EDU 510 Statistics and Research: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

"The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations. NCES is located within the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences. NCES fulfills a Congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report complete statistics on the condition of American education; conduct and publish reports; and review and report on education activities internationally."

This sitemap provides an overview of the NCES website. Useful pages include:

• NCES Surveys & Programs
  • NCES Surveys on Students and Teachers (by type of data and geographic level)
• NCES Data Tools
• NCES EDGE tool for American Community Survey (ACS) data at the school district level (EDGE = Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates)

Online publications (including many annual reports dating back to 1991) can be searched here.

These include but are not limited to:

• The Condition of Education (available online from 1989 to present)

  "A Congressionally mandated annual report on" multiple "key indicators of the condition of education in the United States. These indicators summarize important developments and trends using the latest statistics and are updated as data become available."

  The website also features "Spotlights on issues of current policy interest. These Spotlights take a more in-depth look at the issues through text, graphics and short videos."

The Condition of Education report is also available in print:

Current volume in Firestone Data and Statistical Services (DSS) call number L112.N377a.

Previous volumes (dating back to 1975) in Firestone Library (F), call number L112 .N377a (lacks 1978, pt. 1; 1981-1982).

• Digest of Education Statistics - (available online from 1990 to present) "...compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from prekindergarten through graduate school...The publication contains information on a variety of subjects in the field of education statistics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, in addition to educational attainment, finances, federal funds for education, libraries, and international education. Supplemental information on population trends, attitudes on education, education characteristics of the labor force, government finances, and economic trends provides background for evaluating education data." Data sources: public and private entities.

 Also available in print: 

Current volume in Firestone Data and Statistical Services (DSS) call number L112.xD5.

Previous volumes (1964-2011; lacks 2004) in Firestone Library (F), call number L112.xD5. Volumes from 1964-1974 titled Digest of Educational Statistics.

Many volumes also available as microform; check the library catalog.                       

Other widely-used programs available online via NCES include:

• Common Core of Data (CCD) - "...a program of the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics that annually collects fiscal and non-fiscal data about all public schools, public school districts and state education agencies in the United States."
  • Public School District Finance Peer Search
• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) - "...a system of interrelated surveys conducted annually by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). IPEDS gathers information from every college, university, and technical and vocational institution that participates in the federal student financial aid programs."
  • IPEDS Data Center
• National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)  - "the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what America's students know and can do in various subject areas."  The Nation's Report Card "Presents data about the academic achievement of U.S students, drawn from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)."