Re-Imagining IES, Continued

I consider myself an optimist. But it’s fair to say that I have nothing on the optimistic person who woke up one day, sat down at his or her desk, and penned Section 153 of the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002. For the uninitiated, that’s the section of ESRA that establishes the National Center for Education Statistics. 

I’m struck by the author’s optimism not because I can personally attest that he or she is the “I can climb any mountain” type, but because of the mandate they established for NCES’s work:

The Statistics Center shall collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States and in other nations, including—(1) collecting, acquiring, compiling (where appropriate, on a State-by-State basis), and disseminating full and complete statistics (disaggregated by the population characteristics described [below]) on the condition and progress of education, at the preschool, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult levels in the United States … 

I’m not shocked by the whole “collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States” bit. That’s what you’d expect from a federal statistical agency that’s been hard at work since 1867.

But keep reading. Data on the U.S. and other nations? Sure—we care about our position vis-à-vis other nations for the purposes of economic competitiveness, national security, and systemic improvement. Data on a State-by-State basis? Sure—education is the purview of states, so for the sake of relevance (and maybe even a little well-intended and data-driven peer pressure) this seems reasonable.  

I begin to smile nervously, though, as I read the final sentence. It asks NCES for: 

• “full and complete statistics” … to me, that feels boundless;
• “disaggregated by … population characteristics” … here, the statute lists eight characteristics explicitly, ending with the less-than-narrowing “and other[s]”;
• “on the condition and progress of education” … which I think implies both measures of status and trend;  and, finally,
• “at the preschool, elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and adult levels” … which I interpret as “for all of education.” (And presumptively all training, since what is training if not education?)

But wait, there’s more! In addition to the general mandate to collect, report, analyze, and disseminate all data for all important groups for all education in the United States and beyond, Section 153 of ESRA then ticks through capital-A through capitol-O (that’s 15 letters) additional mandates. This doesn’t even count the various romanettes (that is, all the “i’s” and “ii’s” and “iii’s”) outlining more detailed requirements nested beneath them.

NCES’s mission is the sort of thing only an optimist would legislate, buoyed by the knowledge that high-quality data can drive education improvement at scale. In response, NCES has built a broad portfolio of studies. They span:

• Modes, including gathering administrative records, fielding web-based surveys and assessments, mailing out paper questionnaires, conducting in-person observations and interviews, and analyzing extant data;
• Populations, including States, K-12 and postsecondary institutions, principals, teachers, parents, and students; and
• Designs, including one-time collections, repeated cross-sectional surveys, and longitudinal studies. 
  Much is asked of NCES, both by Congress and by the public we serve. It presents a challenge that, on balance, NCES has met.

But the events of this past year represent NCES’s greatest challenge to date. We have worked each day to meet our mission, almost always in new and unexpected ways. I am immensely proud of what my colleagues have achieved, and am keenly aware of the effort it has taken. And because I consider myself an optimist, I’m compelled to find opportunities wherever they may be!

The opportunity here is clear: it is the chance to think anew. To think anew about NCES’s highest priorities, about the mechanisms by which those priorities might be achieved, and about how we can best use the resources at our disposal. Necessarily, this also includes thinking anew about the data NCES collects, analyzes, and disseminates.

I am not alone in seeing this moment as a moment for change. Notable recent examples include a February 2026 report issued by Dr. Amber Northern and the Institute for Higher Education Policy’s March 2026 announcement of a new “multi-year convening … to reimagine and strengthen” NCES.

I’m excited by these strong expressions of stakeholder interest and investment. However, I also know—as do those who have worked in or near government—that time is of the essence. Incredibly, the Fiscal Year 2028 budget development process has already begun. We cannot wait years to develop and then act upon a reimagined vision for NCES’s portfolio of work. At least not if we want to see that vision begin to come to life this decade!

Now is the time for NCES to develop a framework that can guide the strategic redevelopment of its portfolio of work, before this moment of opportunity is missed. To do so, we must leverage others’ prior good thinking (such as a notable IES-commissioned report from the National Academies) and gather insights from experts and innovators in federal statistics, data collection methods, state and local education policy and practice, families, and others to address questions such as: 

1. What data do states and districts, educators, and families most need to inform their efforts to improve outcomes for all learners?
2. What “mix” of statistical activities are best suited to meet those needs?
3. What survey and statistical methods can be used to optimize the value of the information generated by those activities and the resources needed to execute them?
4. What federal, state, local, and industry partnerships are needed to enable those methods and make the most of the data NCES collects? 

This summer, IES plans to launch a series of convenings designed to do just that. Our ambitious goal will be to enter 2027 with a set of guiding principles that can inform NCES’s investment decisions, both in the year ahead and in the future. Ever the optimist, I have no doubt this is a goal we can meet!

Finally, I can’t help but note that this isn’t just an opportunity for NCES. Indeed, all IES stands to benefit from a process that results in closer connections between the work of other IES Centers and the high-quality data NCES produces.

As always, I welcome your comments and feedback. I can be reached at matthew.soldner@ed.gov.