Department of Education

INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

Fiscal Year 2023 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language..............................................................................................................1

Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes............................................................................2

Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers...................................................................................3

Summary of Changes ...................................................................................................................4

Authorizing Legislation..................................................................................................................5

Appropriations History...................................................................................................................6

Significant Items in FY 2022 Appropriations Reports ...................................................................8

Activities

Research, development, and dissemination...........................................................................10

Statistics .................................................................................................................................23

Regional educational laboratories ..........................................................................................35

Assessment............................................................................................................................41

Research in special education................................................................................................51

Statewide longitudinal data systems ......................................................................................58

Special education studies and evaluations.............................................................................62

Account Summary Table.............................................................................................................66

Appropriations Language
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1

Appropriations Language

For carrying out activities authorized by the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, the 

National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act, section 208 of the Educational 

Technical Assistance Act of 2002, and section 664 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education 

Act, $662,516,000, which shall remain available through September 30, 20241: Provided, That 

funds available to carry out section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act may be 

used to link Statewide elementary and secondary data systems with early childhood, 

postsecondary, and workforce data systems, or to further develop such systems:2 Provided 

further, That up to $6,000,000 of the funds available to carry out section 208 of the Educational 

Technical Assistance Act may be used for awards to public or private organizations or agencies 

to support activities to improve data coordination, quality, and use at the local, State, and 

national levels.3

NOTES

A full-year 2022 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; therefore, 

the budget assumes this account is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2022 (Division A of P.L. 117-

43, as amended). The amounts included for 2022 reflect the annualized level provided by the continuing resolution.

Each language provision that is followed by a footnote reference is explained in the Analysis of Language 

Provisions and Changes document that follows the appropriations language.
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Analysis of Language Provisions and Changes

Language Provision Explanation

1 ..., $662,516,000, which shall remain 

available through September 30, 2024.

This language provides 2-year availability of 

funds for the account. This language is 

needed to facilitate the planning of long-term 

programs of research and to accommodate 

cyclical surveys and assessments.

2...Provided, That funds available to carry out 

section 208 of the Educational Technical 

Assistance Act may be used to link Statewide 

elementary and secondary data systems with 

early childhood, postsecondary, and 

workforce data systems, or to further develop 

such systems:

This language provides the authority to use 

funds to expand Statewide longitudinal data 

systems to include postsecondary and 

workforce information and information on 

early childhood.

3...Provided further, That up to $6,000,000 of 

the funds available to carry out section 208 of 

the Educational Technical Assistance Act 

may be used for awards to public or private 

organizations or agencies to support 

activities to improve data coordination, 

quality, and use at the local, State, and 

national levels.

This language provides the authority to make 

Statewide longitudinal data systems awards 

to agencies and organizations, in addition to 

State educational agencies, to further the 

purposes of the program.
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Appropriation, Adjustments, and Transfers

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation/Adjustments/Transfers 2021 2022 2023

Discretionary:

Discretionary Appropriation $642,462 $642,462 $662,516

Discretionary Appropriation Supplemental, CRRSA Act (P.L 116-260) 28,000 0 0

Total, discretionary appropriation 670,462 642,462 662,516

Mandatory:

Supplemental, ARP Act (P.L 117-02) 100,000 0 0

Total, mandatory appropriation 100,000 0 0

Total, discretionary and mandatory 

appropriation $770,462 $642,462 662,516
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Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2022 $642,462

2023 662,516

Net change +20,054

Increases: 2022 base

Change 

from base

Program:

Increase for the National Assessment of Educational Progress 

(NAEP) to maintain the assessment schedule and to begin 

research and development activities to improve assessment 

quality while reducing future program costs. $165,000 +$20,000

Increase for National Assessment Governing Board to 

supports the cost of higher salaries due to Federal pay 

increases. 7,745 +54

Subtotal, increases +20,054

Net change +20,054
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Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2022

Authorized

2022

Estimate

2023

Authorized

2023

Request

Research and Statistics:

 Research, development, and dissemination (ESRA, Title I, parts A, B, 

and D, except section 174)

01, 2 $197,877 01,2 $197,877

 : Statistics (ESRA, Title I, part C) 01,2 111,500 01,2 111,500

Regional educational laboratories (ESRA, section 174) 02 57,022 02 57,022

Assessment:

Assessment: National assessment (NAEPAA, section 303) 02 165,000 02 185,000

Assessment: National Assessment Governing Board (NAEPAA, section 302) 02 7,745 02 7,799

Research in special education (ESRA, part E) 03 58,500 0 58,500

Statewide longitudinal data systems (ETAA, section 208) 02 33,500 02 33,500

Special education studies and evaluations (IDEA, section 664) 03 11,318 03 11,318

Total appropriation 642,462 662,516

Portion of request not authorized 642,462 662,516

1 Section 194(a) of the Education Sciences Reform Act provides that not more than the lesser of 2 percent of the amount appropriated to carry out the Act 

(excluding amount appropriated for the Regional Educational Laboratories) or $1,000 thousand shall be made available for the National Board of Education 

Sciences and that the National Center for Education Statistics shall be provided not less than its fiscal year 2002 amount ($85,000 thousand). 2 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations language. 3 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2011; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations language.
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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance

Senate 

Allowance Appropriation

2013 $621,150 $593,664 $618,661 $562,612

20141 671,073 N/A 652,937 576,935

20152 637,180 N/A 579,021 573,935

20163 675,883 409,956 562,978 618,015

20174 693,818 536,049 612,525 605,267

20185 616,839 605,267 600,267 613,462

20196 521,563 613,462 615,462 615,462

20207 521,563 650,000 615,462 623,462

20218 565,440 630,462 635,462 642,462

2021 Supplemental, CRRSA Act 

(P.L. 116-260) 9 0 0 0 28,000

2021 Mandatory Supplemental,

ARP Act (P.L. 117-02) 10 0 0 0 100,000

2022 Estimate11 642,462

2023 662,516

1 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance reflects 

Committee action only.

2 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action; Senate allowance reflects 

Senate Subcommittee action only.

3 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations bill, which 

proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

4 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017. 5 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriation bill; the Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 6 The levels for the House and Senate Allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 appropriations 

bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245). 7 The Senate Allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94). 8 The level for the Senate Allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects Division H of the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (P.L. 116-260).

9 The Appropriation reflects supplemental funds from Division M of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 

(P.L. 116-260).

10 The Appropriation reflects the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (P.L. 117-02).

11 At the time this table was prepared, a full-year appropriations bill had not been enacted.
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Significant Items in FY 2022 Appropriations Reports

Institute for Education Sciences (IES) Operating Plan

Explanatory 

Statement: The agreement directs the Director to submit an operating plan within 90 days of 

enactment of this Act to the Committees detailing how IES plans to allocate 

funding available to the Institute for research, evaluation, statistics, administration 

and other activities.

Response: The Department will comply as directed. 

Institute for Education Sciences Administrative and Staffing Plan

Senate: Not later than 30 days after enactment of this act and each quarter thereafter, the 

Committee requests that the IES director submit an administrative and staffing 

plan outlining staffing ceilings by national center, the factors considered in 

allocating staffing ceilings by national center, actual full-time equivalent 

employment [FTE] by national center, and an explanation by national center for 

FTE changes from the preceding quarter. Reports providing sufficient information 

on each of these required elements will satisfy IES’s portion of the Committee’s 

staffing report directive under the Program Administration account.

Response: The Department will comply as directed. 

Assessment

Senate: The Committee is aware IES contracted with the National Academies of 

Sciences [NAS] to identify strategies to achieve cost efficiencies in the 

development and administration of IES-sponsored assessments. NAGB and IES 

should continue to consult with the authorizing and appropriations committees of 

Congress as it considers strategies, including those identified by NAS, in 

achieving cost efficiencies in and upgrades of its assessment program. Further, 

the Committee requests that the fiscal year 2023 and future CJs describe 

implemented and planned strategies for cost efficiencies and necessary research 

and development projects.

Response: The NAS study had not been completed in time for consideration of its 

recommendations in the fiscal year 2023 justification; however, the Assessment 

section of this Congressional Justification describes planned strategies for cost 

efficiencies and necessary research and development projects. The Department 

will continue to provide such information in future submissions.
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Summary of Request

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) supports research, data collection and analysis 

activities as well as assessments of student academic achievement and progress. IES serves 

as a national leader in developing standards for education research, improving the use of 

evidence in grant competitions, and reducing burden and improving the quality of evaluation and 

research through the use of administrative data. The Administration requests $662.5 million for 

this account for fiscal year 2023, $20.1 million more than a fiscal year 2022 annualized 

continuing resolution (CR) based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation.

The Administration requests $197.9 for Research, Development, and Dissemination, level 

with a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The 

investment in research is important because high-quality information about effective practices 

can help improve both student outcomes and the return on the public investment in education at 

the Federal, State, and local levels. These funds would support building a high-quality evidence 

base for what works in education, as well as IES dissemination efforts to ensure that evidence 

informs practice both in the field and at the Department.

For Statistics, which provides funds to support the collection, analysis, and reporting of data 

related to education at all levels, the Administration requests $111.5 million, level with a fiscal 

year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The National Center for 

Education Statistics collects, analyzes, and disseminates education statistics at all levels, from 

preschool through postsecondary and adult education, including statistics on international 

education activities.

The request includes $57.0 million for the Regional Educational Laboratories, a network of 

10 regional laboratories that provide expert advice, including training and technical assistance, 

to help States and school districts apply proven research findings in their school improvement 

efforts.

A total of $192.8 million is requested for Assessment, including $185.0 million for the National 

Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), $20 million more than a fiscal year 2022 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation, and $7.8 million for the National

Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). The request would support the schedule of 

assessments approved on by NAGB on November 22, 2021, as well as initial research and 

development investments to improve assessment quality while reducing future program costs.

The request provides $58.5 million for Research in Special Education, level with a fiscal year 

2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. These funds would support 

research intended to improve the developmental outcomes and school readiness of infants, 

toddlers, and young children with disabilities; improve education outcomes in core subject areas 

for children with disabilities; improve social and behavioral outcomes; and help adolescents with 

disabilities attain college- and career-readiness.

The $33.5 million requested for Statewide Longitudinal Data Systems, level with a fiscal year 

2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation, would support continuation 

costs of competitive grant awards to States to foster the design, development, implementation, 

and use of longitudinal data systems. 
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Finally, the request provides a $11.3 million for Special Education Studies and Evaluations, 

to support a range of evaluations that are designed to provide information on effective programs 

and practices to inform guidance for educators and parents.
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Research, development, and dissemination

(Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Parts A, B, and D, except section 174)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined 1

Budget Authority: 

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

$197,877 $197,877 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Research, Development, and Dissemination (RDD) program funds core activities of the 

Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which is authorized by the Education Sciences Reform 

Act of 2002 (ESRA). IES activities help expand knowledge and understanding of education from 

early childhood through the postsecondary education level, as well as career and technical and 

adult education. IES’s programs and products provide parents, caregivers, educators, students, 

researchers, policymakers, and communities with reliable information about the condition and 

performance of our education system, educational practices that support learning, increase 

educational opportunities, and improve academic achievement, and the effectiveness of Federal 

education programs and related interventions.

IES includes four national centers: the National Center for Education Research (NCER), the 

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Center for Education Evaluation 

and Regional Assistance (NCEE), and the National Center for Special Education Research 

(NCSER). The RDD program funds NCER and NCEE, as well as the National Board for 

Education Sciences, which is composed of private sector leaders as well as researchers and 

educators who are charged with approving priorities and peer review procedures and generally 

providing guidance to IES. 

NCER conducts sustained programs of scientifically rigorous research that build an evidence 

base in education to drive better decisions and lead to more effective practice. Activities within 

NCER are organized around research topic areas, such as early learning, reading and writing, 

teacher effectiveness and pedagogy, education systems and policies; and mathematics and 

science education. Since its authorization in 2002, IES has built a diverse NCER research 

portfolio that includes field-initiated research projects, education research training projects, fieldinitiated evaluations of State and local programs and policies, and advancements in statistical 

and research methodology. NCER also funds research training programs to help develop a 

steady supply of researchers dedicated to finding solutions to problems in education.

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

language.
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NCEE supports a wide range of activities in the areas of evaluation, technical assistance, and 

dissemination. The Center conducts evaluations of the implementation and impact of key 

Federal education programs through both traditional and quick-turnaround studies and serves 

as a standards and validation body for education evaluations. A portion of funding used to 

support NCEE program evaluations comes from other programs (e.g., the Special Education 

Studies and Evaluations program) and is not part of the RDD request. 

NCEE is also responsible for translating research findings into information that is accessible to 

education practitioners and for enhancing the use of evidence by policymakers and practitioners 

through the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), the Education Resources Information Center 

(ERIC), and the National Library of Education (NLE). These programs work with NCES, NCER, 

and NCSER to promote and make accessible the results of their work. Funding for the WWC, 

ERIC, and NLE is part of the RDD request.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $192,695

2019 192,695

2020 195,877

2021 197,877

2022 Estimate 197,877

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $197.9 million for the RDD program, level with 

a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation, to support 

ongoing research and evaluation activities. The RDD program identifies effective strategies for 

improving student learning in early childhood, K−12, postsecondary, and adult education, and it 

disseminates this information to policymakers and practitioners. RDD funds support key 

activities in IES, including those administered by NCER and NCEE.

IES Reauthorization

The Administration’s 2023 request would support a reauthorization proposal for the Education 

Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) that would make several changes affecting activities funded by 

the RDD program. This proposal would: 

• Modify the mission statement of NCER to emphasize the need for research on all learners, 

clarify the role of NCER in higher education, expand NCER’s long-time focus on diversity, 

and reduce education opportunity and outcome gaps among underserved student groups.

• Remove the requirement that IES support at least eight national research and development 

centers, along with mandated topics of research that must be addressed by the centers. The 

existing list, created in 2002, is outdated, and IES as a science agency needs flexibility to 
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identify and implement research strategies based on current and emergent needs and 

challenges in the field of education.

• Strengthen provisions related to the credibility of the research, including efforts to solicit 

various points of view within the scientific community, especially from individuals from 

groups that have been underrepresented in the education sciences.

• Strengthen the dissemination, accessibility, timeliness, and actionability of the research 

produced by including a more descriptive set of related activities that could be funded for the 

purpose of increasing the utility of the research findings among different audiences. 

• Remove inconsistent language related to “general duties” across the Centers, clarifying that 

the responsibility to manage and carry out the mission of IES lies principally with the 

Director, including budget and award responsibilities. Proposed changes also clarify that 

Commissioners have a responsibility to advise the Director on the proposed program of 

activities to carry out their missions.

• Strengthen the protections for scientific integrity, consistent with the Presidential 

Memorandum dated January 27, 2021, “Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government 

Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking.” The full text of the 

memorandum is available here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidentialactions/2021/01/27/memorandum-on-restoring-trust-in-government-through-scientificintegrity-and-evidence-based-policymaking/. 

Key activities include the following:

NCER Research Grants

The request includes $161.9 million for NCER grants designed to support research that will help 

improve the quality of education for all students from early childhood through postsecondary 

and adult education. NCER determines funding priorities for its research competitions in 

advance of each fiscal year by holding Technical Working Group meetings with education 

researchers and practitioners from around the country and soliciting public comments through 

the IES website. Staff members also discuss priorities with officials within the Department. For 

fiscal year 2022 awards, IES published a notice inviting applications in the Federal Register on 

June 10, 2021; awards will be made through the summer of 2022. The fiscal year 2023 awards 

will be made on a similar schedule.

Competition areas included in 2021 notice include:

• Education Research Grants: This program supports field-initiated research projects and 

accounts for the largest share of NCER grants (https://ies.ed.gov/funding/ncer_progs.asp). 

For each competition, IES invites applications on specific but wide-ranging topic areas. 

Applicants may propose exploratory research projects, development and innovation 

projects, initial efficacy and follow-up projects, or measurement projects.
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• Research Training: This program prepares individuals to conduct rigorous and relevant 

education research, including training and mentoring students and researchers from diverse 

backgrounds who can improve the quality of education research by encouraging different 

and new ideas, approaches, and perspectives 

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/research/researchTraining.asp). For the 2022 competition, IES is 

considering only applications for projects that support early career mentoring programs for 

faculty at minority-serving institutions, postdoctoral research training programs, or methods 

training for education researchers.

• Statistical and Research Methodology in Education: This program helps give education 

scientists the tools they need to conduct rigorous applied research by supporting the 

development of products that will help education researchers at all levels improve their study 

designs, perform complex data analyses, and rigorously interpret findings. The 2022 

competition will consider applications for both early career grants and regular grants.

• Systematic Replication: A systematic replication study alters one or more variables of a 

rigorous causal-impact study of an intervention that produced beneficial effects, whether it 

was initially developed and/or tested with IES funding. The goal is to verify what 

interventions improve education outcomes and better understand the conditions under 

which they will likely work.

• Using Longitudinal Data to Support State Education Policymaking. Under this competition, 

NCER will only consider applications that address State agencies' use of their State's 

education longitudinal data systems as they and local educational agencies reengage their 

students after the disruptions caused by COVID-19.

IES also makes a small number of unsolicited grant awards—grants that are not eligible for 

funding under current grant competitions or that address time-sensitive questions, but that are 

reviewed using the same rigorous selection process as other grants. Additional information is 

available at https://ies.ed.gov/funding/unsolicited.asp.

In addition to these grant areas where IES is planning to make new awards in 2023, IES 

supports:

• National Research and Development (R&D) Centers: The R&D Centers program 

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/research/randdCenters.asp) supports research, development, 

evaluation, and national leadership activities aimed at improving our education system. 

Each R&D Center conducts research in under-investigated topics that are of interest to 

education policymakers and practitioners. ESRA requires IES to support at least eight R&D 

Centers on specified topics.

• Partnerships and Collaborations Focused on Problems of Practice or Policy: This program 

supports research that is carried out by research institutions and State or local educational 

agencies working collaboratively on problems or issues that are a high priority for the 

education agencies (https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/research/collaborations.asp), including 

improving outcomes for students who are struggling academically and students with or at 

risk for disabilities.
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• Research Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy or Practice: This program 

focuses on high-priority education problems or issues by helping researchers share ideas, 

build knowledge, and strengthen their research and dissemination capacity 

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncer/research/researchNetworks.asp).

Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR)

The SBIR program (https://ies.ed.gov/sbir/) awards contracts to qualified small businesses to 

conduct innovative research and development projects focused on education technology. Small 

businesses can receive Federal funding for two phases of research and development: Phase I 

awards are designed to determine the scientific or technical merit of ideas by testing the 

feasibility of a technological approach, while Phase II awards support further development or 

expansion of Phase I projects. Phase II awards require a more comprehensive plan for research 

and development and must describe the commercial potential of the education technology. 

Funding is provided through an annual set-aside of 3.2 percent of total estimated agency 

research and development (R&D) obligations each fiscal year. Historically this set-aside, while 

calculated based on agency-wide R&D expenditures and totaling approximately $10 million 

annually, has been funded by IES. However, a recent review of Department programs identified 

additional non-IES programs that meet the definition of research and development, which 

significantly increased the amount required to be reserved for SBIR grants. Consequently, the 

Department is exploring options for sharing SBIR costs with the programs that generate those 

costs and intends to consult with Congress on those options, which may include, for example, 

seeking appropriations language giving the Secretary authority to reserve a portion of a 

program’s funds for SBIR purposes when the amount generated by that program for SBIR 

awards exceeds a certain threshold. In fiscal year 2023, the Department estimates that SBIR 

funding would total $14.5 million, based on total R&D estimated obligations, including R&D 

obligations of ARP Act funds.

IES/NSF AI Institute on Intelligent Tutoring

The fiscal year 2023 request includes $2.0 million for joint work with the National Science 

Foundation (NSF) on a new AI Institute, which will conduct research on AI-driven innovations 

designed to reduce achievement gaps, improve access and address the needs of all learners.

This institute will build upon the FY 21 IES Digital Learning Platforms Research Network. An 

additional $10.0 million in ARP funding will support special education work.

NCEE Dissemination Activities

The fiscal year 2023 request includes $15.7 million for NCEE dissemination activities designed 

to ensure that practitioners and policymakers have access to high-quality research information 

in usable forms. These activities provide tools to help practitioners and policymakers easily 

locate current information on the effectiveness of various strategies and interventions, thereby 

amplifying the impact of the Department’s investments in rigorous research and evaluation. 
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The NCEE dissemination activities include the following: 

• What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). The WWC (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/) reviews 

research to determine which studies meet rigorous, consistent, and transparent standards 

and produces single study reviews, intervention reports, and practice guides that present 

findings on what works in education. Intervention reports released in 2020 synthesized the 

effectiveness of interventions in diverse areas, including primary school mathematics, 

adolescent literacy, and postsecondary education success. Guides released in 

2021 included information on intensive advising for high school students from low-income 

backgrounds to assist them in applying for college and financial aid and a web-based 

tutoring program for students in grades K-8. IES also released three practice guides in 2021. 

These practice guides covered topics on helping students who struggle with mathematics, 

career pathways at community colleges, and effective advising for postsecondary students. 

The WWC website makes readily available reviews of more than 10,700 individual studies, 

as well as more than 590 intervention reports and 24 practice guides. The Find What Works 

tool (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/FWW) allows users to easily search by topic area, such as 

math or science, to find studies with evidence of positive effects.

• Education Resources Information Center (ERIC). ERIC provides a comprehensive, 

searchable, Internet-based bibliographic and full-text database of education research and 

information for educators, researchers, and the general public 

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/eric.asp). It covers journal and non-journal literature from 

1966 to the present. More than half a million users search the ERIC website each week, 

with many more searching through ERIC data using vendor sites.

• National Library of Education (NLE). Operating as a depository library under the Federal 

Depository Library Program of the U.S. Government Publishing Office, the NLE serves as 

the Federal Government's primary education information resource to the public, education 

community, and other Government agencies (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/projects/nle/). The 

NLE's current collection, in print and electronic formats, focuses on education and includes 

subject matter such as economics, law, psychology, and sociology, as they relate to 

education.

• Digital Modernization. The IES Digital Modernization project will rebuild the IES website to 

prioritize customers and products with a customer-centric design, content and data 

management tools, and agile technologies. This work will advance IES' mission as an 

applied science agency by leveraging the website to address the interests of core 

audiences – including parents, teachers, and administrators – in practical, accessible data 

and research on education.

Dissemination activity funding is also used for logistical and technical support, as well as 

technical assistance to support building and using evidence.

In addition, RDD funds support peer review of new grant proposals and the National Board of 

Education Sciences.
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To provide the flexibility IES needs to plan and administer a regular cycle of research 

competitions, the Department requests that RDD funding continue to be available for 2 years.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

NCER Grants

Educati Grant awards (new) $55,276 $29,118 $52,359 

Educat Grant award (continuations) 80,404 134,771 109,530

Education research: Subtotal 135,680 163,889 161,889

Small Business Innovation Research Contracts 12,992 14,525 14,525

IES/NSF AI Institute on Intelligent Tutoring 0 0 2,000

Dissemination Activities

DissemiWhat Works Clearinghouse 863 2,527 2,527

DissemiEducational Resources Information Center 0 0 0

DissemiNational Library of Education 2,389 2,707 2,707

Disse Digital Modernization 0 7,500 7,500

Di Technical assistance, logistical support, and 

other 1,234 3,018 3,018

Dissemination Activities: Subtotal 4,486 15,752 15,752

Peer review of new award applications 2,755 3,411 3,411

National Board for Education Sciences2 0 300 300

Carryover 41,964 0 0

Total 197,877 197,877 197,877

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. The table provides estimates of the 

amounts from each year’s appropriation that will be used for each area, not the amount obligated in each of those 

years.

2 In fiscal years 2022 and 2023, the National Board for Education Sciences funding will support 1.0 full-timeequivalent staff member.
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FY 2022 OPERATING PLAN

Grant Activities

Completed Competitions for New 

FY 2022 Awards

Number of 

Awards

Range of 

Awards

Project 

Period

FY 2022 

Appropriation

Statistical and Research Methodology 

in Education (84.305D) 13 $299,461 to 899,995 3 years $3,630,239

Competitions for New FY 2022 Awards 

(Underway as of February 28, 2022)

Applicants

Notified

Estimated 

Range

Maximum

Project Period

Education Research (84.305A) By July 1, 2022 $100,000 to 

760,000 5 years

Research Training Programs in the 

Education Sciences (84.305B) By July 1, 2022 100,000 to 312,000 5 years

Research Networks Focused on 

Critical Problems of Education Policy 

and Practice (305N)

By August 1, 2022 1,000,000 to 

3,800,000 5 years

Research Grants Focused on 

Systematic Replication (84.305R) By July 1, 2022 400,000 to 900,000 5 years

Transformative Research in the 

Education (84.305T) By August 1, 2022 500,000 to 3,000,000 5 years
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FY 2022 Continuation Awards Number of 

Awards

FY 2021 

Carryover

FY 2022 

Funds

Education Research (84.305A) 166 $15,703,644 $97,144,058

Research Training Programs in the Education 

Sciences (84.305B) 23 0 16,140,203

Education Research and Development Centers 

(84.305C) 8 5,415,814 9,024,365

Statistical and Research Methodology in 

Education (84.305D) 16 730,940 7,221,969

Research Practitioner Partnerships (84.305H) 4 99,988 4,915,404

Research Networks Focused on Critical 

Problems of Education Policy and Practice 

(305N)

13 7,538,775

Research Grants Focused on Systematic 

Replication (84.305R) 2 0 1,874,407

Using Longitudinal Data to Support State 

Education Policymaking (84.305S) 7 424,757 1,953,026

Transformative Research in the Education 

Sciences (84.305T) 4 4,249,171

Unsolicited Proposals (84.305U) 3 289,218 415,964

Contract Activities

Research Activities FY 2021 

Carryover

FY 2022 

Funds

Small Business Innovation Research 0 $14,525,377
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Dissemination/Knowledge Utilization Activities FY 2021 

Carryover

FY 2022 

Funds

National Library of Education $20,013 $2,706,967

Educational Resources Information Center 4,029,999 0

What Works Clearinghouse 7,835,546 2,527,309

Technical Assistance Supporting Evidence-Building and Use 1,157,450

IAA with HHS 108,000 0

Operational Activities FY 2021 

Carryover

FY 2022 

Funds

Peer review of new award applications 0 $3,410,917

Support for compliance with contractor security requirements $92,726 0

IES Cloud Hosting and Support 0 1,759,688

Digital Modernization 6,521,458 7,500,000

Administrative, Logistical and Technical Assistance Support 332,220 40,000

Printing 0 10,000

National Board for Education Sciences 0 300,000

Information Sharing Support Services 0 50,000

Post Award Support and Professional Services 360,000 0

Interest Payment 4 0
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Estimates of American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act of 2021 Obligations

(dollars in millions)

Activity

FY 2021

Obligated

FY 2022

Obligated

FY 2022

Planned

FY 2023

Planned

AI-Augmented Learning for 

Individuals with Disabilities: 

NSF National Artificial 

Intelligence Institute 

Competition

$0 $0 $0 $10

School Pulse Survey 12 0 3 0

Improving Pandemic Recovery 

Efforts in Education Agencies 0 0 15 15

NCER Using Longitudinal Data 

to Support State Education 

Policymaking

0 0.9 0 2

NCER LEARN Network 0 0 7.1 0

NCSER Acceleration RFAScaling up Promising Practices 

for Students with Disabilities

0 1.6 14 4.4

NCEE Knowledge 

Utilization/Dissemination 0 0 2 4

Middle School Science 

Challenge Prize 0 3.7 0 2

4th Grade Math Special 

Education Challenge Prize 0 0 0.3 2

IES Scientific Peer Review 

Management and 

Administration 

0 0 1 0

Total 12 6.2 42.4 39.4
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PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, goals, 

objectives, measures, and performance targets and data. Achievement of results is based on 

the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program. 

Goal: Transform education into an evidence-based field.

Objective: Raise the quality of research funded or conducted by the Department.

Measure: The minimum percentage of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications.

Year Target Actual

2018 87% 82%

2019 87 82

2020 89 81

2021 90 82

2022 85

2023 85

Additional information: Peer-reviewed publications are an expected product of all research 

projects (i.e., grants). Given the lag from time of award to completion of a study and its 

publication, the denominator for each reporting year will be the cumulative number of research 

grants that had been funded through the end of the fiscal year 3 years prior to the reporting 

year. IES had set a long-range goal of 90% for this measure, a figure that proved to be overly 

ambitious, particularly since project lengths were increased to 4 years for development projects 

and 5 years for efficacy projects. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic led to a halt in all inperson data collection, which means that many studies that were scheduled to end in 2020 have 

not been completed. While there has been a slight uptick in the actual percentage of projects 

resulting in peer-reviewed publications, RDD has not yet hit the established targets. Therefore, 

the target for 2023 remains at 85 percent.

Measure: The minimum number of IES-supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in 

improving student outcomes.

Year Target Actual

2018 114 119

2019 130 124

2020 137 135

2021 144 142

2022 150

2023 156
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Additional information: IES-supported interventions include those developed or evaluated 

by IES. Results of intervention evaluations typically are not available until the end of a grant 

award period. The reported data are the cumulative numbers of interventions since 2002 with 

evidence of meeting WWC standards and having positive effects on student outcomes as 

determined by the WWC reviewers. IES did not meet the target for 2021. As discussed in the 

previous measure, studies and publications have been disrupted and slowed by COVID-19, 

contributing to a lower than anticipated number of publications to submit for review by the 

WWC. 

Efficiency Measures

Measure: The average number of research grants administered per program officer employed 

in the National Center for Education Research.

Year Target Actual

2018 40 41

2019 40 41

2020 40 51

2021 40 51

2022 35

2023 35

Additional information: The principal efficiency measure for IES is the ratio of research staff to 

research grants. The targets established for 2022 and 2023 reflect IES’s commitment to 

significantly reducing the grants to staff member ratio.
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Statistics

(Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Title I, Part C)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1,2

Budget Authority:

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change 

$111,500 $111,500 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is one of four Centers in the Institute of 

Education Sciences (IES) established by the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002. 

NCES is the chief Federal entity engaged in collecting, analyzing, and reporting data related to 

education in the United States.

NCES is authorized to:

• collect, acquire, compile, and disseminate full and complete statistics on the condition and 

progress of education in the U.S.;

• conduct and publish reports on the meaning and significance of such statistics;

• collect, analyze, cross-tabulate, and report data, where feasible, by demographic 

characteristics, including gender, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language status, 

mobility, disability, and urbanicity;

• help public and private educational agencies and organizations improve their statistical 

systems;

• acquire and disseminate data on U.S. education activities and student achievement 

compared with foreign nations; and

• conduct longitudinal and special data collections necessary to report on the condition and 

progress of education.

NCES is also authorized to establish a program to train employees of public and private 

educational agencies, organizations, and institutions in the use of statistical procedures and 

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

action. 2 The statute authorizes such sums as may be necessary for all of Title I of ESRA, of which not less than the amount 

provided to the National Center for Education Statistics for FY 2002 shall be available for Part C, which is $85,000 

thousand.
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concepts and may establish a fellowship program to allow such employees to work as 

temporary fellows at NCES.

In addition, under the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018, the NCES 

Commissioner is the Department of Education’s Chief Statistical Officer, responsible for 

directing and coordinating statistical policy for the agency.

Statistical information collected by NCES contributes to the identification of needs in education 

and informs the development of policy priorities. The authorizing statute requires the 

Commissioner of NCES to issue regular reports on education topics, particularly in the core 

academic areas of reading, mathematics, and science, and to produce an annual statistical 

report on the condition and progress of education in the United States. NCES studies provide 

information on a wide range of issues that are critical to understanding the U.S. education 

system, including such topics as school safety; teacher shortages, mobility, and attrition; high 

school completion; preparation for higher education; college costs; student financial aid; and the 

achievement of students in the U.S. compared with that of other countries. NCES coordinates 

with other Federal agencies when carrying out surveys to maximize the value of the information 

collected and to minimize response burdens on stakeholders. For example, the U.S. 

Department of Health and Human Services has contributed to the Early Childhood Longitudinal 

Survey, Kindergarten Class of 2010−11 (ECLS-K:2011); the National Science Foundation 

participated in the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:2009); and NCES collaborates with 

the Bureau of Justice Statistics to administer the School Crime Supplement to the National 

Crime Victimization Survey. Most work is conducted through competitively awarded contracts.

ESRA also authorizes the National Board for Education Sciences (NBES) to advise the NCES 

Commissioner. NBES may establish a standing committee to advise NCES.

Five areas, each with a set of specific activities, make up the Statistics budget:

• Administrative Data Collections and Support includes basic descriptive data collections from 

public schools at the elementary and secondary levels and from public and private 

postsecondary institutions, as well as activities that improve data standards and provide 

technical assistance.

• Longitudinal Studies collect information on the same students over time. Such studies 

provide insight into how students and educational systems influence one another and can 

ultimately provide educators and policymakers with information to improve the quality of 

education.

• International Studies provide insights into the educational practices and outcomes in the 

U.S. by enabling comparisons with other countries. These studies reflect the longstanding 

concern—dating back at least to the landmark 1983 report “A Nation at Risk”—over the role 

of education in maintaining the Nation’s global competitiveness and ensuring continued 

economic growth and prosperity.

• Cross Sectional Studies provide extensive staffing, school safety, adult education, and other 

issue-specific data from public and private schools, staff, and households.
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• Crosscutting Activities include initiatives to train the public on accessing and using NCES 

data, activities designed to enhance the usefulness of statistical data collections and 

publications, and programs to review and improve the quality of NCES studies and to 

safeguard privacy and confidentiality.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $109,500

2019 103,0001

2020 117,5002

2021 111,500

2022 Estimate 111,500

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $111.5 million for Statistics, level with a fiscal 

year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The Statistics request 

includes funds for a broad range of surveys and activities that provide information on education 

at all levels. During the last year, NCES has examined the impact of COVID-19 on data 

collection schedules and adjusted previously announced schedules to accommodate local 

needs. Activities in the Statistics request include:

Administrative Data Collections and Support

The Administrative Data Collections and Support category includes basic descriptive data 

collections from public schools at the elementary and secondary levels and from public and 

private postsecondary institutions, as well as activities that support improvement of data 

standards and technical assistance. The fiscal year 2023 request includes approximately 

$23.6 million for administrative data collections. Key activities include:

• The Common Core of Data (CCD) (http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/), the Department’s primary 

database on public elementary and secondary education in the U.S., provides annual 

information on all school districts and public elementary and secondary schools, including 

public charter schools. Examples of such information include basic descriptive information 

such as student enrollment, demographic, and high school completion data; numbers of 

teachers and other staff; and fiscal data, including revenues and expenditures.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) (http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/) is 

a comprehensive data collection system for postsecondary institutions, including all Higher 

Education Act Title IV institutions. Components of the survey include: institutional 

characteristics, fall enrollment, completions, salaries, finance (including current revenues by 

1 Reflects a reprogramming of $6,500 thousand in fiscal year 2019 funds from Statistics to the Assessment program 

in the IES account that was “repaid” by reprogramming $6,500 of fiscal year 2020 Assessment funds to Statistics.

2 Reflects a reprogramming of $6,500 thousand in fiscal year 2020 funds from the Assessment program to Statistics 

to “repay” the funds transferred to Assessment in fiscal year 2019.
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source; current expenditures by function, assets, and indebtedness; and endowment 

investments), student financial aid, staff, graduation rates, outcome measures, and 

academic libraries.

• The Common Education Data Standards (https://ceds.ed.gov/) project is a national 

collaborative effort to develop voluntary, common data standards for a key set of education 

data elements to streamline the exchange, comparison, and understanding of data within 

and across P-20W (Preschool, Grade 20 or Higher Education, Workforce) institutions and 

sectors.

• The Surveys and Cooperative Systems program provides support for efforts to improve the 

quality, timeliness, and comparability of statistics used for education policymaking at all 

levels of government, including the National Forum on Education Statistics 

(http://nces.ed.gov/forum/about.asp) and two National Postsecondary Education 

Cooperatives (http://nces.ed.gov/npec/): one focused on IPEDS and one on the 

postsecondary longitudinal and sample surveys.

• The Education Demographic and Geographic Estimates (EDGE) program 

(http://nces.ed.gov/programs/edge/) uses data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau to 

create custom school district indicators of social and economic conditions for school-age 

children. Data generated by EDGE and many other NCES programs can be analyzed and 

viewed spatially using the MapEd tool (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/maped/).

Longitudinal Studies

Longitudinal Studies are designed to collect information on the same students over time. The 

fiscal year 2023 request includes approximately $38.1 million to support the following 

longitudinal studies:

• The Early Childhood Longitudinal Studies (ECLS) (http://nces.ed.gov/ecls/) are a series of 

longitudinal studies that follow children from birth or from kindergarten entry to examine child 

development, school readiness, and early school experiences. The first study was the ECLS 

Kindergarten Class of 1998-99; the second was the ECLS Birth Cohort of 2001. The latest 

study in the series, the ECLS Kindergarten Class of 2010-11 (ECLS-K:11), concluded data 

collection in the spring of 2016 and has enabled researchers to study how a wide range of 

family, school, community, and individual factors are associated with performance in school 

over time. The next study is scheduled to follow the kindergarten class of 2023-24. The 

study had been scheduled to follow the kindergarten class of 2022-23 but was delayed due 

to the pandemic.

• The Middle Grades Longitudinal Study (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/mgls/) is the first 

longitudinal study to provide information on children’s development in grades 6 through 8 on 

factors associated with successful transition from elementary to secondary school. The 

study includes a nationally representative sample of sixth graders in the 2017-18 school 

year and will focus on topics associated with students’ high school readiness, inclusion, and 

math and literacy learning in the middle grades. The study has been affected by the 

pandemic. In March 2020 data collection for the first follow-up moved to an online only 
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mode; when most schools did not reopen, the focus shifted to obtaining student participation 

through parent recruitment.

• The High School Longitudinal Studies (HSLS) collect data on a cohort of students from 

ninth grade through their postsecondary education years. The first study began in 1972. The 

fifth study, the HSLS:09 (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/hsls09/), collected data in the fall of 

2009 from a sample of students in the ninth grade; follow-ups were conducted in 2012, 

2013, and 2016. Subsequent waves of data collection will follow the sample members 

through postsecondary education and beyond, providing information on transitions from high 

school to postsecondary education and/or the workforce. The next survey has been 

rescheduled due to the pandemic and now is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2022.

• The National Postsecondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS) 

(http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/npsas/) is a comprehensive, cross-sectional study of 

undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional degree-seeking students that examines how 

students and their families pay for postsecondary education. NPSAS serves as the baseyear sample for two longitudinal studies, the Beginning Postsecondary Students (BPS) 

longitudinal study and the Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B) longitudinal study. NCES is 

revising the NPSAS data collection schedule. NPSAS has been conducted every 2 years 

with a student interview included every 4 years (e.g. NPSAS:20 and NPSAS:24). An 

administrative data collection, which uses only administrative data from the Department’s 

data systems and institutional student records, has historically occurred in the other years. 

However, due to declining response and limited resources, NPSAS:22 will not be 

conducted; NPSAS:24 will be a full collection, which includes both a student survey and an 

administrative data collection; and NCES is considering whether NPSAS:26 can be 

successfully conducted.

• The Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/bps/)

follows a cohort of beginning postsecondary students and provides data on a variety of 

topics, including student demographics, school and work experiences, persistence, transfer, 

and degree attainment. The BPS 12/17 cohort began their postsecondary education in 

2012; follow-up data collection occurred in 2014 and 2017.

• The Baccalaureate and Beyond Survey (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/b&b/) follows students 

who complete their baccalaureate degrees. Initially, students in the NPSAS surveys who are 

identified as being in their last year of undergraduate studies are asked questions about 

their future employment and education expectations, as well as about their undergraduate 

education. In later follow-ups, students are asked questions about their job search activities, 

education, and employment experiences after graduation. The first B&B cohort was drawn 

from the 1993 NPSAS sample; the latest B&B cohort was drawn from the 2016 NPSAS and 

will be followed for 10 years.

International Studies

International Studies (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/international/) provide insights into U.S. 

educational practices and outcomes by allowing comparisons with other countries. Funding for 
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the International Studies program is estimated at $20.1 million in fiscal year 2023 and supports 

the following activities:

• International Analysis supports many activities, including the Indicators of National 

Education Systems Project, a cooperative effort among member countries of the 

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to develop an education 

indicator reporting system. The primary vehicle for reporting on these indicators is an annual 

OECD report entitled “Education at a Glance” (http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/).

• The International Computer and Information Literacy Study, organized by the International 

Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) (https://www.iea.nl/icils), is 

a comparative study to evaluate students’ computer and information literacy (i.e., their ability 

to use computers to investigate, create, and communicate in order to participate effectively 

at home, at school, in the workplace, and in the community). The next survey is scheduled 

for 2023.

• The International Early Learning and Child Well-being Study

(http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/international-early-learning-and-child-well-being-study.htm), 

organized by the OECD, collects comparative data that will allow policymakers to better 

understand what outcomes are possible for children in early childhood education and will 

enable insights on the relative effectiveness, equity, and efficiency of early childhood 

education systems across the world. Three nations—the United States, England, and 

Estonia—participated in this study in 2018; the study was released in March 2020.

• The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies

(http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/), which is sponsored by the OECD, is a household study 

assessing the basic skills and the broad range of competencies of adults around the world. 

The next data collection in the U.S., which had been scheduled for 2021, is now scheduled 

to begin in 2022.

• The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) 

(http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pisa/), also sponsored by OECD, is designed to monitor, on a 

regular 3-year cycle, the achievement of 15-year-old students in three subject areas: 

reading literacy, mathematical literacy, and scientific literacy. An online International Data 

Explorer (IDE) is available that allows users to create their own tables and charts from 

available data (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/international/ide/). Because of the pandemic, the 

next assessment was rescheduled from 2021 to 2022.

• The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 

(http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pirls/), which is sponsored by the IEA, assesses the reading 

literacy of fourth graders and the experiences they have at home and school in learning to 

read. PIRLS is administered every 5 years; the fifth assessment was administered in

October 2021.

• The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 

(http://nces.ed.gov/TIMSS/), also sponsored by the IEA, is a study conducted every 4 years 

of fourth and eighth graders’ mathematics and science achievement in the U.S. and other 
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participating nations. The TIMSS IDE allows users to create their own tables and charts 

using TIMSS data (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/international/ide/). The latest TIMSS was 

administered in 2019 and marked the beginning of a transition to a computer-based 

assessment; the next TIMSS is scheduled to be conducted in 2023 and will complete the 

transition to a digital assessment.

Cross Sectional Studies

Cross Sectional Studies, which include a set of sample surveys that provide extensive data 

about public and private schools, staff, and households throughout the U.S., would receive 

nearly $17.1 million in fiscal year 2023 for the following surveys and activities:

• The National Teacher and Principal Survey (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ntps/) is the 

Department’s primary source of information on teacher and principal preparation, classes 

taught in public schools, and demographics of the teacher and principal labor force. Topics 

include professional development, working conditions, and teacher and principal evaluation. 

The survey also supports trend analyses in areas such as the average salary of a beginning 

principal, the average student-teacher ratio in the U.S., and teachers’ views of their 

autonomy in the classroom.

• The Private School Survey (PSS) (https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/), conducted every 

2 years, provides information on the number of private schools, teachers, and students in 

the U.S. while providing a sampling frame for other NCES surveys. The survey includes 

private schools in the 50 States and the District of Columbia.

• The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/ssocs/) and 

the School Crime Supplement (SCS) (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/crime/) provide many of 

the statistics used to provide context when behavioral challenges, crises and tragedies 

occur in our Nation’s schools. SSOCS provides information on school incidents, discipline 

rates, and school safety programs and policies from a nationally representative sample of 

approximately 3,500 public elementary and secondary schools, while the SCS collects 

information about school-related victimization, crime, and safety in public and private 

schools as part of a national survey of students ages 12 through 18 conducted by the 

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The two studies follow each other on a 2-year cycle. BJS 

is delaying the SCS for 1 year, to the beginning of 2022, because of the number of schools 

that have been operating in “non-regular” modes.

• The Survey of Earned Doctorates in the United States

(http://www.nsf.gov/statistics/srvydoctorates/) annually collects basic statistics from the 

universe of doctoral recipients in the U.S.

• The National Household Education Surveys (https://nces.ed.gov/nhes/) is a suite of data 

collections designed to provide descriptive data on a wide range of education-related issues, 

including early childhood care and education, children’s readiness for school, before- and 

after-school activities of school-age children, adult participation in education and training for 

work, parent involvement in education, school choice, and homeschooling.
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• The Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) (http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/frss/) collects issuespecific data quickly and with minimal response burden from elementary and secondary 

staff, schools, and districts. Data collected through FRSS surveys are representative at the 

national level, drawing from a universe that is appropriate for each study. To ensure minimal 

burden on respondents, the surveys are generally limited to three pages of questions, and 

sample sizes are relatively small.

Crosscutting Activities

Crosscutting Activities would receive approximately $12.6 million in fiscal year 2023 to support 

the following:

• Annual Reports and Indicators include three major annual statistical compilations of critical 

education indicators: the “Condition of Education” (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/), the 

“Digest of Education Statistics” (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/), and “Projections of 

Education Statistics” (https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020024). NCES 

also produces short-format statistical briefs on emerging issues in education.

• The Current Population Survey (http://www.census.gov/cps/) is a monthly household survey 

conducted by the Bureau of the Census. Since the late 1960s, NCES has provided funding 

for a supplement that gathers data on enrollment in elementary, secondary, and 

postsecondary education and on educational attainment. NCES funds additional items on 

education-related topics such as language proficiency, disabilities, computer access and 

use, and student mobility.

• Funding for Data Development and Statistical Standards provides methodological and 

statistical support to NCES, as well as to Federal and non-Federal organizations that 

engage in statistical work in support of NCES mission. Activities include developing 

standards that ensure the quality of statistical surveys, analyses, and products, coordinating 

the review of NCES products, coordinating revisions to the NCES Statistical Standards, 

funding the National Forum on Education Statistics (https://nces.ed.gov/forum/), and 

improving the Department’s Data Inventory (http://datainventory.ed.gov/).

In order to provide the flexibility NCES needs to support program activities, the request would 

continue to make funding available for 2 years.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

Administrative Data Collections and Support $23,631 $23,631 $23,631 

Longitudinal Studies 38,100 38,100 38,100

International Studies 20,073 20,073 20,073

Cross-Sectional Studies 17,051 17,051 17,051

Crosscutting Activities 12,645 12,645 12,645

Total 111,500 111,500 111,500

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program.

Performance Measures

Goal: To collect, analyze, and disseminate information on the condition of education in 

the United States and to provide comparative international statistics.

Objective: Provide timely and useful data that are relevant to policy and educational 

improvement.

Measure: The extent to which customers would recommend NCES to others and would rely on 

NCES in the future as measured by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

Year Target Actual

2016 74% 72%

2018 74 73

2020 74 73

2022 74

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. The table provides estimates of the 

amounts from each year’s appropriation that will be used for each area, not the amount obligated in each of those 

years.
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Additional information: NCES collects customer satisfaction information through the ACSI 

(http://www.theacsi.org/), which provides satisfaction scores based on samples of customers. 

The baseline for this measure, 74 percent, was established using 2008 data. NCES barely 

missed the target in 2020.

The pandemic may have depressed the survey response rate. Customer surveys typically get a 

response rate of 2 to 5 percent, but efforts to reach respondents over the years resulted in a 

response rate of 22 percent in 2018, up from 8 percent in 2014. In 2020, the survey began just 

as the pandemic was declared, and the response rate was 17 percent. ACSI has not yet 

released a 2022 report.

Measure: The percent of data collections in which the response rate was below 85 percent.

Year

Number of 

Reports

Number of 

Survey 

Components

Number of Survey 

Components with 

Response Rates 

Below 85%

Percent of Survey 

Components with 

Response Rates 

Below 85%

2018 12 29 6 21%

2019 16 30 13 43

2020 34 59 13 22

2021

2022

2023

Additional information: One way in which NCES attempts to ensure the quality of its work is 

by maintaining high survey response rates. High response rates help ensure that survey data 

are representative of the target populations. When a survey response rate is lower than 

85 percent, the NCES statistical standards require a bias analyses to help determine the effect 

of the low rate on the survey results. All NCES surveys in 2009 through 2020 either had an 

85 percent response rate or higher or had nonresponse bias analyses conducted and weight 

adjustments made, as needed.

Efficiency Measures

NCES adopted an efficiency measure in 2016 that tracks survey data release timeliness by 

measuring if the reports for certain periodic data collections are released by a predetermined 

date. The efficiency measure addresses customers’ concerns about data timeliness and helps 

assess whether NCES completes work in a timely manner.

NCES’ goal is to release reports for certain periodic data collections to the public by a 

predetermined release date, ensuring that the public can expect NCES reports for annual or 

biennial data collections at an anticipated date during a reporting year. Specifically, the data 

collections that are tracked for this measure are IPEDS (annual), CCD (annual), PSS (biennial), 

and the Condition of Education (annual). 

Measure: The percentage of reports for certain periodic data collections meeting their annual or 

biennial release dates.
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IPEDS Data Collection

Year Number of Reports Target Actual

2018 3 100% 100%

2019 3 100 67

2020 3 100 67

2021 3 100 100

2022 100

2023 100

Additional information: This measure tracks the release dates of the Fall, Winter, and Spring 

IPEDS surveys. Each of these collection cycles includes important information that is used by 

policymakers and researchers, as well as by students and their parents. The goal is to release 

preliminary data first to make the data available, followed by an edited and imputed data file and 

report about three months after the initial release. In fiscal year 2021 the IPEDS team was able 

to process an extra release to make preliminary data on postsecondary enrollments during the 

Fall of 2020 available to the public, meeting demands in the field to better understand the 

impacts of the pandemic on college enrollment.

Common Core of Data (CCD) Data Collection

Year Target Actual

2018 100% 67%

2019 100 75

2020 100 60

2021 100 100

2022 100

2023 100

Additional information: The CCD is the primary source of key information about public 

elementary and secondary schools and their students and staff. The goal is to release data 

within 1 year from the end of data collection. In 2021, the CCD nonfiscal data were released

within the 1-year limit and also included an extra release that made preliminary data on K-12 

student membership counts for States and school districts available significantly earlier than 

ever before. CCD fiscal data released in 2021 addressed State figures for fiscal year 

2019. District level information on fiscal year 2019 was released in early fiscal year 2022 which 

is within the 1-year limit, but is not included within the percentages reported above. The early 

fiscal year 2022 release will be included in figures reported for fiscal year 2022 next year.

Private School Survey (PSS) Data Collection

Year Number of Reports Target Actual

2017 1 100% 0

2019 1 100 100%

2021 1 100 0

2023 100
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Additional information: The PSS is the primary source of data about private schools and their 

students and staff. The data also serve as the sampling frame for sample surveys that include 

private schools. The goal is to release survey data within 1 year of the end of data collection. 

Data from the 2019-20 Private School Survey were released in a First Look Report in

September 2021.

Condition of Education Data Collection

Year Number of Reports Target Actual

2018 1 100% 100%

2019 1 100 100

2020 1 100 100

2021 1 100 100

2022 100

2023 100

Additional information: The “Condition of Education” is a congressionally mandated report 

that is updated using data from every NCES data collection released in the prior year and 

external data from the Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 

and international education consortia.
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Regional educational laboratories

(Education Sciences Reform Act, section 174)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority: 

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

$57,022 $57,022 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Regional Educational Laboratories (RELs) program (https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs/), which 

is administered by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance within 

the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), supports a network of 10 laboratories that work in 

partnership with State educational agencies (SEAs), school districts, and other entities to use 

data and research to improve academic outcomes for students. Each of the RELs serves a 

specific region of the country.

RELs conduct and disseminate information about applied research and evaluations; develop 

and disseminate research-based reports and guidance on best practice; and provide training, 

coaching, and technical support to SEAs, local educational agencies (LEAs), school boards, 

and State boards of education. Through these activities, the RELs build local and State capacity 

to use data and evidence, access high-quality research to inform decisions, conduct their own

research, and track progress over time using high-quality data and methods. REL resources are 

allocated based on several variables, including the number of LEAs and school-age children 

served and the cost of providing services within the region. RELs are funded through 5-year 

contracts with research organizations and institutions of higher education.

The current REL contracts, which were awarded in fiscal year 2017, include an explicit focus 

on supporting sustained, ongoing partnerships with stakeholders at the State and district levels. 

Under the direction of their regional governing boards, RELs identify priority topic areas on which 

to focus their activities. Although the research partners in the regions are the primary

stakeholders of each REL, the Department also requires that RELs develop materials for 

national distribution through the IES website. In addition to reports and studies, these materials

include tools (e.g., rubrics or data organizers) and technical assistance documents (e.g., 

PowerPoint presentations, workshop activities, and facilitators’ guides) that can be used by 

others not directly served by the RELs. A competition for new REL contract awards is 

underway with new awards planned for fiscal year 2022.

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; authorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

language.
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $55,423

2019 55,423

2020 56,022

2021 57,022

2022 Estimate 57,022

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $57.0 million for the RELs, level with a fiscal 

year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The fiscal year 2023 

request would support the second year of activities for 9 of the 10 RELs in the REL 2022-27

cohort under 5-year contracts. (REL Southwest is on a different schedule and will be awarded in 

fiscal year 2023). The funding would allow each REL to assist practitioners and policymakers in 

their work to improve opportunities and outcomes for learners in its region—from early 

childhood to adulthood—by supporting stakeholders in the generation and use of research, 

evidence, and evidence-based practices. To achieve that purpose, the RELs would:

• conduct applied research and development;

• design and implement training, coaching, and technical support activities that emphasize 

building capacity to use data and information to drive change; and 

• disseminate scientifically valid research, evidence-based practices, and supporting materials 

that allow stakeholders to apply this knowledge to their own practice. 

Based upon lessons learned from prior cycles and ongoing research on how education 

stakeholders learn about and implement evidence-based practices, changes to the design of the 

program for the 2022 cohort of RELs include:

• Increased transparency and specificity on program goals and activities and more robust 

performance monitoring. Although the current REL cycle placed an emphasis on conducting 

work that stakeholders indicated would support their efforts to solve their most difficult 

problems of education policy and practice, it did not include the requirement that RELs set 

project-specific performance targets. REL 2022 will require each partnership to develop a 

logic model that clearly defines State and local stakeholder goals for REL work; activities 

designed to achieve those goals; and metrics that will be reviewed by the Department of 

Education, the REL, and partnership members to monitor—and, as needed, adjust—

performance.

• Increased emphasis on translating evidence-based practices into user-friendly and 

actionable tools. Research on educators’ use of evidence-based practices demonstrates the 

importance of actionable resources that bridge the gap from rigorous research to classroom 

implementation. As part of REL 2022, IES will require each REL to develop and evaluate at 
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least one practitioner-facing toolkit based on What Works Clearinghouse Practice Guides, 

IES’ signature products for highlighting “what works” in education. The resulting toolkits, if 

proven effective, will then be made available to other Department of Education technical 

assistance providers (e.g., Comprehensive Centers) and third-party intermediation 

organizations (e.g., national organizations) that can support more widespread use.

• Creating new opportunities for community voice in REL activities. Although the program’s 

authorizing statute envisions a wide range of stakeholders for REL work and in REL 

governance, some voices—most notably of parents, students, and other community 

members—may be heard less frequently than those of State and local education leaders. 

Through REL 2022, IES seeks to broaden public participation in several aspects of REL 

work, with an emphasis on including perspectives of individuals underserved in education, to 

increase the likelihood REL work is responsive, useful, and actionable.

The funds requested for 2023 also would continue support for an independent peer review of 

REL products and publications, which helps ensure they are technically sound, readable, 

usable, and relevant to the needs of education practitioners and stakeholders before they are 

disseminated, as well as for website development and support.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

Regional Educational Laboratory contracts $51,623 $50,700 $50,700

Other, including shared web development, evaluation,

and peer review of REL plans and products 3,034 4,924 6,322

Carryover 2,365 1,398

Total 57,022 57,022 57,022

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years; amounts for specific activities may vary 

from estimates based on changing needs.
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States Served and Annual Level of Support for Each REL, FY 2023 Award Cycle

Region States

Annual 

Budget in 

Millions

Percent of 

Annual 

Budget

Appalachia Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia $4.6 9.1%

Central Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, North 

Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming 4.7 9.3

Mid-Atlantic Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New 

Jersey, Pennsylvania 4.8 9.5

Midwest Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, 

Wisconsin 5.8 11.4

Northeast and 

Islands

Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New 

Hampshire, New York, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, 

Vermont, the U.S. Virgin Islands

5.0 9.9

Northwest Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington 4.6 9.1

Pacific

American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of 

Micronesia (Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, and Yap), 

Guam, Hawaii, the Republic of the Marshall 

Islands, the Republic of Palau

4.6 9.1

Southeast Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North 

Carolina, South Carolina 5.4 10.6

Southwest Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, 

Texas 5.5 10.8

West Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah 5.7 11.2

Total 50.7 100.0

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program. 
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IES established new measures for the 2017 REL cohort starting with program year 2019.

Goal: Increase effective use of data and research, and capacity for use, among State and 

local education agencies.

Objective: Increase participants’ capacity to use data and research to inform decision-making.

Measure: The degree to which participants report that REL training increased their capacity to 

use research and data to inform decisions in their organization.

Year Target Actual

2019 Baseline 3.4

2020 Baseline 3.4

2021 3.5 3.4

2022 3.6

2023 3.6

Additional information: The 2017-2022 RELs are required to survey participants and report 

the data to IES. Ratings use a 4-point scale where 1 equates to “Strongly Disagree” and 

4 equates to “Strongly Agree". For this measure, participants were asked to report on the extent 

to which training increased their capacity to use research or effectively incorporate data into 

decision making for their agency or organization. 

Measure: The degree to which REL partnership members report that they plan to use, are in 

the process of using, or have used research or data to inform decisions in their agency, 

organization, or school.

Year Target Actual

2019 Baseline 96%

2020 Baseline 98

2021 100% 97

2022 100

2023 100

Additional information: RELs have the option to ask one or both of two questions depending 

on the focus of the partnership: (1) “I have used research presented by the REL to inform 

decisions in my agency/organization/school,” and (2) “I have used data in new ways to inform 

decisions in my agency/organization/ school.” 
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Objective: Increase the capacity of REL partnership members to use data and research to 

inform decision-making.

Measure: The degree to which participants report that their participation in a REL partnership 

has increased their capacity to use research and/or data to inform decisions about policies or 

practices in their organization.

Year Target Actual

2019 Baseline 3.3

2020 Baseline 3.4

2021 3.5 3.3

2022 3.6

2023 3.6

Additional information: The 2017-22 RELs are required to survey participants and report the 

data to IES. Ratings use a 4-point scale where 1 equates to “Strongly Disagree” and 4 equates 

to “Strongly Agree”. For this measure, REL partnership members provided information on two 

questions, one on whether participation in a REL partnership increased their capacity to use 

research, and one on whether it increased their capacity to use data. 

Partnership members are representatives of an organization in the REL region that has a stake 

in improving educational outcomes for students and wants to partner with the REL to undertake 

research, training, coaching, or dissemination projects to address problems that are preventing 

all students from achieving positive outcomes. Partnerships meet regularly and work with the 

REL staff on applied research projects to answer questions posed by partnership members.

They also help design, and often participate in, training, coaching, and technical support 

activities to help stakeholders use evidence and evidence-based practices. Partners also work 

with the REL to disseminate rigorous evidence and evidence-based practices.
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Assessment

(National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability:

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

National Assessment of Educational 

Progress $165,000 $185,000 +$20,000

National Assessment Governing 

Board 7,745 7,799 +54

Total 172,745 192,799 +20,054

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as “The Nation’s Report 

Card,” is the largest continuing and nationally representative assessment of what our Nation’s 

students know and can do in various subject areas. NAEP is designed to measure and provide 

objective information on the status of and trends in student learning over time in a wide range of 

subject areas. Assessment frequency is specified in the authorizing statute. The Commissioner 

for Education Statistics must conduct:

• National fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics assessments in public and 

private schools at least once every 2 years;

• National grade 12 reading and mathematics assessments in public and private schools on a 

regular schedule; and

• Biennial fourth and eighth grade State assessments of student achievement in reading and 

mathematics.

If time and resources allow, the Commissioner may conduct national and State assessments in 

additional subjects at the 4th, 8th, and 12th grades in public and private schools at regularly 

scheduled intervals, including writing, science, U.S. history, geography, civics, economics, 

foreign languages, and arts; 12th grade State reading and mathematics assessments; and longterm trend assessments of academic achievement at ages 9, 13, and 17 in reading and 

mathematics. Whenever feasible, information must be collected and reported by race, ethnicity, 

socioeconomic status, gender, disability, and limited English proficiency. The NAEP schedule is 

publicly available at https://www.nagb.org/about-naep/assessment-schedule.html.

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

action.
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The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB) is responsible for formulating policy for 

NAEP. NAGB is composed of 25 voting members including Governors, State legislators, chief 

State school officers, a superintendent, State and local board of education members, testing 

and measurement experts, a representative of business or industry, curriculum specialists, 

principals, classroom teachers, and parents. The Director of the Institute of Education Sciences 

(IES) serves as an ex officio, nonvoting member of the Board. Using a national consensus 

approach, NAGB develops appropriate assessment objectives and achievement levels for each 

grade in each subject area to be assessed.

The Assessment budget supports the following major program components:

• National NAEP: The main NAEP assessments report results for the Nation and are 

designed to follow the curriculum frameworks developed by NAGB. They periodically 

measure student achievement in reading, mathematics, science, writing, U.S. history, civics, 

geography, and other subjects.

• State NAEP: State assessments address the needs of State-level policymakers for reliable 

data concerning student achievement in their States in reading, mathematics, science, and 

writing.

• The Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA): Begun in 2002, the TUDA provides information 

on fourth and eighth grade student achievement in reading and mathematics in a small 

number of urban school districts. Although participation is voluntary, demand from districts to 

be included in TUDA has significantly increased in recent years, with 27 districts 

participating in 2017 and 2019.

• Long-term trend NAEP: In its long-term trend program, NAEP administers identical 

instruments from one assessment year to the next, measuring student achievement in 

reading and mathematics. These assessments do not evolve based on changes in curricular 

or educational practices.

• Evaluation and validation studies: Congress mandates that the Secretary provide for 

continuing review of the national and State assessments and student performance levels by 

one or more nationally recognized evaluation organizations. NAEP funds also support 

studies to examine critical validity issues involving NAEP design, interpretation, and 

operations.

• Research and development. Research and development (R&D) investments are critical both 

to maintain NAEP as the gold standard of large-scale assessments and to identify and 

produce cost savings and other efficiencies in program administration costs over time.

In order to inform the American public about the performance of the Nation's students, NAEP 

produces a series of public audience and technical materials that are available online 

(http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/). In addition, a data tool allows users to create their own 

data tables with national and State data.
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The Federal Government is specifically prohibited from using NAEP to influence standards, 

assessments, curriculum, or instructional practices at the State and local levels, or from using 

NAEP to evaluate individual students or teachers or provide rewards or sanctions for individual 

students, teachers, schools, or school districts. In addition, the use of NAEP data for student 

promotion or graduation purposes is prohibited, and NAEP should not affect home schools. 

Maintenance of a system of records containing personally identifiable information on students is 

also barred, and assessments must not evaluate or assess personal or family beliefs and 

attitudes.

Test integrity is further ensured by the Commissioner for Education Statistics’ ability to decline 

to release cognitive test items that will be used in future assessments for 10 years—longer if 

important to protect long-term trend data—while continuing to provide for public access to 

assessment materials in secure settings. The NAEP statute requires that the public be notified 

about such access; requires that access be provided within 45 days in a mutually convenient 

setting; establishes procedures for receiving, reviewing, and reporting complaints; and provides 

criminal penalties for unauthorized release of assessment instruments.

Finally, participation in NAEP is voluntary for students and schools, as well as for local 

educational agencies, and each participating State must give permission for the release of the 

results of its State assessment. However, each State receiving funds through the Title I Grants 

to Local Educational Agencies program (i.e., all States, D.C., and Puerto Rico) must participate 

in NAEP’s biennial fourth and eighth grade reading and mathematics assessments, provided 

that the Secretary of Education pays for the costs of participation.

Funding levels for both NAEP and NAGB for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $156,745

2019 165,2451

2020 154,2452

2021 172,745

2021, CRRSA Act 28,000

2022 Estimate 172,745

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $192.8 million for Assessment, $20.1 million 

more than a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation. The 

request includes $185.0 million for the NAEP and $7.8 million for NAGB. The requested 

increase primarily would support preparation for and implementation of the 2024 assessments. 

In addition, the fiscal year 2023 request for NAEP would fund further analysis and reporting of 

2022 assessments in reading, mathematics, civics, and U.S history, as well as analysis of the 

1 Reflects a reprogramming of $6,500 thousand in fiscal year 2019 funds from Statistics to the Assessment program 

in the IES account that was “repaid” by reprogramming $6,500 thousand of fiscal year 2020 Assessment funds to 

Statistics.

2 Reflects reprogramming of $6,500 thousand in fiscal year 2020 funds from Assessment to Statistics.
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age 9 and age 13 long-term trend assessments, which are being repeated in 2022 to allow 

comparisons with the pre-pandemic 2020 assessment.

The request includes a $10 million set aside for R&D efforts needed to maintain NAEP quality 

and reduce future program costs. IES has planned a number of changes to achieve efficiencies, 

including transitioning to online assessments, using less expensive assessment devices, 

introducing automated scoring, reducing the number of field staff needed to conduct the 

assessments, and implementing design changes. Each change must be carefully studied to 

explore feasibility and examine effects, if any, on the measurement of student performance. 

Estimated cost savings associated with planned R&D investments are expected to begin in 

fiscal year 2024 and will amount to approximately $98 million by fiscal year 2030, assuming a 

$40 million investment in R&D over the next several years. Funding increases are required to 

support R&D efforts to reduce NAEP costs while also maintaining the assessment schedule.

During the last year, NAGB and IES, in regular consultation with Congress, have continued to 

examine the impact of the pandemic on the assessment schedules and costs, examined 

reasons for the rising costs of NAEP, and developed strategies for reducing costs by improving 

NAEP efficiencies.

National Assessment of Educational Progress

The schedule on the next page reflects the NAEP schedule as approved by NAGB on 

November 22, 2021. 
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NAEP Schedule, 2020-2030

Year Subject

National

Grades 

Assessed

State

Grades 

Assessed

Urban District

Grades 

Assessed

2020 Long-term Trend, ages 9 and 131

2022 Reading 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2022 Mathematics 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2022 Civics 8

2022 U.S. History 8

2022 Long-term Trend, age 91

2023 Long-term Trend, age 131

2024 Reading 4, 8, 12 4, 8 4, 8

2024 Mathematics 4, 8, 12 4, 8 4, 8

2024 Science 8

2024 Transcript Studies

2025 Long-term Trend, ages 9, 13, and 17

2026 Reading2 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2026 Mathematics2 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2026 Civics 8

2026 U.S. History 8

2028 Reading 4, 8, 12 4, 8, 12 4, 8

2028 Mathematics 4, 8, 12 4, 8, 12 4, 8

2028 Science2 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2028 Technology and Engineering Literacy 8 8

2028 Transcript Studies

2029 Long-term Trend, ages 9, 13, and 17

2030 Reading 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2030 Mathematics 4, 8 4, 8 4, 8

2030 Civics2 4, 8, 12 8

2030 U.S. History2 4, 8, 12

2030 Writing2 4, 8, 12 4, 8, 12 4, 8

NAEP has experienced growing costs in recent years, in part due to its limited ability to 

undertake the research and development needed to innovate and modernize the NAEP 

assessment platform. For example, NAEP currently brings its own devices to schools, which 

entails costs for both the hardware (i.e., purchasing the devices) and the field staff needed to 

deliver the devices to schools. NAEP also administers short, single-subject tests to many 

students, which is costlier than other assessments that use longer, multi-subject tests. These 

inefficiencies are compounded by mandatory biennial fourth and eighth grade reading and 

mathematics assessments. Based on current trends, the cost of administering these 

assessments alone would eventually supplant assessment in all other subjects over time. The 

costs for any given assessment are spread out over 4 years, and vary depending on factors 

1 Long-term Trend assessment not administered by computer until 2024. All other assessments will be digitally 

based.

2 A new or updated framework will be implemented in the assessment year.
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such as scope, subject, grade levels, and whether the assessment is conducted alone or in 

combination with another assessment. 

The 2023 request would help ensure that NAEP can implement the planned assessments while 

continuing to invest in the research and development needed to upgrade its assessment 

platform and make the improvements that will decrease future assessment costs.

National Assessment Governing Board

The $7.8 million request for NAGB, an independent, bipartisan organization that formulates 

policy guidelines for NAEP, would be used for the salaries, expenses, and operations of NAGB 

staff. The small increase supports the cost of higher salaries due to Federal pay increases. 

These staff support the development of achievement levels and frameworks required for the 

administration and scoring of assessments, outreach for initial public release efforts, and 

dissemination of assessment results.

NAEP State-level assessments are held every other year, meaning that costs are considerably 

higher in some years and lower in others. Consequently, the Department requests that NAEP 

funds continue to remain available for 2 years to provide flexibility to meet these varying year-toyear cost requirements.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023 

NAEP operational costs $165,000 $165,000 $175,000

NAEP research and development 0 02 10

NAGB 7,745 7,745 7,799

Total 172,745 172,745 192,799

CRRSA Act funds to mitigate additional 

expenses caused by the pandemic $28,000 0 0

Number of full-time equivalent permanent 

personnel associated with NAGB 14 14 14

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. The table provides estimates of the 

amounts from each year’s appropriation that will be used for each area, not the amount obligated in each of those 

years.

2 Under a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation, NAEP would not have 

sufficient funding to invest in planned research and development.
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FY 2022 OPERATING PLAN1

Activity 2021 

Carryover

2021

Supplemental 

Carryover

2022

Appropriation

Item Development $4,487,381 $228,592 $6,406,837 

Design, Analysis, and Reporting 2,889,524 281,500 9,502,518

Sampling and Data Collection 15,328,086 7,927,185 34,555,429

Materials, Distribution, Processing, and Scoring 1,280,478 186,000 6,232,712

Web/Technology Development, Operations and 

Maintenance 2,712,537 0 4,150,000

Program Support and Quality Control, Service 

Center, Logistics Contracts 1,300,338 0 13,203,321

Program Support and Management 317,289 0 502,493

Publications and Dissemination 4,233,907 0 613,113

State Coordinators 0 0 0

Alliance Planning and Coordination 1,290,000 97,741 0

Platform Development 7,250,000 3,907,350 9,237,500

Department of Defense Education Agency 0 0 0

National Academies of Science and 

Engineering 0 0 0

Planned carryover to fiscal year 2023 0 0 80,596,077

Total 41,089,539 12,628,368 165,000,000

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of program results is based 

on the cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for the program as well as the 

resources and efforts invested by those served by the program.

1 Funding for the National Indian Education Studies comes from the appropriation for Indian Education National 

Activities; funding under a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 appropriation is $970,000.
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Performance Measures

Measure: The number of website page views: NAEP page views, excluding views of the NAEP 

Data Explorer (NDE).

Year Target Actual

2018 1,050,000 775,988

2019 1,050,000 1,260,483

2020 750,000 955,599

2021 800,000 865,566

2022 800,000

2023 1,000,000

Additional information: The NAEP page view measure provides an indication of the number of 

sessions during which a page in the entire NAEP website (nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/) was 

viewed at least once, excluding visits to NDE. It includes information about the NAEP program, 

including information geared toward participants, researchers, and educators. The revised 

targets beginning in 2020 reflect decreased views following the move of the NDE and other 

results-oriented tools to the nationsreportcard.gov web site. The 2019 and 2020 actuals were

reported incorrectly in the previous congressional justification due to an incorrect filter applied in 

Google Analytics, and figures shown here have been updated to correct the mistake.

The decrease in pageview numbers from 2020 to 2021 may be explained by it being a nonassessment year (due to the pandemic); a decrease in usual recruitment activity among 

participating teachers, parents, administrators, and students; and no national release of 

mathematics and reading results. However, even with the pandemic, the increased target for 

fiscal year 2023 to 1 million reflects an expected increase in pageviews based on the recent 

redesign of the menu and home page to more effectively drive users to targeted information, as 

well as the launch of metadata to improve the website’s appearance in Google Search rankings.

Measure: The number of website page views: Nation’s Report Card page views (all Nation’s 

Report Card web site data).

Year Target Actual

2018 470,000 653,545

2019 550,000 920,179

2020 600,000 738,211

2021 600,000 911,963

2022 600,000

2023 750,000

Additional information: The Nation’s Report Card measure provides an indication of the 

number of sessions during which a page in the entire Nation’s Report Card site was viewed at 

least once, which includes information from all the of the Report Cards, special reports, and 

data dashboards. 
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Measure: The number of website page views: NDE page1 views. 

Year Target Actual

2018 Baseline 87,009

2019 82,750 74,843

2020 83,000 55,878

2021 50,000 57,717

2022 50,200

2023 75,000

Additional information: The NDE measure provides an indication of the number of sessions 

during which a page in the Data Explorer was viewed at least once. Targets were reset to reflect 

the implementation of a new version of the Data Explorer in February 2018 and the delay of the 

2021 NAEP assessment.

Efficiency Measures

NCES measures efficiency by reporting on the time to release of NAEP reports. These 

measures examine the actual time from the end of data collection to release to NAGB and are 

an indication of how efficiently the Department analyzes and reports NAEP results.

Because any year with new frameworks requires additional work to analyze the results (e.g., 

conducting trend studies and setting achievement levels) and produce the final reports, NCES 

believes it is appropriate to exempt assessments with new frameworks from the efficiency 

measure calculations. This provides more comparable measurements from year to year, since 

different percentages of assessments may have new frameworks each year.

Measure: The percentage of NAEP reports on State-level 4th, 8th, and 12th (if implemented) 

grade reading and mathematics assessments ready for release by NAGB within 6 months of the 

end of data collection.

Year Target Actual

2015 100% 100%

2017 N/A N/A

2019 100 100

2022 N/A

Additional information: In 2017, due to the transition from a paper-based to digital 

assessment, the State results were released more than 12 months after the end of data 

collection. The assessments are conducted every other year, so data are reported for odd 

numbered years only for 2019 and prior years. Due to the pandemic, the 2021 assessments 

were postponed to 2022.

1 nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/naepdata/
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NCES is working to provide information related to pre- and during-pandemic performance,

which may result in the State-level reading and mathematics results being released 9 to 12 

months after the end of the data collection.

Other Performance Information

In 2016, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine completed an 

evaluation1 of the NAEP achievement levels (Basic, Proficient, and Advanced), concluding that 

the achievement levels are a meaningful and important part of NAEP reporting. The evaluation 

report provided recommendations to ensure that the achievement levels represent the 

knowledge and skills of students at each level. Recommendations included:

• Evaluate the alignment of achievement levels for fourth and eighth grade mathematics 

assessments and revise them as needed.

• Regularly review the achievement-level descriptors to ensure they reflect both the 

frameworks and the incorporation of those frameworks in NAEP assessments.

• Research the relationships between the NAEP achievement levels and concurrent or future 

performance on measures external to NAEP, such as being on track for a college-ready 

high school diploma for eighth grade students and readiness for middle school for fourth 

grade students.

1 https://www.nap.edu/read/23409/chapter/1#ix
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Research in special education

(Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002, Part E)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority: 

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

$58,500 $58,500 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Research in Special Education (RiSE) program, which is administered by the Institute of 

Education Science’s (IES) National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), supports 

rigorous research that aims to expand knowledge and understanding of the needs of infants, 

toddlers, and children with disabilities and improve services provided under the Individuals with 

Disabilities Act (IDEA). Research topics include developmental outcomes for infants and 

toddlers with disabilities; school readiness; achievement in core academic content areas 

(reading, writing, mathematics, science); behaviors that support learning in academic contexts; 

and functional skills that improve education outcomes and transitions to employment, 

independent living, and postsecondary education. 

IES assesses current special education research needs when determining activities to support. 

Recent competitions included the following:

• Special Education Research Grants. This program, which accounts for the largest share of 

NCSER grants, makes competitive research grants on topics that are relevant to the needs 

of students with disabilities, their families, educators, and policymakers, spanning from the 

early intervention needs of infants and toddlers through postsecondary education. The 

Department made 22 awards in fiscal year 2021 ranging from $280,760 to $1,080,502 for 

the first year of the award; additional information is available at 

https://ies.ed.gov/funding/ncser_progs.asp.

• Research Training Programs in Special Education Competition. These programs prepare 

individuals to conduct rigorous and relevant special education and early intervention 

research that advances knowledge within the field and addresses issues that are critical to 

education policymakers and practitioners. The competition for new 2021 awards included 

two areas: early career development and mentoring, and methods training for special 

education research. The Department made seven awards ranging from $91,384 to $182,128 

for the first year of the project period.

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2011; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

action.
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• Research Grants Focused on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

Process Data for Learners with Disabilities. Under this competition, NCSER considers

applications that use restricted-use NAEP data, including the NAEP process data (e.g., how 

students use tools such as a calculator, or how accommodations such as text-to-speech or 

additional time affect performance), from the 2017 eighth-grade NAEP mathematics 

assessment to examine outcomes for students with disabilities. The Department made two 

awards, one for $253,863 and one for $260,615 for the first year of the project period.

• Research Grants Focused on Systematic Replication. Under this area, grantees carry out 

projects to identify what works in special education through systematic replication. The 

Department made four awards, ranging from $442,987 to $788,669, for the first year of the 

award.

In addition, IES is supporting grants funded in prior years through the Research Networks 

Focused on Critical Problems of Policy and Practice in Special Education program. Research 

Network awards focus on high-priority issues in special education and assist researchers who 

are working on these issues in sharing ideas, building new knowledge, and strengthening their 

research and dissemination capacity. Awards generally range from $300,000 to $1 million per 

year for up to 5 years.

IES also makes a small number of unsolicited grant awards—grants that are not eligible for 

funding under current grant competitions or that address time-sensitive questions, but that are 

reviewed using the same rigorous selection process as other grants. Additional information is 

available at https://ies.ed.gov/funding/unsolicited.asp. The Department made one unsolicited 

grant award in fiscal year 2021, for $488,662.

IES is holding one RiSE competition for new awards in fiscal year 2022 that would support 

research to accelerate pandemic recovery in special education. The goal is to address urgent 

challenges faced by districts and schools in supporting students with or at risk for disabilities, 

their teachers, and their families in the aftermath of the pandemic

(https://ies.ed.gov/ncser/projects/program.asp?ProgID=2116). Applications were due in late 

summer 2021, with possible start dates in the second and fourth quarters of 2022. IES 

anticipates using $20 million in American Rescue Plan funds for these awards.

Examples of past projects supported with RiSE funding include:

• Development of Effective Paraprofessional Training. Students with disabilities are often 

supported in the classroom by paraprofessionals, yet these educators typically receive little 

to no formal training in implementing evidence-based practices. NCSER researchers 

developed training for paraprofessionals to improve their instructional practices for students 

with severe disabilities in preschool through high school using a tiered intervention model 

that includes effective coaching strategies in a group context and one-to-one follow-up 

coaching for paraprofessionals who need additional support. In a small randomized 

controlled trial (RCT), researchers found that the intervention led to improvements in 

paraprofessional implementation, fidelity of evidence-based practices, and student progress 

on individual goals.
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• Replication Evaluation of “First Step Next” (FSN). FSN is an intervention for improving

behavior and social skills outcomes, as well as overall school readiness, of preschool 

children who are at high risk for the development of oppositional and conduct disorders. A 

replication evaluation showed that FSN improved prosocial behavior and reduced 

challenging behavior of students, findings that persisted when assessed one year later. The 

research team is currently completing a longer-term follow-up study to determine if the 

positive results are maintained through third grade, and to examine the trajectory of 

behavioral and academic outcomes over time.

• Evaluation of “Early Literacy Skills Builder”. “Early Literacy Skills Builder” is a literacy 

program that is delivered in general education classrooms via a “buddy” reading program 

that pairs students with severe disabilities with peers without disabilities. The evaluation 

showed significant improvement on reading outcomes for students with severe intellectual 

disabilities. Results challenged the longstanding belief that the needs of students with 

severe disabilities are too complex for general education classroom instruction. Results from 

qualitative research also showed that the general education teachers and children without 

disabilities who participated in the program demonstrated more positive interactions and 

attitudes towards the students with disabilities.

• Evaluation of a Literacy Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children. The Center for 

Literacy and Deafness completed the first RCT aimed at testing the impact of an emergent 

literacy intervention on young children who are deaf and hard of hearing (DHH). 

“Foundations for Literacy” teaches a variety of early literacy skills to DHH children in 

prekindergarten and kindergarten who use spoken language. Children receiving this 

intervention showed stronger gains in spoken phonological awareness, alphabetic 

knowledge, and word reading compared to those receiving typical instruction. Findings also 

indicated that intervention effects were larger for those children who started the school year 

with the weakest early literacy skills.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were as follows:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $56,000

2019 56,000

2020 56,500

2021 58,500

2022 Estimate 58,500

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $58.5 million for Research in Special 

Education, level with a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 

appropriation. RiSE funding supports a comprehensive program of special education research 

designed to expand knowledge and understanding of the developmental and educational needs 

of infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities or at risk for disabilities. Continued investment 

in RiSE is essential to build the body of research for evidence-based practices and policies that 
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will result in improved outcomes for students with disabilities. These include developmental 

outcomes and school readiness, academic achievement, transition from high school to 

independent living, progress through and completion of postsecondary education, and 

employment.

At the fiscal year 2023 request level, IES would support approximately $9.2 million in new 

awards, $48.3 million in grant continuations and $0.9 million in contracts for peer review, 

logistical support. As noted above, IES also plans to use $20 million in supplemental American 

Rescue Plan (ARP) Act funds for two rounds of awards on scaling up promising practices for 

students with disabilities; these grants are scheduled for award in 2022. The Department 

budgets for peer review costs each year; any funds not used for peer review are used for grant 

awards.

To provide the flexibility IES needs to plan and administer a regular cycle of research 

competitions, the Department requests that funding continue to be available for 2 years.

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

NCSER Research Grants

Special Education Research Grants: Grant awards (new) $16,255 0 $9,240 

Special Education Research Grants: Grant awards (continuations) 41,757 $57,640 48,339

Special Education Research Grants: Subtotal 58,012 57,640 57,579

Small Business Innovation Research 400 0 0

Logistical support and Other 88 228 300

Peer review of new award applications 0 632 621

Total 58,500 58,500 58,500

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. The table provides estimates of the 

amounts from each year’s appropriation that will be used for each area, not the amount obligated in each of those 

years. Amounts may change based on actual new awards in fiscal year 2022 and changing needs,
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FY 2022 OPERATING PLAN

Grant Activities1

FY 2022 Continuation Awards Number of 

Awards

FY 2021

Carryover

FY 2022

Funds

Special Education Research Grants (CFDA 

84.324A) 75 $4,876,896 $38,797,660

Research Training Program in Special Education 

(CFDA 84.324B) 25 260,046 3,740,701

Networks Focused on Critical Problems of Policy 

and Practice in Special Education (84.324N) 4+1 0 3,311,505

Research Grants Focused on Systematic 

Replication in Special Education (84.324R) 4+4 0 8,905,538

NAEP Process Data for Learners with Disabilities 

(84.324P) 2 539,655

Unsolicited Proposals (84.324U) 1 100,000 0

Contract Activities

Activity FY 2021

Carryover

FY 2022

Funds

Small Business Innovation Research 0 0

Administrative, Logistical and Technical Support $97,644 $40,000

Peer review of new award applications 0 631,651

Post Award Support and Professional Services for 

NCSER/NCER

40,000 50,000

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

1 Some competitions in the FY 2022 Operating Plan may be funded with ARP funds. 
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the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program. 

Performance Measures

Goal: Transform education into an evidence-based field.

Objective: Raise the quality of research funded or conducted by the Department.

Measure: The percentage of projects that result in peer-reviewed publications.

Year Target Actual

88% 91%

2018 90% 90%

2019 91 87

2020 91 86

2021 88 86

2022 88

2023 86

Additional information: Peer-reviewed publications are an expected product of all research 

projects. NCSER has been funding research projects since 2006. Given the lag from time of 

award to completion of a study and the publication of results, the denominator for each reporting 

year is the cumulative number of grants that have been funded through the end of the fiscal 

year 3 years prior to the reporting year. For example, the percentage for fiscal year 2021 

reflects all projects funded from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2018 (the total of which is 384).

Many projects funded during this timeframe were disrupted and subsequently delayed due to 

the COVID-19 pandemic. The targets for 2022 and 2023 have been lowered to account for the 

continued impact of the pandemic on project timelines and publication rates.

Measure: The number of NCSER-supported interventions with evidence of efficacy in improving 

education outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities.

Year Target Actual

2018 51 54

2019 53 56

2020 55 57

2021 60 62

2022 63

2023 64

Additional information: Since 2006, NCSER has supported efficacy evaluations of fully 

developed interventions to determine whether they produce a beneficial impact on student 

education outcomes. This measure reflects the cumulative number of interventions NCSER has 

funded that have demonstrated efficacy in improving student outcomes. 
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Measure: The number of newly developed or modified interventions with evidence of promise 

for improving education outcomes for students with or at risk for disabilities.

Year Target Actual

2018 60 60

2019 64 64

2020 66 68

2021 70 75

2022 77

2023 79

Additional information: NCSER also examines whether new interventions have promise to 

produce beneficial impacts on student education outcomes. This measure reflects the 

cumulative number of interventions NCSER has funded through Development and Innovation 

projects that show promise for improving student outcomes, which is defined as showing a 

statistically significant or substantively important positive association (0.25 standard deviation or

larger) for at least one student outcome.

The reported data are the cumulative numbers of newly developed or modified interventions 

since 2006 with evidence of promise meeting Education Department General Education 

Regulations standards as determined by NCSER based on grantee final performance reports 

and peer-reviewed publications, if available.

Efficiency Measures

Measure: The average number of research grants administered per each program officer 

employed in the National Center for Special Education Research.

Year Target Actual

2018 30 47

2019 37 56

2020 40 50

2021 40 43

2022 35

2023 35

Additional information: The principal efficiency measure for IES is the ratio of research staff to 

research grants. These data are collected from the official grant files for NCSER. IES had kept 

the target at 40 for several years, believing that it represented an appropriate level of oversight 

and capacity. Upon further examination, including an analysis of program officer responsibilities 

besides grant monitoring, the target for 2022 has been reduced to 35 and will remain at 35 for 

2023.
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Statewide longitudinal data systems

(Educational Technical Assistance Act, Section 208)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority: 

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

$33,500 $33,500 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act authorizes the Secretary to make 

competitive grants to State educational agencies (SEAs) to enable them to design, develop, and 

implement Statewide longitudinal data systems (SLDS) to efficiently and accurately manage, 

analyze, disaggregate, and use individual student data, consistent with the Elementary and 

Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The goals of the program are to improve data quality, 

promote data linkages, encourage the accurate and timely generation of data for reporting and 

improving student educational opportunity and achievement, and facilitate research to close 

gaps in educational opportunity and improve student achievement and other outcomes.

The grants help SEAs develop, expand, or improve data systems, and may support necessary 

training, technical assistance, and other activities to promote the effective use of data. Funds 

must supplement, not supplant, other State or local funds used for developing State data 

systems and may not be used to support ongoing implementation and maintenance of such 

systems. The SLDS program is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics 

(NCES) within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES); grants are awarded competitively 

based on the technical quality of the proposals.

The first round of grants was awarded in November 2005 and the seventh round in 2020. The 

activities supported have changed over time: early competitions focused on the infrastructure 

required for SEAs to develop their longitudinal data systems and to link K-12 data to early 

childhood education, postsecondary education, and workforce data, while the more recent 

competitions focused on States using their SLDS data to address high-priority policy issues. 

Beginning in fiscal year 2008, the Department of Education Appropriations Act authorized the 

program to use a portion of the appropriation for activities to improve data coordination and use; 

in recent years, the limit has been $6.0 million. In addition, the fiscal year 2009 Appropriations 

Act authorized the use of funds for SLDS that include postsecondary education and workforce 

information, and the fiscal year 2010 Appropriations Act added inclusion of information on 

children of all ages, including early childhood education, as an authorized activity. Since 2012, 

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2009; authorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

language.
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the Department has had the authority to use funds to link Statewide elementary and secondary 

data systems with early childhood education, postsecondary education, and workforce data 

systems, or to further develop such systems.

To date, 49 States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 

Northern Marianas Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands have received awards to 

develop and implement longitudinal data systems.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $32,281

2019 32,281

2020 33,000

2021 33,500

2022 Estimate 33,500

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $33.5 million for Statewide Longitudinal Data 

Systems, level with a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 

appropriation. Approximately $27.3 million would support a new cohort of grants awarded in 

2023, and approximately $200,000 would pay for peer review of applications for the new 

awards. Longitudinal data systems serve as a vital source of information for educators, parents, 

policymakers, researchers, and the public on the performance of schools and effective practices

in education. The Department’s investment in the SLDS program supports States in answering

key questions about education, such as whether students are ready for kindergarten, whether 

students are adequately prepared for postsecondary education, or whether students can earn a 

living after completing their degrees. 

In addition, approximately $6 million would support national activities to improve data 

coordination, quality, and use. National activities funding has been used to provide a broad 

array of technical assistance services to SEAs, including the ability to share nonproprietary 

products and best practices; funds also support webinars, listservs, and State-specific technical 

assistance1. In addition, national activities funds would support the Privacy Technical 

Assistance Center (PTAC), which would continue to serve as a valuable resource to State and 

local educational agencies, the postsecondary education community, and other parties engaged 

in building and using education data systems on issues related to the privacy, security, and 

confidentiality of student records. Protecting the privacy of individuals essential for data systems 

that rely on individual student data to assess the performance of education systems and 

improve educational opportunities and outcomes, including across student subgroups.2

1 http://nces.ed.gov/programs/slds/index.asp

2 https://tech.ed.gov/privacy/
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

Funding for new grant awards 0 0 $27,345

Funding for continuation grant awards $27,165 $27,465 0

Privacy Technical Assistance Center 1,730 1,782 1,782

SLDS Technical Assistance 4,239 4,218 4,218

Access 4 Learning Community Membership 31 0 0

Peer review of new award applications 335 35 155

Total for Statewide longitudinal data systems 33,500 33,500 33,500

Number of new grant awards 0 0 TBD

Number of continuation grant awards 28 28 27

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

This section presents selected program performance information, including, for example, 

program goals, objectives, measures, and performance targets and data; and an assessment of 

the progress made toward achieving program results. Achievement of results is based on the 

cumulative effect of the Federal resources provided for this program as well as the resources 

and efforts invested by those served by the program. 

The Department established three performance measures that assess progress of all States, 

not just the SLDS grantees. The Department believes that assessing the progress of all States 

is appropriate because the goal of the program is to ensure that critical information needed to 

improve student opportunities and outcomes is available across the Nation.

Prior to 2018, the Department used data for active grantees combined with the most recent data 

NCES had available for non-grantee States. Beginning with 2018, the data are from a system 

capacity survey launched by the SLDS program in 2017. The survey enabled more systematic 

and reliable collection of capacity data for grantees and non-grantees alike.

Goal: To help States successfully implement longitudinal data systems to make informed 

decisions and improve instruction through the use of data.

Objective: Increase the number of States implementing P-Workforce data systems.

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. Grants are primarily funded using prior 

year funds.
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Measure: Number of States linking K-12 with early childhood data.

Year Target Actual

2018 35 32

2019 37 33

2020 38 40

2021 40 36

2022 42

2023 40

Additional information: States meet this measure if they can track all public pre-K students 

into public kindergarten and include at least one additional source of early childhood data (e.g., 

Head Start or private pre-K) in the State longitudinal data system. 

Measure: Number of States linking K-12 with postsecondary data.

Year Target Actual

2018 45 33

2019 46 34

2020 46 37

2021 38 39

2022 40

2023 42

Additional information: States meet this measure if they can link State K-12 student data to 

State data from public 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education. 

Measure: Number of States linking K-12 and postsecondary data with workforce data.

Year Target Actual

2018 29 32

2019 31 19

2020 31 25

2021 25 24

2022 27

2023 28

Additional information: States meet this measure if they can track all public 2- and 4-year 

postsecondary education students to, at a minimum, State employment records (e.g., State 

unemployment insurance systems).
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Special education studies and evaluations

(Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 664)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2023 Authorization: To be determined1

Budget Authority:

2022 Estimate 2023 Request Change

$11,318 $11,318 0

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Special Education Studies and Evaluations program awards competitive grants, contracts, 

and cooperative agreements to assess the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA) and the effectiveness of State and local efforts to provide special 

education and early intervention programs and services to infants, toddlers, children, and youth

with disabilities.

The statute authorizes the Department to support studies, evaluations, and assessments that:

• analyze the results achieved by State and local educational agencies to improve services for 

children and youth with disabilities;

• analyze State and local needs for professional development, parent training, and other 

activities that can reduce disciplinary actions involving children and youth with disabilities;

• measure educational and transitional services and outcomes for children and youth with 

disabilities, including children and youth of color with disabilities; and

• identify and report on the placement of children and youth with disabilities by disability 

category.

In addition, the Department is required to submit an annual report to Congress summarizing the 

studies and evaluations conducted under this authority; the research conducted under part E of 

the Education Sciences Reform Act of 2002 (which authorizes research on special education); 

and the data on children and youth with disabilities required by section 618 of the IDEA.

The IDEA requires the Secretary to delegate responsibility for most studies and evaluations in 

special education to the Director of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). IES supports a 

range of evaluations that are designed to provide information about which programs and 

practices are effective for improving outcomes for children and youth with disabilities, thereby 

1 The GEPA extension expired September 30, 2011; reauthorization for FY 2023 is expected through appropriations 

action.
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providing concrete guidance to educators, parents, and caregivers. Within IES, the National 

Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) has primary responsibility for 

managing the studies and evaluations under Section 664 of IDEA, with the exception of

longitudinal studies with special education components, such as the Early Childhood 

Longitudinal Study, which are conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics. NCEE 

consults with staff from the other IES research centers, including the National Center for Special 

Education Research, the Office of Special Education Programs, and other Administration

policymakers to identify needs for new studies and the research questions that those studies 

would address. In some cases, NCEE has funded separate design contracts to identify options 

for new studies in particular areas.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2018 $10,818

2019 10,818

2020 10,818

2021 11,318

2022 Estimate 11,318

FY 2023 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2023, the Administration requests $11.3 million for Special Education Studies 

and Evaluations, level with a fiscal year 2022 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2021 

appropriation. The request would support the following three ongoing activities:

• Impact Evaluation of Transition Supports for Youth with Disabilities: This study, which began 

in September 2019, is summarizing available evidence on the effectiveness of transition 

supports and interviewing transition stakeholders to identify promising transition strategies 

and methods for studying them. A systemic evidence review informed the study design and 

may result in a future publication or be incorporated into the impact report. Funds are being

used for an impact study focused on the effectiveness of an identified promising strategy to 

support the transition of students with disabilities beyond high school, which is a national 

priority emphasized by the IDEA.

• Impact Evaluation of Professional Development for General and Special Education 

Teachers to Improve Instruction and Academic Outcomes for Students with Disabilities: This 

study, which is scheduled to begin in 2022, will be a random-assignment evaluation of 

potentially promising supports to improve outcomes of students with disabilities. Priority 

areas for study include strategies for tailoring instruction and providing better supports for 

students with disabilities, including students with autism and emotional disturbance; effective 

practices for providing information to parents or caregivers and students on available 

schools and services; and better use of technology.

• What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Reports: The WWC reviews existing research on 

different programs, products, practices, and policies in education to provide educators with 
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the information they need to make evidence-based decisions. Data on website use shows 

that there is extensive demand for WWC products focused on students with disabilities. One 

example is the Practice Guide “Assisting Students Struggling with Mathematics: Intervention 

in the Elementary Grades” released in March 20211; potential future guides that include a 

focus on students with disabilities include the following topics: (i) supporting social and 

behavioral success for learning in elementary schools, and (ii) assisting students in fourth 

through ninth grades who are struggling with reading.

In addition to these activities, the Department is preparing to launch a Study of Special 

Education Expenditures. This study, the first national comprehensive study of special education 

expenditures in over two decades, will provide up-to-date estimates of special education costs 

such as instructional support services, other special education support services and activities, 

and transportation. The study will also examine emerging topics such as how districts identified 

for significant disproportionality are spending coordinating early intervening services (CEIS) 

funds, and funding gaps that will help inform policy decisions at the Federal, State, and local 

levels.

In Spring 2022, the Department is commencing a Design of the Study of Special Education 

Expenditures using fiscal year 2022 funds. This work is intended to develop feasible and 

credible design options for the planned national study of expenditures on special education and 

related services by core areas of spending and by need. The work will document and consider 

the methodological limitations of a prior study conducted 20 years ago. It will also examine 

possible ways to address some of the limitations, including low data collection response rates, 

sample sizes insufficient to draw statistically valid comparisons, and high burden on district and 

school staff that is likely to be challenging in the current climate. A full expenditure study will be 

awarded after the design and best procedures for carrying out the study have been identified 

and can be conveyed as part of a contract competition.

1 https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/PracticeGuide/26
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

Special education studies and evaluations

65

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

(dollars in thousands)

Output Measures1 2021 2022 2023

Impact Evaluation of Transition Supports for Youth 

with Disabilities $7,221 $9,146 $5,318

Impact Evaluation of Professional Development for

General and Special Education Teachers to 

Improve Instruction and Academic Outcomes for 

Students with Disabilities

1,928 0 5,000

What Works Clearinghouse Special Education Reports 1,536 0 1,000

National Longitudinal Transition Study 2012, Phase 2 456 1,672 0

Multi-tiered Systems of Support for Reading in Early 

Elementary School 177 0 0

Design of a Study of Special Education Expenditures 0 500 0

New studies 0 0 0

 Total 11,318 11,318 11,318

1 Funds from any single fiscal year’s appropriation may be used for 2 years. The table provides estimates of the 

amounts from each year’s appropriation that will be used for each area, not the amount obligated in each of those 

years.
INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION SCIENCES

66

Account Summary Table

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION FISCAL YEAR 2023 PRESIDENT'S BUDGET

(in thousands of dollars)

Cat

Code 2021 Appropriation

2022

Estimate

2023

Request

2023 Request Compared to

2022 Estimate

Amount Percent

Institute of Education Sciences

1. Research and statistics:

(a) Research, development, and dissemination (ESRA I-A, B and D, except section 174) D 197,877 197,877 197,877 0 0.00%

(b) Statistics (ESRA I-C) D 111,500 111,500 111,500 0 0.00%

2. Regional educational laboratories (ESRA section 174) D 57,022 57,022 57,022 0 0.00%

3. Assessment (NAEPAA):

(a) National assessment (section 303) D 165,000 165,000 185,000 20,000 12.12%

(b) National Assessment Governing Board (section 302) D 7,745 7,745 7,799 54 0.70%

Subtotal 172,745 172,745 192,799 20,054 11.61%

4. Research in special education (ESRA, Part E) D 58,500 58,500 58,500 0 0.00%

5. Statewide longitudinal data systems (ETAA section 208) D 33,500 33,500 33,500 0 0.00%

6. Special education studies and evaluations (IDEA, section 664) D 11,318 11,318 11,318 0 0.00%

Total D 642,462 642,462 662,516 20,054 3.12%

NOTES:

1) D = discretionary program; M = mandatory programs

2) Detail may not add to totals due to rounding.

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