related to student privacy; developing educational technology policy and establishing strategies that encourage the use educational technology to transform teaching and learning; and advances Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education in the Department, across Federal agencies, and with external partners.

OPEPD is home to the Grants Policy Office, the Office of the Chief Data Officer, the Office of Educational Technology, and the Student Privacy Policy Office. The Acting Assistant Secretary for Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development is Donna Harris-Aikens.

For more information about the functions and structure of the office, please visit https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/opepd/home.html.

Archived Pages:

Reports and Resources

Policy and Program Studies Service