advantage of this opportunity when she wrote a let- more on the bill, visit www.house.gov/apps/list/press/
ter to Representative ehlers and senator Dodd in mi03_ehlers/SPEAK_Act_2009.html.
support of their bill (H.R. 2790) to create, adopt, Duncan’s third data challenge is, in my opinion,
and implement voluntary core American educa- a clear call to statisticians: make sure we “drive a
tion content standards in math and science. For national conversation that is above partisan policy
disputes, beyond wars on math and reading, and
instead focuses on the facts.” Referring to President
Harry Truman’s famous lament that every economist
would always say, “on the one hand, things might
IES and NCES
get better, and on the other hand, things might not”
(and suggestion that he’d only consult one-handed
Congress is expected to revisit the legislation for the Institute of
economists in the future), Duncan expressed the
Education Sciences (IES)—the research arm of the Department
opinion that, “to some extent, the education com-
of Education—in the next year, providing an opportunity for
munity suffers from that same dynamic” and cited
the ASA to help solidify the autonomy of the Department
the debate about charter schools as an example.
of Education’s statistical agency—the National Center for
Education Statistics (NCES). Duncan’s Support for Data-Driven
Because this administration will put so much emphasis on Instruction and Research
data in forming and promoting its policies, it is important that
After identifying the data challenges, Duncan delin-
the data be seen as accurate, objective, and independent. This is
eated steps the Department of Education is taking to
especially true of the data from NCES and the reason Principles
support data-driven instruction and research. Here,
and Practices for a Federal Statistical Agency makes independence
I will discuss those that I think are of most interest
one of the four key principles. Any perception that NCES data
to statisticians or present the most opportunity.
has been influenced by the Obama Administration will under-
Citing the need for robust data systems to track
mine Obama’s proposals based on that data.
student achievement and teacher effectiveness,
In his address, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan provided
Duncan mentioned $250 million in the American
signs for how he views IES and NCES, but let me further intro-
Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA, or the
duce IES. IES was established in 2002 and houses NCES, an eval-
Stimulus Bill) for statewide data systems. He also
uation and regional assistance center, and two research centers.
discussed the $70 million increase the administra-
IES’ mission is to provide rigorous evidence on which to ground
tion requested for IES projects such as a longitudi-
education practice and policy. By identifying what works, what
nal study of teachers, an international assessment of
doesn’t, and why, IES intends to improve the outcomes of educa-
adult competencies, and a national survey to exam-
tion for all students, particularly those at risk of failure.
ine the participation of preschoolers and levels of
Following presidential nomination and Senate confir-
parent and family involvement in education.
mation, John Q. Easton became IES’ director on June 1.
Noting that “many teachers are hungering for
Previously, Easton was executive director of the Consortium
data to inform what they do” and that the best
on Chicago School Research at the University of Chicago. For
teachers are already using real-time data, Duncan
more about IES, visit http://ies.ed.gov.
said some of the ARRA money will be used to exam-
While not mentioning NCES’ independence, it is encourag-
ine how teachers are using data to drive instruction.
ing that Duncan made two references to IES’ independence:
He also wants to study how student achievement
is linked to teacher effectiveness and address ratio-
“The Chicago Consortium on School Research enjoys a
nale of resistance with the analogy of “suggesting
similar independent relationship to the Chicago Public
we judge a sports team without looking at the
Schools, as IES does to the Department of Education.” box score.”
Duncan went on to outline his longer-term
“I’m absolutely committed to relying on high-quality, vision, which I provide here because many of these
independent research, funded by IES to inform our items involve challenges for the statistical commu-
thinking.” nity, not least of which are the privacy concerns.
Among his desires are the following:
The ASA is working to ensure the NCES’ autonomy, which
is under question because a former IES director interpreted — Push states to make data available to
the law to say that IES has final say over NCES’ publications researchers
and products. Representatives from the ASA met with Easton
recently to express our autonomy concerns, and he was recep-
— Track children from preschool to high
tive to our points. The ASA will continue to push the NCES’
school, from high school to college, and from
autonomy and other issues as the IES legislation is developed.
college to career
30 AmstAt News AUGUST 2009
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