The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a crucial federal agency, is facing significant challenges due to budget cuts from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This situation has raised concerns among experts, including James (Lynn) Woodworth, a former Trump appointee, who worries about the potential politicization of education data. The cuts jeopardize essential data collection, impacting public school operations nationwide, as well as the annual NCES report required by Congress.
“You’re talking about millions of dollars worth of investment just vanishing because someone canceled a contract too early without knowing what they were doing,” Woodworth stated. The budget reductions threaten the availability of fresh educational data, crucial for understanding student achievement, enrollment, and school finances.
Vital data collections have been canceled, risking the loss of historical data and raising fears of political interference. Woodworth emphasized the importance of this data for policymakers and the public, noting concerns about the mishandling of sensitive student information. “The data belongs to the people,” he asserted. “It doesn’t belong to the president. It belongs to the public. It is a public asset.”
Woodworth, who now serves as a fellow at the Hoover Institution, highlighted the long-standing role of NCES in providing essential educational data. He argued that the federal government must ensure the integrity and availability of this data to enable informed decision-making. The removal of Peggy Carr, Woodworth’s successor, has further fueled concerns about the agency’s independence and the potential erosion of public trust in education statistics.
The American Statistical Association has voiced similar concerns, with executive director Ron Wasserstein stating that removing the head of a statistical agency without justifiable cause could undermine trust in the agency. “Removing the head of a statistical agency without justifiable professional cause is likely to erode this trust, as it will be perceived by many as an attempt to improperly influence official statistics or as a signal of distrust in the agency itself,” he wrote on LinkedIn.
Woodworth also recounted challenges faced under both the Trump and Biden administrations, where he resisted political pressures to manipulate educational statistics. He expressed concern that with Carr’s removal, the agency might no longer be shielded from political influence. “Congress needs to speak up,” Woodworth urged, calling for legislative action to protect the nation’s data infrastructure.
‘Congress needs to speak up’
Woodworth has urged Congress to intervene, advocating for a federal statistics agency that remains independent of presidential influence. The NCES, unlike other statistical agencies, relies heavily on contracted work due to congressional rules limiting full-time staff. With DOGE’s budget cuts, many contracts have been canceled, leading to the loss of essential data and expertise.
Efforts are underway to preserve public data, with initiatives like DataLumos at the University of Michigan offering open-access archives. However, the loss of datasets like the Common Core of Data poses significant challenges, especially for calculating federal Title I funding and conducting the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
About that $1.4 million mailroom contract
Amidst the cuts, DOGE and the Department of Education highlighted the termination of a $1.4 million contract for mail center operations. Woodworth explained this contract was necessary for NCES operations, underscoring the complexities of federal data management. DOGE has not clarified its decision-making process for the cuts, leaving many questions unanswered about the future of U.S. education data.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
