ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 12900Executive OrderClinton · D

Executive Order 12900

Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans

This executive order establishes the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans and a White House Initiative within the Department of Education to improve Hispanic American participation in and outcomes from federal education programs. It requires annual federal plans with measurable objectives, agency-specific plans to reduce barriers and improve outreach, and creates an interagency working group to coordinate efforts across executive departments.

Federal Register 59 FR 9061
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Impact dates

  1. Agency plans submitted to Secretary

  2. Annual Federal Plan to President

Key directives

  • Establish President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans (≤25 members) in Department of Education
  • Establish White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans as interagency working group headed by senior federal official
  • Each Executive department and designated agency must appoint senior official as liaison to Commission and Initiative
  • Secretary shall submit Annual Federal Plan to Promote Hispanic American Educational Excellence
  • Each agency shall prepare annual plan with measurable objectives for increasing Hispanic American participation where underserved
  • Agency plans must assess prior year performance after first year
  • OPM shall develop program to promote recruitment of Hispanic students for federal positions (part-time, summer, permanent)
  • Revoke Executive Order 12729

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Establishment of Commission and White House Initiative in Department of Education
  • Revocation of Executive Order 12729
  • Appointment of senior agency liaisons required

Near term (90d)

  • Agency plans due to Secretary (date to be established by Secretary)
  • Development of OPM recruitment program for Hispanic students

Long term

  • Annual Federal Plan submissions continuing indefinitely
  • Ongoing agency performance assessments against prior year goals
  • Sustained interagency coordination through Initiative

Risks & tensions

  • No hard calendar deadlines specified; Secretary determines submission date for agency plans, creating implementation uncertainty
  • 'To the extent permitted by law' and 'to the extent practicable' qualifiers throughout may limit enforceability of agency cooperation
  • 25% Hispanic student population threshold for 'Hispanic-serving' designation may be contested or create boundary incentives
  • Annual plan requirement creates ongoing bureaucratic obligation but no sunset or review mechanism specified
  • Funding dependence on Department of Education may constrain Initiative and Commission capacity
Executive Order 12900: Educational Excellence for Hispanic Americans · Executive Orders