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Abbreviation
ED
Agencies
Department of Education
Federal Agency
Yes
Location

United States

What to Report to the OIG Hotline
Violations of Federal laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to U.S. Department of Education programs and funding, including complaints involving U.S. Department of Education employees, recipients of Department of Education funds, schools, school officials, other educational institutions, contractors, lending institutions, collections agencies, or public officials. This includes, but not limited to: • Embezzlement, bribery, or other public corruption involving U.S. Department of Education funds • Serious mismanagement involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds • Theft or misuse of Federal student aid • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a financial aid administrator or other school official(s) • Knowledge of fraud, waste, or abuse involving a student loan servicer or collection agency • Knowledge that your school is not complying with regulations or laws involving Federal student aid or other U.S. Department of Education program or operation • Whistleblower reprisal (if you are a U.S. Department of Education employee, also report reprisal to the Office of Special Counsel) • Conflicts of interest • Contract and procurement irregularities • Theft or abuse of government property • U.S. Department of Education employee misconduct • Ethics violations by U.S. Department of Education officials • Unauthorized access to U.S. Department of Education Information Technology systems or Information Technology systems that involves administration or disbursement of U.S. Department of Education funds.
What Not to Report to the OIG Hotline
If your complaint or allegation does not involve fraud, waste, theft, mismanagement, public corruption, or abuse involving U.S. Department of Education programs or funds, you may need to contact another U.S. Department of Education office or Federal or State agency for assistance. If your complaint or allegation falls under one of the categories below, please contact the agency or organization listed for assistance. If you have been unable to solve a problem that is not a result of theft or fraud involving your Federal student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman. The FSA Ombudsman’s Office is a neutral, informal, and confidential resource to help resolve disputes about your Federal student loans. If you have an issue with your private student loan, or another private financial product or service: • Please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau at 1-800-411-2372 or http://www.consumerfinance.gov/complaint/#student-loan. You can submit a complaint about private student loans, which are often issued by a bank, a credit union, your school, or another lending institution. If you believe an improper accounting error occurred on your student loan involving a collection agency or loan service center, or if you disagree with your loan servicer about the balance or status of your student loan: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you require technical assistance regarding your student loan, mediation between your loan servicing center, or problems receiving student loan documents from your loan servicer, disability forms, or loan cancellation: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD - 1-800-848-0983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If the Internal Revenue Service has or will offset income tax returns, or if you believe that there has been an improper garnishment of your wages for the repayment of student loans: • Please contact the Office of Debt Collection Services at 1-800-621-3115 (or 1-202-377-3373 or 1-202-377-3374), or find more on what you can do if you defaulted on your student loan repayment here: https://myeddebt.ed.gov/borrower/contactusSubLinks If your school closed or your loan was cancelled as a result of a school closure: • Please contact the FSA Ombudsman’s Office at 1-877-557-2575 (TDD-1-800-8480983) or https://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare/contact-ombudsman If you have questions concerning the quality of education you received while attending a college, university, or trade school: • Please contact your local Better Business Bureau, the school’s accrediting agency, the State licensing agency, or the State Board of Higher Education. If your complaint involves a Head Start Program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) OIG at 1-800-424-9121 or https://oig.hhs.gov/ If your complaint involves a school lunch program: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) OIG at http://www.usda.gov/oig/ If your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights – 1-800-421-3481 or http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintprocess.html If you are a U.S. Department of Education employee and your complaint involves discrimination on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, religion or sexual preference: • Please contact the U.S. Department of Education Equal Employment Opportunity Service Office - 1-800-872-5327 or https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/om/fs_po/om/eeo.html If your complaint involves a scholarship scam—someone calling to offer you a scholarship and requesting your bank or credit card account number for a processing fee—do not share any information and immediately • Contact the Federal Trade Commission - 1-877-FTC-HELP or http://www.ftc.gov/scholarshipscams

The Department’s Compliance with FITARA Requirements

2019
A19S0002
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to assess the U.S. Department of Education’s (Department) compliance with Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) Chief Information Officer (CIO) authority enhancements and other selected requirements. We found improvements are needed in the...

DeVry University’s Compliance with Federal Verification and Reporting Requirements

2019
A05T0009
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

Our audit objectives were to determine whether DeVry University completed verification of applicant data in accordance with Federal requirements and accurately reported verification results to Federal Student Aid. We found that DeVry University’s policies and procedures for verifying applicant data...

Puerto Rico Department of Education’s Internal Controls Over the Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations Program

2019
A04S0013
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

Our audit objective was to determine whether the Puerto Rico Department of Education (Puerto Rico DOE) has effectively designed internal controls for the administration of Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) program funds. We found that the Puerto Rico DOE needs to enhance its...

Federal Student Aid’s Oversight of Schools’ Compliance with Satisfactory Academic Progress Regulations

2019
A04S0012
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objectives of our audit were to determine (1) whether Federal Student Aid (FSA) ensured completion of corrective actions in response to audit and program review findings related to satisfactory academic progress (SAP), and (2) what actions FSA has taken to assist schools with compliance with SAP...

U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education’s Internal Controls over the Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations Program

2019
A04S0014
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

Our audit objective was to determine whether the U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Education (Virgin Islands DOE) has effectively designed internal controls for the administration of Immediate Aid to Restart School Operations (Restart) program funds. Our audit covered May 14, 2018, the date the U.S...

Semiannual Report to Congress, No. 78 - October 1, 2018–March 31, 2019

2019
SAR78
Semiannual Report
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

This Semiannual Report includes the activities and accomplishments of this office from October 1, 2018, through March 31, 2019. The audits, investigations, and related work highlighted in the report are products of our mission to identify and stop fraud, waste, and abuse, and promote accountability...

FY 2018 - U.S. Department of Education’s Compliance with Improper Payments Reporting Requirements

2019
A04T0004
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

We found that the Department complied with IPERA because it met each of the six compliance requirements. We also found that the Department’s improper payment estimates and methodologies were generally accurate and complete. Lastly, we found that some information in the Department’s improper payment...

Response to Request for Information on Political Appointees' Use of Personal Email Accounts, Preservation of Emails, and Responses to Freedom of Information Act Requests

2019
PersonalEmailUse
Review
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

This project was initiated in response to a request for a review of political appointees at the Department to ensure that these officials are following the spirit and letter of all Federal laws and regulations, as well as Departmental policies, related to email use. The OIG was requested to...

Federal Student Aid’s Process to Select Free Application for Federal Student Aid Data Elements and Students for Verification

2019
A02Q0007
Audit
Department of Education OIG
Department of Education

The objective of our audit was to determine the effectiveness of Federal Student Aid’s (FSA's) (1) evaluation of its processes for selecting Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data elements to be verified and (2) evaluation and monitoring of its processes for selecting students for...

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