The Department of Education has drawn up a list of annual goals to improve its financial-management systems. Among the highlights:
By Fiscal 2002:
- The Education Department will achieve a “clean” audit report.
- External and internal accountability problems will have been substantially reduced.
- The agency will minimize student-loan defaults and improve collections of student loans.
By Fiscal 2003:
- Program managers will have financial data necessary to manage effectively.
- Student-aid programs will be less vulnerable to fraud, waste, error, and mismanagement.
- The agency will conduct business with customers online to the fullest extent possible.
- Managers will have tools and flexibility to recruit top-notch job candidates.
- The agency will set the standard for performance accountability among federal agencies.
By Fiscal 2004:
- Employees will possess skills necessary to do their jobs.
- The department will earn a Certificate of Excellence for Accountability Reporting from the Association of Government Accountants.
SOURCE: “Blueprint for Management Excellence,” Department of Education. (Requires Adobe’s Acrobat Reader.)
