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March 2025


** The Role and Responsibilities of the Department of Education
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“Through research and data on the effectiveness of programs and policies, ensuring equal access to education, addressing key educational issues, helping to establish policies and distributing funds, the Education Department’s offices and programs touch the lives of over 50 million students in K-12 and higher education.”

States are primarily responsible for education, but the U.S. Department of Education is the federal agency that plays a vital role in establishing policies, ensuring accountability and promoting equal access to education. The establishment of the department as a Cabinet-level agency in 1980 emphasized the federal government’s commitment to, and our national prioritization of, education. The dismantling of the department will further erode the equality of education, upend protections for some of our most vulnerable students, and widen the educational opportunities gap for students from households with low incomes.

Understanding the Role and Responsibilities of the Department of Education ([link removed]) dives deep into the department’s five high-impact responsibilities, key offices that oversee them, and the laws that establish students’ rights and the government’s accountability. Learn more and join us in advocating for public education that fosters excellence and equity.
“Education is our most important national investment. … Every citizen has a vital, personal stake in this investment. Our ability to advance both economically and technologically, our country’s entire intellectual and cultural life depend on the success of our great educational enterprise.”

— President Jimmy Carter
Department of Education Organization Act Statement, Oct. 17, 1979
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** Advocating for Public Education ([link removed])
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Improving educational excellence and outcomes for all students benefits our communities, nation and shared future. We all have a crucial role in advocating for the right to quality public education and equal access to learning. State and local control over education means education is a community resource and a lever for change. The recommendations in this new resource can help you take action.


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** A Culture of Dialogue is Foundational to Democracy ([link removed])
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Polarization is toxic to democracy and limits us — as individuals, organizations and nations — in our ability to respond to the critical needs of today. A culture of dialogue creates opportunities to reach across our differences and to engage one another, which is crucial for strengthening democracy, especially in the face of growing authoritarianism. Learn more with this new resource.

Learning for Justice Series
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** Resisting Hate in Education ([link removed])
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Together, we can engage as a broader community across our differences, build networks to foster resilience and take action to resist hate. This resource series offers strategies for prevention, intervention and response to hate and bias in education.


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** Learning From the Civil Rights Movement ([link removed])
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The learning journeys and resources in this series can help us learn from our history and examine today’s justice issues to answer the questions: “How can I make a difference?” “How can we make a difference together?”


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** Civics for Democracy ([link removed])
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To strengthen democracy in the United States, we must understand the systems of government, politics and the media. The resources in this series can help to develop the civic knowledge, skills and dispositions essential for responsible engagement to strengthen democracy.


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** Youth Learning for Justice ([link removed])
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Through learning that teaches honest history, introduces servant leadership (an approach that focuses on leadership in service of the community) and eases entry into the movement for justice, this series aims to help young people realize their power to shape the future.


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** Growing Together ([link removed])
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Because stories can connect personal experiences to broader social issues, they can help children grow in understanding justice and recognizing and challenging injustice. This series of learning journeys, stories and book recommendations for children and families can help cultivate the values of justice, equity, diversity and inclusion.


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© 2025 Learning for Justice. All rights reserved.

Our mailing address is:
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Montgomery, AL 36104
334-956-8200 | ** learningforjustice.org ([link removed])

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