The Office of Early Learning (OEL) is the principal office charged with supporting the U.S. Department of Education’s Early Learning Initiative with the goal of improving the health, social-emotional, and cognitive outcomes for children from birth through third grade, so that all children, particularly those with high needs, are on track for graduating from high school college- and career-ready.
OEL is also responsible for the discretionary grant programs in Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) exclusively focused on early learning. The Office works collaboratively with other Department offices to help coordinate and align early learning programs and initiatives. Additionally, OEL works across Federal Agencies to support early learning, including co-administering the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge grants with the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.