National Center for Education Statistics

**About NCES** The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary statistical agency of the [U.S. Department of Education](https://www.ed.gov/ "(opens in a new window)"). It is one of thirteen principal federal statistical agencies1 whose activities are predominantly focused on the collection, compilation, processing, or analysis of information for statistical purposes. NCES is located within the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). NCES has 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. 1The thirteen principal federal statistical agencies are also referred to as “Recognized Statistical Agencies.” **Collect and analyze education information and statistics in a manner that meets the highest methodological standards** **Report education information and statistics in a timely manner** **Collect, analyze, and report education information and statistics in a manner that is objective, secular, neutral, and nonideological and is free of partisan political influence and racial, cultural, gender, or regional bias** As the leader in the national educational data ecosystem, NCES must continually evolve to meet the growing and changing demands of educators, policymakers, researchers, and others who need data and statistical analyses that support evidence-based decision-making and thereby improve educational outcomes. NCES also supports the U.S. Department of Education by serving as a model for privacy in educational data, and for states and districts in enhancing their own data systems.