Careers
Education, Workforce, and Income Security
Our Work
Recent Accomplishments
Ongoing Projects
Key Contacts
Our Work
An educated citizenry and a productive workforce are keys to the continued vitality of our democratic society and the vigor of our community. To this end, the government spends billions on programs aimed at fostering the development and education of our children and protecting this vulnerable population. Billions of dollars are also directed at providing training for our workers, helping adults not in the workforce enhance their skills and obtain employment, and protecting workers from employment-related and physical hazards. Significant resources are also devoted to providing Social Security and pension benefits to the nation’s retirees. Together, these programs account for over 40 percent of federal spending and touch the lives of virtually every American. With long-term fiscal challenges facing the nation, the Education, Workforce, and Income Security team assists Congress by examining whether these programs are being efficiently and effectively implemented and ensuring that federal dollars are spent wisely.
We analyze the efficiency and effectiveness of programs designed to
- foster the development, education, and skill attainment of children and adults;
- provide benefits and protections for workers, families, and children; and
- ensure an adequate and secure retirement for an aging population.
The work of our team includes oversight of related programs within the following federal departments and agencies:
- Department of Agriculture (food and nutrition programs).
- Department of Education.
- Department of Health and Human Services (nonhealth programs).
- Department of Labor.
- Social Security Administration (SSA).
- Department of Veterans Affairs (nonhealth programs).
Recent Accomplishments
- Expediting interstate placements to adopt special needs children.
- Improving coordination between the Red Cross and Federal Emergency Management Agency in response to hurricanes.
- Ensuring the effectiveness of federal investments in science, technology, engineering and math programs.
- Strengthening states’ enforcement ability to collect child support payments.
- Improving oversight of school lenders under the Federal Family Education Loan Program, which helps students pay for postsecondary education.
- Preventing fraudulent benefit payments to deceased veterans.
- Reducing liabilities of the Social Security Trust Funds.
- Expanding eligibility for and awareness of Trade Adjustment Assistance benefits for workers.
- Improving targeting of overpayments of Supplementary Security Income benefits resulting from residency violations.
- Protecting Social Security numbers from identity fraud and abuse.
Ongoing Projects
- Examining how states are using No Child Left Behind Act funds and implementing efforts to support schools in need of improvement.
- Evaluating oversight of the Head Start program.
- Analyzing factors that influence whether African-American children enter and remain in foster care.
- Assessing efforts to improve access to the Food Stamp Program.
- Determining the extent to which One-Stop training centers link to community colleges and the extent to which they help older workers transition to new employment.
- Comparing the merits and costs of federal student loan programs.
- Examining the management of Veteran's Affairs' pension benefits program.
- Evaluating efforts to coordinate mass care services in response to disasters, such as hurricanes.
- Identifying vulnerabilities in protecting Social Security numbers available in public records.
- Examining the effect of federal policies on retirement age.
- Determining ways to strengthen the private employer pension system, particularly as it pertains to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's ability to protect workers' retirement benefits.
Key Contacts
Managing Director: Cynthia M. Fagnoni
Directors: Cornelia M. Ashby, Daniel Bertoni, Barbara D. Bovbjerg, Kay E. Brown, George A. Scott
Phone: (202) 512-7215
Mailing Address:
U.S. Government Accountability Office
Education, Workforce, and Income Security
Room 5928
441 G Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20548