Memorandum on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Executive Order No. 12900— Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans

Recognizing the importance of the educational needs of our Nation's Hispanic community, I signed Executive Order No. 12900 on February 22nd of this year. The Executive order took a strong, interagency, approach to identifying and correcting the shortcomings of our educational system in serving Hispanic youth. The Executive order created the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans ("Commission"), which advises the President and the Secretary of Education on these issues. Further, the Executive order established the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans ("White House Initiative"), which is housed in the Department of Education. Additionally, the Executive order states, in part, that:

[E]ach Executive department and each [agency designated by the Secretary of Education] shall prepare a plan for, and shall document, both that agency's effort to increase Hispanic American participation in Federal education programs where Hispanic Americans currently are underserved, and that agency's effort to improve educational outcomes for Hispanic Americans participating in Federal education programs. **** Each agency's plan shall provide appropriate measurable objectives for proposed actions aimed at increasing Hispanic American participation in Federal education programs where Hispanic Americans currently are underserved.

Given the current status of Hispanics in education and the need to prepare all of our youth for productive employment and lifelong learning, we must make the education of Hispanic youth and adults a high priority in order to achieve the goals set for us by title I of the Goals 2000: Educate America Act ("Goals 2000"). This will require that each of you, as stewards of your agencies, take a more active role in ensuring that the education-related programs of your agency serve Hispanics equitably, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Consistent with this purpose and with Executive Order No. 12900, I am directing that you identify as soon as possible a senior official who will act as liaison to the Commission and the White House Initiative to assist in this interagency initiative. The official should be at the Deputy Secretary level. Additionally, a second official in the agency—if possible, a Hispanic senior official—should be designated to serve as a co-liaison, who will be responsible for carrying out requests from the Commission. These two officials will work closely with the Executive Director of the White House Initiative.

I know that you will cooperate fully with both the Commission and the White House Initiative. I also ask that to the extent practicable you honor any requests for appropriate information, including available data relating to the eligibility for, and participation by, Hispanic Americans in Federal education programs and the progress of Hispanic Americans in relation to the National Education Goals, as set forth in the Goals 2000 Act.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON