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Past Extra Credits All issues

"The department last year, for the first time, since creation in 1979, received a 'clean audit' . . ." (Editor's note: Ernst & Young conducted the audit. The audit was the first, outside, independent, clean audit in the department's history.)

"Congressional critics say the Education Department has made a 'comeback' from years of corruption by employees who embezzled hundreds of millions of dollars from federal aid accounts to buy real estate and sport utility vehicles-even a $50,0000 red Corvette Convertible."

"Rep. Pete Hoekstra, chairman of the House Education and Workforce subcommittee that exposed corruption and abuses at the department during the 1990s, credits Secretary Rod Paige and his deputy, William D. Hansen, who sits on President Bush's White House Management Council, for the cleanup."

"Mr. Hansen, 44, credits Mr. Bush, 'the first president with an MBA' - a master's degree in business administration-and his decision to manage federal Cabinet departments with corporate-style executive decision-making."

"Mr. Paige wanted the problems 'nipped in the bud and cleaned up' and to get a clean audit within 18 months. 'He took it seriously and went right after it very aggressively and really has a zero tolerance for types of activities that were going on here,' Mr. Hansen said."

"He said the department still faces enormous challenges as it implements Mr. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, which requires greater reading and math achievement in grades three through eight throughout the country over the next decade, and state accountability plans to demonstrate yearly improvement as a condition for receiving federal Title 1 money for reading programs."