General Administration and Program Support provides the central coordination and direction for the overall planning, management and oversight of the agencies within the Cabinet. It is responsible for policy and budget development and personnel transactions; legal services including legislative and regulatory development and oversight; a communications strategy with the public, business, and industry; economic analysis and research; accounting, purchasing, and facilities management; and information technology and other administrative support services. Partial funding for the Office of the Secretary is provided by the Kentucky Workers' Compensation Funding Commission's special assessments imposed upon workers' compensation premiums paid by employers and group self-insurers, as well as an indirect rate charged to federal grants. General Funding in this area is to support the Office of Unemployment Insurance and the Career Development Office. The following agencies and entities are attached to the Office of the Secretary for administrative purposes only: The Early Childhood Advisory Council, the Governor's School for Entrepreneurs Program, the Governor's Scholar Program, the Board of the Kentucky Center for Statistics, and the Foundation for Adult Education.

The program includes the following units:

• I ne Uttice or the Secretary provides strategic direction and leadership to establish the focus for policy development, implementation, and program priorities. The Office coordinates Cabinet activities among its departments and agencies to ensure continuous improvement in administration and efficient service to the citizens of the Commonwealth. The Secretary serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Cabinet and is an advisor to the Governor and the General Assembly.
• The Office of Legal Services is responsible for providing legal advice and representation in all matters involving the Cabinet and its agencies. In addition to legal representation, the office is responsible for drafting and/or reviewing contracts, administrative regulations, and proposed administrative or executive orders and oversight.
• The Office of Administrative Service is the Cabinet's chief financial and administrative office. The Division of Operations and Support Services and the Division of Fiscal Management are responsible for the management of all state-owned/state-operated facilities, equipment, and property assigned to the Cabinet, The Division of Fiscal Management is responsible for all central office purchasing, auditing and processing financial documents, compliance with the Federal Cash Management Act, federal reporting, development of the Indirect Cost Plan, monitoring and reconciliation of all financial transactions, and compliance with state and federal guidelines. The Division of Human Resources is responsible for all Cabinet personnel activities including personnel and payroll processing, providing benefits services to Cabinet employees and developing workshops and training programs for employees.
• The Office of Technology Services oversees and assists with the Cabinet's application development needs and serves as the central location for all Cabinet data processing programs statewide. The Office works with the Commonwealth Office of Technology to effectuate the Cabinet's information technology infrastructure objectives.
• The Office of Policy and Audit provides coordination and assistance for all external audits and assists in developing all Cabinet policies. Upon request, the Office conducts internal investigations of employees.
• The Office of Legislative Services is responsible for the coordination of the legislative process including the advancement of the Education and Labor Cabinet's legislative agenda.
• The Office of Communications provides internal and external communications, marketing support and media advisory services to the Cabinet, Executive Offices, Department for Workforce Investment and other Cabinet agencies. The Office interprets and disseminates information about the Cabinet and its components to employees, the media and the general public.
• The Office of the Kentucky Center for Statistics and the Board of the Kentucky Center for Statistics manage and oversee the Kentucky Longitudinal Data System. The System is a data repository housing early childhood through Postsecondary education, and training and employment information. The Office removes individual identifiers from the data and links information across agencies, schools, and institutions to provide a complete picture of the education-to-employment process to better inform decisions made by state and local policy makers, the general public, and other stakeholders. The office conducts studies and provides feedback about the performance of high school graduates after they go to college; the outcome of teacher preparation, college, adult education, and other programs; and develops the Kentucky County Profiles book. The Kentucky Center for Statistics Board is comprised of the heads of the five participating agencies and includes the Commissioner of the Department of Education, the President of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, the Secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet, the Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and the CEO/Executive Director of the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority. The board is charged with developing a detailed access and use policy for data and information request, overseeing the Office and establishing its research agenda, and overseeing compliance by the Office with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act and other relevant federal and state privacy laws.
• The Governor's Scholars Program (GSP) is designed to motivate and empower Kentucky's brightest young people to become effective thinkers and citizen leaders with a zeal for excellence and a mind for innovation. The program provides an intensive residential summer academic and personal growth program for academically talented rising high school seniors. The scholars, chosen competitively, spend five uninterrupted weeks in the program on three college campuses. Over 2,000 applications are received at the state level each year, with approximately 1,000 students selected to attend.