I had a draft of my own piece ready to go, but paused when I saw this one—not because it said everything that needed saying, but because it reminded me how narrow the current framing has become.
This isn’t just about the collapse of NCES. It’s about the collapse of confidence in our public data infrastructure. Years of outsourcing, underinvestment, and bureaucratic fragility set the stage. Political volatility just lit the match.
Yes, we need a new institution. But not one that politely tiptoes around the root causes. We need to intentionally build something more independent, more resilient, and more public-facing—a structure that doesn’t collapse every time power shifts hands in Washington.
Philanthropy should move quickly. Fund the transition. Apply pressure where state data systems are weakest. Use what already works in strong states to build shared, open infrastructure—a civic asset, not just a research tool.
And we should be clear-eyed: Comparability isn’t optional. Without shared metrics and transparent benchmarks, inequities fester and innovation stalls. If we settle for 50 isolated systems, we’ve already lost.
Let’s not rebuild a nicer version of the last system. Let’s build one that can’t be so easily destroyed.
Thank you for sharing this insightful background. Until we create an effective system that is not controlled by profit-driven assessment companies, we will not have access to the valid data all stakeholders need. Looking forward to hearing your suggestions!
I had a draft of my own piece ready to go, but paused when I saw this one—not because it said everything that needed saying, but because it reminded me how narrow the current framing has become.
This isn’t just about the collapse of NCES. It’s about the collapse of confidence in our public data infrastructure. Years of outsourcing, underinvestment, and bureaucratic fragility set the stage. Political volatility just lit the match.
Yes, we need a new institution. But not one that politely tiptoes around the root causes. We need to intentionally build something more independent, more resilient, and more public-facing—a structure that doesn’t collapse every time power shifts hands in Washington.
Philanthropy should move quickly. Fund the transition. Apply pressure where state data systems are weakest. Use what already works in strong states to build shared, open infrastructure—a civic asset, not just a research tool.
And we should be clear-eyed: Comparability isn’t optional. Without shared metrics and transparent benchmarks, inequities fester and innovation stalls. If we settle for 50 isolated systems, we’ve already lost.
Let’s not rebuild a nicer version of the last system. Let’s build one that can’t be so easily destroyed.
Well said!
Thank you for sharing this insightful background. Until we create an effective system that is not controlled by profit-driven assessment companies, we will not have access to the valid data all stakeholders need. Looking forward to hearing your suggestions!