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The Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs Internship

Hello, Intern Coordinator:

The Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs (OLCA) at the U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applications for unpaid interns to work in our office in the Spring 2022 semester (starting in January 2022); applications are due no later than November 5, 2021. OLCA seeks to enlist and engage students with broad and diverse backgrounds to join our team. We are especially interested in students who are pursuing education related or government policy related fields. We have a great, fast-paced office and every day is a learning experience. Our interns do substantive work, learn a tremendous amount about how our government works, and are valued members of our team. We emphasize personal growth and opportunity to experience a wide range of activities. See below for a summary of intern responsibilities.

Perhaps the most important job of an intern at OLCA is attending congressional hearings on education-related issues, which are typically conducted during the traditional business hours of the United States Congress. These hearings are not only a tremendous opportunity for interns to see their government in action, but the summaries interns are tasked with creating as a result of attending the hearings are dispersed throughout the Department, including the Office of the Secretary.

Due to the importance of these responsibilities, as well as the overall benefit for students who are fully immersed in the work of the office, we seek interns who are generally available to work full or close to full days.

In addition to the opportunities within our office, students are encouraged to participate in opportunities unique to Washington, DC, such as:

1. White House and Supreme Court tours.

2. Meetings with ED officials.

3. Tours of D.C. landmarks.

4. Professional development activities.

5. Social activities.

Interning at ED makes it easy to take advantage of the Department's location in the heart of the nation’s capital, near the Smithsonian Museums, Capitol Hill, and many national landmarks.

While ED cannot provide compensation or housing for the internship program, all interns are eligible for Metro Transit benefits to cover transportation to and from work. Students receiving outside funding (such as a grant) or school credit for the internship are encouraged to apply. We also provide performance reviews for those institutions requiring them.

If you have interested students, please have them provide the following information to james.forester@ed.gov:

1. A cover letter summarizing why you wish to work at ED and stating your previous experiences in the line of education, if any. Include information on why you think working in OLCA would be of interest to you.

2. A completed copy of the Application Form (attached).

3. A transcript (an unofficial transcript is sufficient) .

4. Writing Sample (a paper written for a class is perfect)(no more than 5 pages).

5. Resume.

We will begin to conduct 30 minute phone interviews with candidates we think would be a good fit in the next few weeks. Due to increased security and clearance process, we must have all applications in hand by November 5, 2021. Please note, we will conduct interviews and make offers on a rolling basis. Those who submit early have a better chance of being selected.

Below is a description of the intern responsibilities/statement of work:

US Department of Education /Office of Legislation and Congressional Affairs

Intern Responsibilities/Statement of Work

OLCA serves as ED’s primary liaison with Congress. The job of this office is to ensure that Congress clearly understands the President’s policy objectives, receives high-quality responses to correspondence, timely responses to legislative technical assistance requests and quick, clear resolutions of constituent concerns and leads a team to handle congressional oversight by responding to those requests in an appropriate way. OLCA proactively reaches out to individual Members, Committees, and caucuses to provide high-level briefings on education related matters. We also ensure ED’s witnesses and nominees are well prepared for Congressional testimony or interviews. OLCA works with other offices within ED to respond to Congressional inquiries and to apprise ED’s leadership of developments on the Hill in a timely and comprehensive manner.

OLCA’s internship program is intended to be a positive learning experience for the student.

OLCA interns will:

  1. attend Congressional hearings, markups, meetings, briefings and events both within and outside the Department on matters of federal education policy interest and write reports to summarize those events.  
  2. have an opportunity to meet with each OLCA staff member for an informative session to discuss each staff member’s background and career path. 
  3. assist staff with preparation for hearings, briefings and meetings. 
  4. update staff on current events in various education policy areas.  
  5. assist staff with ongoing Congressional outreach.
  6. assist with the updating of Congressional databases, Congressional biographies and Hill education legislative assistants.
  7. occasionally perform various administrative tasks and other duties as assigned, including Hill runs and helping with phones when necessary.

Please feel free to contact me at 202-453-6876 or james.forester@ed.gov if you would like to discuss OLCA’s internship program further.