A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

Electronic FOIA
Reading Room

ED is making certain types of records, created by the agency on or after November 1, 1996, available electronically on the World Wide Web. These electronic "reading room" records consist of: (1) final opinions and orders made in adjudicating cases; (2) final statements of policy and interpretations not published in the Federal Register; (3) administrative staff manuals and instructions to staff; (4) copies of previous FOIA requests and responses ED believes are likely to be requested again, and (5) the agency's annual FOIA reports to Congress.

ED also maintains conventional reading rooms, where paper copies of all the documents mentioned above are available for inspection and copying. The primary ED reading room is at the National Library of Education in the Headquarters Building at 400 Maryland Ave. SW, Plaza Level (Level B), Washington, D.C. 20202. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ED program offices may also maintain conventional reading rooms. Contact the individual program offices for the locations of their conventional reading rooms. Not every program office will maintain records in each reading room category. Also, while the FOIA requires that ED make only the above five categories of records available in its reading rooms, each program office may maintain additional types of records.

• Final Opinions rendered in the adjudication of administrative cases

  • Office of Hearings and Appeals

• Policy Statements

• Frequently Requested Information includes Department records or information that has been disclosed in response to a FOIA request and has been, or is likely to be, the subject of multiple FOIA requests.

• FOIA Annual Reports

• Other Documents
  • ED's Records Disposition Schedules
  • Government Information Locator System (GILS), which identifies major information systems at ED and throughout the federal government
  • Inventory of ED Information Systems: alphabetical list or list by principal office
  • Memorandum on Privacy Act and FOIA Working Groups
  • Text of the Freedom of Information Act
  • Text of the Privacy Act