Like I said the department of education is a federal jobs program. It provides funding. The funding is supposed to advance education for all and promotes standards like the Common Core State Standards. It also oversees accountability measures under laws like the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The Research and Data Collection department conducts and funds educational research through entities like the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). It collects data on educational outcomes, school environments, and educational practices.
Its an outline for education. In government when there are not specifics then you get wasteful spending. When you get wasteful spending in the education department you get..... Poor test results.