Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

As the primary federal source of education statistics, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is charged with informing the condition of education. Technology access and equity are two recent additions to the condition of education. NCES is making great strides in its use of technology to describe conditions of education and its efforts to address differences in tech access and equity. Recent progress includes shifting paper and pencil assessments onto digitally based platforms, delivering surveys to schools and teachers via the internet, and capturing and analyzing data on students’ interactions with devices during assessment events. While this a strong start, it is imperative that NCES give greater focus to the relationship technology has with K-12 education. NCES will use its new Ed Tech Equity initiative to address this. NCES recognizes that technology can have a significant impact on individuals’ educational experiences and outcomes. Used correctly, technology has the potential to improve our education system and create more equitable circumstances for all. Used incorrectly, technology can exacerbate existing inequities for the already disadvantaged. The goal of the Ed Tech Equity Initiative is to enhance NCES’ data collection efforts to better inform the condition of education.

This presentation will provide an overview of the NCES Ed Tech Equity Initiative, the purpose of this work, its goals, conceptual framework, progress, existing technology-related efforts, and plans for next steps.