[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1994, Book II)]
[December 5, 1994]
[Page 2148]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Memorandum on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans
December 5, 1994

Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies

Subject: Executive Order No. 12900--Educational Excellence for Hispanic 
Americans

    Recognizing the importance of the educational needs of our Nation's 
Hispanic community, I signed Executive Order No. 12900 on February 22nd 
of this year. The Executive order took a strong, interagency, approach 
to identifying and correcting the shortcomings of our educational system 
in serving Hispanic youth. The Executive order created the President's 
Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans 
(``Commission''), which advises the President and the Secretary of 
Education on these issues. Further, the Executive order established the 
White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans 
(``White House Initiative''), which is housed in the Department of 
Education. Additionally, the Executive order states, in part, that:
      [E]ach Executive department and each [agency designated by the 
        Secretary of Education] shall prepare a plan for, and shall 
        document, both that agency's effort to increase Hispanic 
        American participation in Federal education programs where 
        Hispanic Americans currently are underserved, and that agency's 
        effort to improve educational outcomes for Hispanic Americans 
        participating in Federal education programs. * * * * Each 
        agency's plan shall provide appropriate measurable objectives 
        for proposed actions aimed at increasing Hispanic American 
        participation in Federal education programs where Hispanic 
        Americans currently are underserved.
    Given the current status of Hispanics in education and the need to 
prepare all of our youth for productive employment and lifelong 
learning, we must make the education of Hispanic youth and adults a high 
priority in order to achieve the goals set for us by title I of the 
Goals 2000: Educate America Act (``Goals 2000''). This will require that 
each of you, as stewards of your agencies, take a more active role in 
ensuring that the education-related programs of your agency serve 
Hispanics equitably, both qualitatively and quantitatively.
    Consistent with this purpose and with Executive Order No. 12900, I 
am directing that you identify as soon as possible a senior official who 
will act as liaison to the Commission and the White House Initiative to 
assist in this interagency initiative. The official should be at the 
Deputy Secretary level. Additionally, a second official in the agency--
if possible, a Hispanic senior official--should be designated to serve 
as a co-liaison, who will be responsible for carrying out requests from 
the Commission. These two officials will work closely with the Executive 
Director of the White House Initiative.
    I know that you will cooperate fully with both the Commission and 
the White House Initiative. I also ask that to the extent practicable 
you honor any requests for appropriate information, including available 
data relating to the eligibility for, and participation by, Hispanic 
Americans in Federal education programs and the progress of Hispanic 
Americans in relation to the National Education Goals, as set forth in 
the Goals 2000 Act.

                                                      William J. Clinton