U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige today joined Chief Financial Officer Jack Martin to receive on behalf of the Department of Education the Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting from the Association of Government Accountants at its annual luncheon in Washington, D.C.

The award recognizes government agencies that achieve the highest standards in integrating their financial and program reports in a way that clearly shows what the agency accomplished with taxpayer dollars and what challenges remain. Integration of financial and performance data is one component of President Bush's management agenda.

"Just as we are asking our nation's schools to be accountable under the No Child Left Behind Act, we have challenged our Department to meet the highest standards of accountability," Secretary Paige said. "We are honored to accept this award that recognizes our success in reporting the Department's accomplishments and challenges."

Agencies that participate in the program submit their Performance and Accountability Report for an in-depth evaluation. A five-member team of management experts reviews the report and provides detailed recommendations for improving the effectiveness of the report. Agencies with the most effective reports are awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting. For more information about the Certificate of Excellence in Accountability Reporting visit http://www.agacgfm.org/performance/cear/aboutcear.aspx/.

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