The International Activities Program

(NCES 96-836) Ordering information

The International Activities Program At NCES

The (NCES), a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is responsible for collecting, analyzing, and dissemination statistics and other data related to education in the United States and other nations. Since the 1860's, the forerunners of NCES have systematically collected data about schools within the U.S. and reported to Congress and the nation.

During the 1980's influential national reports such as A Nation at Risk focused attention on international comparisons in education. Those reports illustrated the need to understand the American education system as compared to other education systems around the world.

Why it Developed

In light of the growing concerns related to international economic competitiveness, the changing face of our workplace, and the expanding international marketplace we trade in, knowing how our students compare with their peers around the world has become an even more prominent issue. Beyond just the simple comparisons, understanding what other nations are doing to further the educational achievement of their populations has also become increasingly more important.

Consequently, in 1994 NCES established a new International Activities Program with the purpose of developing a comprehensive international statistical system which would complement its national programs.

What it Does

NCES' International Activities Program (IAP) staff initiates, plans, coordinated and funds international activities within the overall NCES statistical program. The program is responsible for a full range of activities:

• Collaborative data collection and other joint studies. Through bilateral and multilateral agreements, NCES regularly participates in international data collection efforts. These have included participation in studies under the auspices of The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and other international organizations. In addition, bilateral efforts have been carried out with a number of the United States' trading partners.
• Liaison to international statistical organizations. The staff is responsible for representing the U.S. Department of Education to organizations such as OECD, APEC, Statistics Canada, and Eurostat. It also maintains informal connections with other U.S. federal statistical programs involved in international activities. Through these networks the group has worked to develop a standardized array or statistical data.
• Analysis of international data for domestic policy. The IAP staff performs in-depth analysis of international educational data for application to U.S. policy concerns. These analyses are incorporated into NCES domestic reports and statistical products.
• Compilation, assessment, and distribution of international education data. The IAP serves as a clearinghouse for international education statistics.

Selected Studies and Activities

• International Reading and Literary Study, a 32-country study of reading skills and related factors in grades 4 and 9.
• International Adult Literacy Survey in 11 countries.
• OECD International Education Indicator Project generates and reports summary educational statistics for participating countries in OECD.
• Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), a 40-country study on mathematics and science achievement, curriculum and instructional practices at grades 4, 8, and 12.
• NCES's report, Education in States and Nations, compares states with OECD countries on selected education indicators.
• Technical assistance to the regions of the European Union.
• Training of Spain's Ministry of Education Officials about national data collections.
  

For more information about the content of this brochure, contact Eugene Owen at Eugene.Owen@ed.gov.