New Directions and Initiatives at NCES: Implications for Educational Research,Policy,and Practice

Abstract

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has made significant changes following a severely critical evaluation by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in 1986. Improvements are under way to fill data gaps, raise technical standards, and expand staff resources. Sharply increased appropriations and new legislation indicate Executive Branch and Congressional support. Researchers are encouraged to advise the Center, use the newly enlarged data for analyses, and propose targeted supplements to NCES studies. The “new NCES” will persist because data are needed by the public and by decision makers.