ED used federal data from over five years ago showing 90 percent of education graduate students borrowed below $20,500 when setting loan caps. Costs, program needs, and workforce pressures have changed. Good policy needs current data. K12 Dive: www.k12dive.com/news/staffed...

K12 Dive reports that the Department of Education may cancel several IDEA data collections. This affects federal education data, comparability across states, and national reporting systems for students with disabilities. www.k12dive.com/news/ed-dept...

Agora’s newsletter, Data Currents, brings clear explainers and key national education updates each month. Explore past issues and subscribe to get new ones in your inbox. edevaluator.org/subscribe/

Unreleased IES funds mean fewer studies and less data for schools. Senators and many education groups are calling for the remaining FY25 dollars to be released. Evidence infrastructure matters. www.merkley.senate.gov/merkley-till...

Explore Agora’s YouTube channel for clear and accessible content on federal education statistics. Watch Tom’s webinar and our short “what is” videos that break down key federal data collections. Subscribe to stay connected. www.youtube.com/channel/UCH2...

The Canvas breach highlights a growing gap. In 2024, ED brought together 41 states and Guam after the PowerSchool hack. That coordination structure no longer exists, leaving states and districts to manage complex cyber incidents alone. www.k12dive.com/news/canvas-...

Catch this blog from Agora: Longitudinal studies show real change because the people remain the same. Each new wave builds on what we already know, creating richer insights than a one‑time survey. edevaluator.org/the-merits-o...

Federal education data is a public resource. When collections shrink or slow down, the field loses visibility into how students and schools are doing. Chalkbeat highlights this challenge and features insights from Agora’s Tom Snyder. www.chalkbeat.org/2026/05/07/e...

The May Data Currents is live. We dig into why federal education data matters, plus new pieces on financial literacy and the cancelled NCES studies. Lots of good reads. Check it out and subscribe: mailchi.mp/edevaluator/...

More students are learning financial concepts, but many still struggle to apply them. Anindita Sen highlights why real‑world, scenario‑based practice is key to better everyday money decisions. Read the post: edevaluator.org/from-concept...

Still having trouble finding ED data on the NCES site? Tomorrow, Tom Snyder is offering a free 90‑minute walkthrough of how the site is organized now and how to get to what you need. Includes Q&A. Register soon: edevaluator.org/courses/mini...

NCES data is still there, just harder to find. Join Tom Snyder for a free 90‑minute session on how the site is organized now and where key tools live. Includes Q&A. Register: edevaluator.org/courses/mini...

Struggling to find ED data? It is still there. Join Tom Snyder for a free walkthrough of how the NCES site is organized today and where the tools you need actually live. Register: edevaluator.org/courses/mini...

We’re launching the Agora Education Research Academy, built by former federal researchers to help people work confidently and responsibly with NCES data. First webinar is April 30 with Tom Snyder on navigating NCES tools. Join us: edevaluator.org/courses/mini...

Education Week reports that the White House FY2027 proposal includes major reductions that could weaken federal education data systems. When capacity shrinks, states carry the burden. Decisions should start with research evidence. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

The April issue of Data Currents is out. It is Agora’s newsletter on federal education data, and this month we look at the future of federal education research. Read and subscribe: us2.campaign-archive.com?u=f813e150e5...

New data from The 74 show that children who were babies during COVID are entering school with lower reading and math skills. The causes are systemic. Losing ECLS K 2024 means losing the data needed to understand what young learners are experiencing. www.the74million.org/zero2eight/k...

Proud to see Agora associate Maura Spiegelman contribute to this AEFP conversation on the future of federal education statistics. Her expertise reflects our commitment to building stronger data systems for researchers, educators, and communities. #AEFP2026

Proud to share that Agora’s Maura Spiegelman will join colleagues at AEFP on March 19. Our work pushes for evidence, equity, and systems change that strengthens opportunities for every learner. virtual.oxfordabstracts.com/event/public...

Part 2 of our series on universal child care and PreK expansion is out. Jodi Jacobson Chernoff highlights why listening to staff and families during implementation is essential for protecting quality as programs grow. edevaluator.org/nurturing-wh...

One year ago, federal RIFs reshaped the Department of Education. We honor the public servants and contractors whose work built the nation’s education data systems. Agora remains committed to carrying that legacy forward with transparency, equity, and care.

Are you smarter than an eighth grader in digital literacy and computational thinking? Test yourself with a real ICILS 2018 task and see how students reason through digital challenges. Read Linda’s new blog: edevaluator.org/explore-a-co...

Agora welcomes ED’s plans to strengthen IES. The Northern report reflects several recommendations we submitted last fall, from harmonized APIs to CEDS‑aligned research and coordinated TA, encouraging alignment for the field. www.ed.gov/about/news/p...

OPRE is being significantly reduced under the new ACF restructuring. Independent research on programs like Head Start and child welfare is at risk. Read the joint statement from Data Foundation and Results for America. datafoundation.org/news/press-r...

Good news in the FY2026 education budget. Despite proposed cuts, Congress kept most ED programs funded at prior levels. This stability gives educators and researchers room to plan, innovate, and strengthen systems for kids and families. www.edweek.org/policy-polit...

Stanford’s 2026 AI and Education Summit is today, Wednesday, February 11. A strong lineup exploring how AI can support human relationships, trustworthy design, and evidence informed practice: acceleratelearning.stanford.edu/conference/a... #AIinEducation #ResponsibleAI #HumanCenteredAI

Averages can mask meaningful differences in school systems. In our latest blog, we look at how national vs. international datasets (NTPS & TALIS) describe the educator workforce & how disaggregation helps us understand and address equity: tinyurl.com/y55c9fu6 #EduSky #EdData #TALIS #NTPS

New— Emails I obtained show that a top charter school advocacy group is concerned about moving education programs to the Department of Labor. cbnewsletters.chalkbeat.org/p/charter-sc...

The smartest investment isn’t on Wall Street - it’s in early childhood. Universal PreK and child care fuel the economy by freeing parents to work & setting children for lifelong success. @jodichernoff33.bsky.social breaks down how to invest strategically: tinyurl.com/cyja57br #EarlyChildhood

✨ CEDS & education data standardization ✨ Teacher pipeline: what the data shows ✨ State-to-state collaborative benchmarking Read & subscribe: edevaluator.org/subscribe State education folks - would love to connect with you about your data needs.

🚨New blog: Early reading is key to unlocking future opportunities, and smart investments in literacy paid off big time in Mississippi ($32 for every $1 spent!). NAEP is a reliable benchmark that helps states keep kids cruising toward success. tinyurl.com/3xd5ez6u #Literacy #NAEP #ReadingMatters

Preliminary ≠ provisional? A look at NTPS data shows how early estimates stack up against final - and what that means for timeliness vs. accuracy in survey production. edevaluator.org/fast-and-goo... #DataAnalysis #SurveyResearch #EdResearch

Despite increased tech exposure, ICILS data show a troubling decline in student digital literacy for U.S. students. Read more about international findings and implications for policy, data collection, and preparing our nation's youth: tinyurl.com/m9dwnuaa #DigitalLiteracy #ICILS #AIinEducation

Launching Data Currents - Agora's monthly newsletter for the education research community: 📊 Federal data updates 🔍 State system insights 📈 Research & policy connections 💡 Practical guidance Subscribe here: edevaluator.org/subscribe/ #EdResearch #EducationData #SLDS

How is the United States Doing Compared to its International Peers? How did adult literacy skills in the U.S. change between 2012 and 2023? Read Agora's latest blog by Tom Snyder. #EducationAtAGlance #OECD #USeducation edevaluator.org/how-is-the-u...

The Pell Institute’s latest brief shows worrisome trends: 🎓 In 2002, 72% of high school students expected to earn a bachelor’s degree. By 2022, that number dropped to 44%. Among first-generation students, aspirations plunged from 60% to 33%. tinyurl.com/yn4fz9jx

Agora Associate Elise Christopher discusses the loss of NCES longitudinal studies, including High School and Beyond, which won't be collected next spring as planned.

Extreme weather is increasingly disrupting the educational progress of students. Longitudinal education studies can account for extreme weather events by incorporating administrative data from public sources, but these solutions require support. tinyurl.com/22dvdd6j

The cancellation of ECLS-K:2024 leaves educators and families without the data they need - especially in supporting children who were toddlers during the pandemic (and we know had unique early experiences!). This blog explores what we’ve lost and why it matters: tinyurl.com/48c2kckj #NCES

New blog: 🎶Music Education Meets Big Data 🎶 Dr. Ken Elpus shares how losing access to NCES data impacts arts education research. His work shows arts coursework doesn't hinder college admissions and arts students are more likely to apply to college. 🎓 #artsEducation #NCESdata tinyurl.com/552nfack

Education Department Moves to End Funding for Minority-Serving Institutions Trump administration officials call the programs unconstitutional. But advocates argue they improve the quality of education for all students who enroll. https://bit.ly/3KfrRvM

It's the first Nation's Report Card since the Trump administration began making cuts to the U.S. Education Department. The scores reflect the state of student achievement in early 2024.

🌐Read Part Two: From dial-up to data democracy - how Jerry Malitz's team at NCES created College Navigator and built the foundation for today's education data systems. Plus: What happens next as former NCES staff work to preserve this legacy. #EducationData #NCES #EdResearch

📈 Coming Tuesday: How NCES went from CD-ROMs to College Navigator - and what happens next. Catch up with Part One of our series.

🎯 New blog series: Jerry Malitz (NCES 1974-2007) shares 150 years of education data evolution - from paper forms to punch cards to CD-ROMs. Part One covers the foundation years through the digital media revolution. Read it here: tinyurl.com/559anujb #EducationData #NCES #EdResearch

State assessments aim to reflect local contexts and goals—but that also makes them hard to compare. In a new blog, we explore how NAEP frameworks & data can be used to audit and improve state performance metrics and better communicate student outcomes. tinyurl.com/36bpkwt9

We founded Agora to maintain the continuity of institutional knowledge and education research expertise. Visit our Community page to locate vetted data professionals for hire & those available for research consulting or contract services. edevaluator.org/community/

new blog alert! Recent data shows a decade-long decline in first-time full-time students enrolling in college. As policies and funding change, it’s more important than ever to support students in staying on their path to higher ed. #HigherEd #EnrollmentTrends tinyurl.com/ftftsummermelt

White House memo, posted yesterday, requires additional reporting requirements for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) www.whitehouse.gov/presidential...

hi @bsky.app! We are Agora Education Research, a team of data and research professionals who care deeply about improving educational outcomes for students and preserving federal education data.