Implementing and Revising NCES Statistical Standards

• Activity Number: 19
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Sunday, August 1, 2010 : 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Survey Research Methods
• Author(s): Marilyn Seastrom and J. Neil Russell*+
• Companies: National Center for Education Statistics and National Center for Education Statistics
• Keywords: Data Quality ; Statistical Standards ; National Center for Education Statistics ; Compliance

Abstract

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) statistical standards are designed to ensure information quality before release to the public. NCES standards describe agency policy and procedures for data collection, processing, analysis and review. NCES adopted statistical standards in 1987. These standards were revised in 1992 and 2002. The 2002 standards included topics found in OMB's 2006 "Statistical Standards and Guidelines for Statistical Surveys." NCES is now revising its 2002 standards in direct comparison to the 2006 OMB standards. Other standards will be revised to account for what the agency has learned during this review process and over the past 8 years. NCES also monitors the implementation of and compliance with its standards through a review process. The paper presents the history and implementation of NCES standards with information on current standard revisions.