U.S. Department of Education: Promoting Educational Excellence for all Americans

A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Statistics and Assessment

Goal 8: To collect, analyze, and disseminate information on the condition of education in the United States and to provide comparative international statistics
Objective 1 of 3: PROVIDES TIMELY, USEFUL, AND COMPREHENSIVE DATA THAT ARE RELEVANT TO POLICY AND EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT.
Indicator 8.1.1 of 1: Customer satisfaction: At least 85 percent of surveyed customers in 1999 and 90 percent in 2001 will agree that National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data are timely, relevant, and comprehensive.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied with NCES publications
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Comprehensiveness Timeliness Utility
Comprehensiveness Timeliness Utility
1997
88 72 86
     
1999
91 77 89
85 85 85
2001
90 74 90
 Continuous Improvement
2004
     
90 90 90

Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied with NCES data files
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Comprehensiveness Timeliness
Comprehensiveness Timeliness
1997
82 52
   
1999
87 67
85 85
2001
88 66
   
2004
   
90 90

Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied with NCES services
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Comprehensiveness Timeliness Utility
Comprehensiveness Timeliness Utility
1997
89    
     
1999
  93 93
85 85 85
2001
83 88 93
    85
2004
     
90 90 90
Status: Unable to judge. The overall NCES customer satisfaction rating remains high for NCES publications performance. NCES showed improvement in all areas of its performance data between 1997 and 1999. During the period, NCES focused on improving the timeliness of its publications and data files. Significant progress was made in the Common Core of Data (CCD) Reports and the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

Explanation: The CCD School and Agency Report has shown an improvement from 25 months to 15 months from data collection to publication and a 3-month improvement in State Nonfiscal. NAEP has shown dramatic improvements in timeliness for many of its major reports. In 2001, NCES did meet most of its publications performance targets, but does need to improve its timeliness.   		Source: NCES Survey/Assessment
Survey/Assessment: Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Frequency: Other.
Collection Period: 1997 - 1999.
Data Available: September 2004.
Validated By: NCES/Federal Statistical Agencies.
Data was validated by using NCES review procedures and by applying NCES statistical standards.

 

Objective 2 of 3: COLLECT HIGH-QUALITY DATA.
Indicator 8.2.1 of 1: Customer rating of quality: At least 85 percent of surveyed customers in 1999 and 90 percent in 2001 will agree that NCES data are of high quality in terms of accuracy, reliability, validity, and comprehensiveness.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied with NCES publications
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Accuracy Overall quality
Accuracy Overall quality
1997
90  
   
1999
84 93
90 90
2001
90 95
 Continuous Improvement
2004
   
90 90

Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied with NCES data files
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Accuracy Overall quality
Accuracy Overall quality
1997
74  
   
1999
82 87
85 85
2001
86 89
 Continuous Improvement
2004
   
90 90
Status: Target exceeded. NCES exceeded its 1999 performance with an overall quality ranking of 95 percent for publications and 86 percent for data files. NCES did meet its 2001 performance goal for accuracy, with 90 percent in publications and 86 percent in data files.

Explanation: NCES achieved a 90 percent overall customer satisfaction rating in 1997 and that percentage is the performance target for future years.   		Source: NCES Survey/Assessment

Additional Source Information: Customer Satisfaction Survey.

Frequency: Other.
Collection Period: 1999.
Data Available: September 2004.
Validated By: NCES/Federal Statistical Agencies.
Data validated by NCES review procedures and NCES statistical standards.

 

Objective 3 of 3: DEVELOP PUBLICATIONS THAT ARE EASY TO READ, USEFUL, AND OF HIGH OVERALL QUALITY.
Indicator 8.3.1 of 3: Ease of reading: At least 85 percent of surveyed customers in FY 1999 and 90 percent in FY 2002 will agree that NCES publications are easy to read.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percentage of customer respondents satisfied or very satisfied
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
 
Clarity of Writing Useful to Work Overall Quality
Clarity of Writing Useful to Work Overall Quality
1997
87 86 90
     
1999
90 89 93
90 90 90
2001
87 90 95
 Continuous Improvement
2004
     
90 90 90
Status: Target exceeded. NCES improved in performance from 1997 in all areas of this objective and in 1999 and 2001 it surpassed its goal of establishing a 90 percent overall quality ranking.

Explanation: NCES achieved a 90 percent overall customer satisfaction level in 1997 and has made that percentage the performance target for future years. Baseline performance data for all NCES objectives represent results from the NCES 1997 Customer Satisfaction Survey. NCES hopes to continue with its satisfactory performance levels when its next survey data is available in January 2004.   		Source: NCES Survey/Assessment

Additional Source Information: NCES Customer Satisfaction Survey. In 1999 NCES measured customer satisfaction with a follow-up to the 1997 survey that established NCES baseline performance data. Also, in 2001 NCES conducted focus group discussions with targeted customers, including policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and Web customers. Additional focus groups will be held in 2001. Other sources of feedback: Biannual input from NCES Advisory Council; NCES customer surveys in 1997, 1999, and 2001.

Frequency: Other.
Collection Period: 1999 - 2001.
Data Available: January 2004.
Validated By: NCES/Federal Statistical Agencies.
By NCES review procedures and NCES statistical standards.

 
Indicator 8.3.2 of 3: Utility: At least 85 percent of surveyed customers in FY 1999 and 90 percent in FY 2001 will rate NCES publications as useful to their work.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
NCES customers who responded as satisfied or very satisfied with the usefulness of NCES publications
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
1997
86
 
1999
89
85
2004
 
90
Status: Target exceeded. NCES exceeded its 1999 performance target for Utility of Publications.

Explanation: NCES achieved an 90 percent rating in 2001 and has established a performance target of 90 percent for future years.   		Source: NCES Survey/Assessment

Frequency: Other.
Collection Period: 2004.
Data Available: January 2005.
Validated By: NCES/Federal Statistical Agencies.

 
Indicator 8.3.3 of 3: Publication Quality: At least 85 percent of surveyed customers in FY 1999 and 90 percent in FY 2002 will express satisfaction with the overall quality of NCES publications.
Targets and Performance Data Assessment of Progress Sources and Data Quality
Percentage of NCES customers who indicated their overall satisfaction rate with the overall quality of publications
Year Actual Performance Performance Targets
1997
90
 
1999
93
85
2001
95
 Continuous Improvement
2004
 
90
Status: Target exceeded. For Publications Quality with 95 percent.

Explanation: NCES has achieved a 90 percent rating in 1997 and will use that percentage for a future performance target level. In 1999, NCES surpassed its previous rating by 3 percent with a new high rating of 93 percent, and in 2001 it reached 95 percent.   		Source: NCES Survey/Assessment

Frequency: Other.
Validated By: NCES/Federal Statistical Agencies.

 

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