Who Is NCES?
The purpose of the National Center for Education Statistics' website is to provide clear, complete information about NCES' mission and activities, and to serve the research, education and other interested communities. NCES values your comments and suggestions for improving the usability of this site. To provide comments or suggestions, or to seek further assistance, contact the NCES webmaster at NCESwebmaster@ed.gov.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (see Organizational Chart) 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.

Programs and Plans of NCES 2005 Edition
This publication summarizes NCES's current statistical programs and its major publications and plans for future work. In this publication are descriptions, timelines and plans for all of the NCES data collections. Also described in this report are descriptions of NCES center-wide programs and services such as training, technology and customer service.

NCES Staff Directory
Find information about all NCES employees and about who at NCES can help you with your specific questions.

What Does NCES Do?
The National Center for Education Statistics 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. The structure and activities of the center are as follows:
NCES Organizational Chart

• The Office of the Commissioner sets policy and standards for the Center and oversees its operation, thus ensuring that statistical quality and confidentiality are maintained. Visit The Office of the Commissioner
  
• The Office of the Deputy Commissioner, which includes the Chief Statistican and the Chief Technology Officer, provides state-of-the-art technology and statistical support to the Center and to federal and nonfederal organizations and entities involved in statistical work in support of NCES. In addition, the staff develops and operates a licensing system for individuals and organizations who require access to confidential data for statistical purposes.
  
• Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division (ECICSD) has responsibility within NCES for international comparisons, early childhood education, and school crime and safety. It is responsible for conducting studies and producing reports that cut across all levels of education, from early childhood through life-long learning, and for maintaining relations with key international and interagency groups. The division also manages an on-going program to monitor American education through its annual reports, The Condition of Education, Digest of Education Statistics, and Projections of Education Statistics, and produces NCES's Programs and Plans.
  
• Elementary/Secondary and Libraries Studies Division (ESLSD) oversees planning, design, operations, statistical analysis, reporting, and dissemination for elementary, secondary, and library surveys at the national, state, and local levels. The staff also work with state and local representatives in the development and implementation of the Congressionally mandated National Cooperative Education Statistics System in the areas of elementary, secondary and libraries.
  
• Postsecondary, Adult, and Career Education Division (PACE) oversees planning, design, operations, statistical analysis, reporting, and dissemination on postsecondary education, adult education, and career and technical education. PACE collects universe data on postsecondary institutions; conducts sample surveys on student financial aid and student access, persistence, completion, and outcomes of postsecondary education; and collects data on the education and training that youth and adults need to prepare for work. PACE staff are content knowledge experts and serve as consultants to programs in NCES that assess the academic proficiency and literacy of young adults, college students, and adults. In addition, PACE has responsibility within NCES for responding to the Congressional mandate to collect and report data on Career and Technical Education for high school students, college students, and adults. PACE maintains a robust publication and dissemination program to share the results of these studies with the public.
  
• Assessment Division (AD) creates, designs, develops, implements and reports on the National Assessment of Educational Progress at the national level and coordinates assessment and related data collection activities with the states. The staff also conducts a variety of other related education assessment studies.