What is the US Department of Education (ED) Cross-Site Indexing Project?

ED's Cross-Site Index allows you to quickly search the complete contents of 200+ ED-sponsored web sites and 150+ education-related resources at other Federal agencies -- a collection of over 450,000 items in all ranging from funding opportunities to lesson plans, from research to regulations. Previously it would have taken many hours to find information distributed across these many sites on such topics as "authentic assessment" and "professional development"; now it takes only a few seconds. The service is a result of input from users and ED sites.

How to Search

To perform a search across the complete contents of the cross site index, type what you are looking for into the search box. To get even more specific search results, try using the tips from the How to Search instructions (link to page).

If you only want to search specific collections or areas, choose the radio button Selected Sites and then select the collections you would like to search. Then type what you are looking for into the search box and select Find.

You can also search within these collections. Just click on the underlined name of a collection to see all of the sections that can be searched. You can then choose to search this collection as a whole, or only search selected sites within this collection.

What types of organizations are included in the Cross-Site Index?

US Department of Education (ED)

The aim for ED's web site is to provide you with information about ED's offices and programs, education initiatives of the President and Secretary, the full text of ED reports and publications, links to organizations we support, and more. We see this as part of our mission, here at the Department, which is to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. ED's main web site (www.ed.gov) is supplemented by a number of special-purpose sites that focus on specific topics and services.

Select this category to search web sites that ED operates itself, which tend to contain information about ED offices, programs, publications and other information produced directly by ED rather than the organizations it funds through contracts and grants. To find information and services available from ED-funded organizations such as clearinghouses, centers, and technical assistance providers, select one or more of the other categories below.

Comprehensive Centers

The 15 Comprehensive Centers were created in 1994 under the Improving America's Schools Act (IASA) to improve the integration and effectiveness of technical assistance services. The Comprehensive Centers help states, school districts, and schools meet the needs of children, including: children in high poverty areas, migratory children, immigrant children, children with limited-English proficiency, neglected or delinquent children, homeless children and youth, Indian children, children with disabilities, and, where applicable, Native Alaskan and Hawaiian children.

Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)

The Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) is a national information system designed to provide users with ready access to an extensive body of education-related literature. ERIC encompasses the world's largest and most frequently searched education database.

Eisenhower Math/Science Regional Consortia and National Clearinghouse

The mission of the 10 Eisenhower Regional Consortia for Mathematics and Science Education is to promote and support systemic reform in mathematics and science. The Consortia, which are funded by the Eisenhower National Program for Mathematics and Science Education, build on existing resources in each Region to create partnerships that cut across state boundaries to link public schools, private schools, business and industry, science museums, and higher education institutions.

The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education is a national repository of current mathematics and science resources available to educators, students, parents, and others.

Equity Assistance Centers (formerly Desegregation Assistance Centers)

The Equity Assistance Centers (formerly Desegregation Assistance Centers) assist school boards, other responsible government agencies and school personnel in activities related to race, sex and national origin desegregation, including efforts to ensure equity in the provision of educational programs and services. Each of the 10 centers funded by the US Department of Education provides direct consultation and technical assistance, staff and community-based workshops, and regional seminars and conferences. Services are coordinated with state departments of education.

Foreign Language Resource Centers

The mission of the National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Centers is to improve student learning of foreign languages in grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12). Each Center provides professional support to foreign language educators through national summer institutes with long-term follow-up, ongoing research projects, and occasional papers.

National Research and Development Centers

To address nationally significant problems and issues in education, five National Institutes in the ED's Office of Educational Research and Improvement (OERI) support university-based national educational research and development centers. The centers address specific topics such as early childhood development and learning, student learning and achievement, cultural and linguistic diversity and second language learning, and postsecondary improvement. In addition, each center has collaborating partners, and many work with elementary and secondary schools.

Regional Resource and Federal Centers Network for Special Education

The six Regional Resource Centers are specifically funded to assist state education agencies in the systemic improvement of education programs, practices, and policies that affect children and youth with disabilities. The Regional Resource Centers help states and US jurisdictions find integrated solutions, offering consultation, information services, technical assistance, training, and product development. The beneficiaries of the Regional Resource Centers' work are children and youth with disabilities, and the families and professionals who are associated with them. The Regional Centers provide customized products, information, and services that address a wide range of topics.

The Federal Resource Center for Special Education coordinates the work of the six Regional Resource Centers and ED's Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) to foster a network of technical assistance and dissemination projects held together by ongoing collaborative efforts and whose goal is to respond quickly to special needs.

Regional Technology in Education Consortia

The 10 Regional Technology in Education Consortia (RTECs) help states, local educational agencies, teachers, school library and media personnel, administrators, and other education entities successfully integrate technologies into kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) classrooms, library media centers, and other educational settings, including adult literacy centers. In providing such help the RTECs: establish and conduct regional activities that address professional development, technical assistance, and information resource dissemination to promote the effective use of technology in education with special emphasis on meeting the documented needs of educators and learners in the region they serve; and foster regional cooperation and resource sharing.

Special Education and Rehabilitation Services

In addition to the Regional Resource and Federal Centers Network (listed separately above), ED's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) supports programs that assist in educating children with special needs, provides for the rehabilitation of youth and adults with disabilities, and supports research to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities.

OSERS funds numerous information clearinghouses, resource centers, technical assistance providers, and other special focus projects that offer information and services on the web.

Star Schools Program

The purpose of the Star Schools Program is to encourage improved instruction in mathematics, science, and foreign languages as well as other subjects, such as literacy skills and vocational education, and to serve underserved populations, including the disadvantaged, illiterate, limited-English proficient, and individuals with disabilities through the use of telecommunications and distance education.

Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Sites

The Technology Innovation Challenge Grant Program (TICG) helps local communities meet the educational needs of their students through the development of new applications and creative ways to use technology for learning. Local communities are challenged to form partnerships of schools districts, colleges, universities and private businesses to accomplish their goals. Many Challenge Grant projects host innovative web sites.

Vocational and Adult Education, and Literacy

ED's Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE) sponsors several organizations that provide technical assistance, electronic communication and access to information for education providers in the areas of adult education, vocational education, and literacy. The programs enable adults to acquire the basic skills necessary to function in today's society so that they can benefit from the completion of secondary school, enhanced family life, attaining citizenship and participating in job training and retraining programs. Further goals are upgrading the workforce, reducing welfare dependency, raising the standard of living, and creating safer communities.

Other ED-Supported Sites

Other programs that ED supports that do not fall into any of the above categories include American Indian & Alaska Native Education Research, Parent Involvement, Alcohol and Drug Prevention, Bilingual Education, Equal Opportunity, Partnerships Against Violence, Charter Schools, and Women's Educational Equity.

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence (FREE) makes thousands of Internet-based education resources supported by more than thirty agencies across the US Federal government easier to find.