III.B.8: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

Collect and analyze data related to education in the United States and other nations.

Other Information:

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), one of the principal federal statistical agencies, is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the United States and other nations. NCES is located within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the scientific arm of the U.S. Department of Education. The mission of NCES is to collect, analyze, report, and disseminate education information and statistics in a manner that o meets the highest methodological standards; o is timely, relevant, and useful to practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and the public; o is objective, secular, neutral, and non-ideological; and o is free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias. NCES publishes public-use and restricted-use datasets and reports that describe, estimate, forecast, or analyze education statistics and ensure that all users have equitable and timely access to data. NCES statistics are used to track progress and trends, identify problems and opportunities for policy improvement, and manage and monitor programs. With more than 20 survey programs, NCES covers education topics from birth through adulthood using crosssectional databases, longitudinal studies, and assessments. In addition, NCES coordinates participation in international assessments, administers quick-response surveys on pressing policy issues, assists state and local education agencies in improving their statistical systems, manages grants to develop statewide longitudinal data systems across the nation, and reviews and reports on education activities in the U.S. and foreign countries. NCES has a Statistical Standards Program that consults and advises on methodological and statistical aspects involved in the design, collection, and analysis of education data. NCES program staff also provides consultation and advice to other organizations and agencies, and to other offices within the Department of Education as the need arises. This program publishes and updates the NCES Statistical Standards and monitors and administers restricted-use data licenses for Center’s data products. NCES activities include: o Provide consistent, reliable, complete, and accurate indicators of education status and trends. o Report timely, useful, and high-quality data to education policymakers and data users. o Publish reports to distribute educational statistics to a wide audience. o Provide data in the form of data files and web tools available for research and analysis. o Work with state and local education agencies on issues of data collection, maintenance, and analysis. o Assures compliance with Section 183 of the Education Sciences Reform Act, (ESRA) which prohibits the release of personally identifiable information by the Department, and includes felony criminal penalties, including imprisonment. NCES serves: o Educators and educational organizations o Federal, state, and local education officials o Congress o The news media o Researchers o Students o Parents o The general public You can find additional information about NCES at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Home Page, a part of the U.S. Department of Education.

Stakeholder(s):

• National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)


• Institute of Education Sciences (IES): The scientific arm of the U.S. Department of Education.


• Education Policymakers


• Education Data Users


• Educators


• Educational Organizations


• Federal Education Officials


• State Education Officials


• Local Education Officials


• Congress


• The news media


• Researchers


• Students


• Parents


• The General Public

Indicator(s):

Indicator:1

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