National Center for Education Statistics

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is not a university; it is the primary federal entity in the United States responsible for collecting, analyzing, and reporting education data. It operates as part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) within the U.S. Department of Education. NCES gathers and publishes statistics on all levels of education, from early childhood through postsecondary institutions, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Its role is to provide objective, reliable data to policymakers, researchers, and the public to inform education decisions.