NCES
Federal
What Works Clearinghouse: Inside 20 Years of Education Evaluation
After two decades of the What Works Clearinghouse, research experts look to the future.
English Learners
The English-Learner Student Population, in Charts
The English learner population continues to grow including in states not historically recognized for this cohort of students.
School Choice & Charters
Lead NAEP Official Faces Scrutiny Over Improper Spending Alleged at N.C. Charter School
Peggy Carr, the National Center for Education Statistics' head, is vice chair of the school's board and part-owner of school properties.
Special Education
The Number of Students in Special Education Has Doubled in the Past 45 Years
The number of students in special education in the U.S. has doubled, from 3.6 million in 1976-77 to almost 7.3 million in 2021-22.
Recruitment & Retention
What the Research Says
What School Staffing Shortages Look Like Now
The latest federal data suggest districts will need more targeted approaches to fill the broad array of openings.
Education Funding
What America Spends on K-12: The Latest Federal Snapshot
About 93 percent of K-12 spending came from state and local sources in 2019-20—but more-recent year totals will reflect federal relief aid.
Reading & Literacy
Is the Bottom Falling Out for Readers Who Struggle the Most?
A growing proportion of 4th and 8th graders read at the lowest level on national tests. Experts are working to understand why.
School & District Management
Most Schools Offer at Least Some In-Person Classes, According to Feds' Latest Count
A majority of 4th and 8th graders had at least some in-person schooling by March, but inequities persisted.
Federal
Feds' First Survey of Pandemic Learning Finds Nearly Half of Students Taught Remotely
The baseline survey also shows huge variation in how much daily "live" instruction 4th and 8th graders were getting in January.
School & District Management
States Raise 'Proficient' Bar on Tests in Last 10 Years, Study Finds
Most states have raised their expectations for what constitutes proficiency on state math and reading tests in the last decade, according to a new study.
Education
K-12 Spending Climbed From 2015 to 2016, NCES Reports
The National Center for Education Statistics found that school district spending increased by more than 2 percent between 2015 and 2016, the result of a surging economy, and overall K-12 spending increased by 3.2 percent.
Early Childhood
How Children's Socioeconomic Differences Play Out Over Summer Break
A new report from the National Center for Education Statistics shows how access to summer activities differs for students based on their socioeconomic status.
Federal
Trump Taps Stanford Researcher for NCES Commissioner
Trump has appointed James Lynn Woodworth to the top post at the National Center for Education Statistics.
Assessment
What 150 Years of Education Statistics Say About Schools Today
Even before there was a federal education department, there was a federal education statistics agency. The National Center for Education Statistics turns 150 this year and a look at its studies over those years shows just how much American schooling has grown and changed.