The Condition of Information on Education

GAO discussed its congressionally requested work on information about education. GAO noted that: (1) it is focusing its work on the impact of changes in the federal investment in the collection, analysis, and dissemination of education information; (2) the three principal kinds of education information are research, statistics, and evaluation; (3) elements of the Department of Education are primarily responsible for producing such information; and (4) funding reductions for education information activities have been substantially greater than reductions for education as a whole. In the course of its work, GAO found that: (1) since 1973, overall federal funding for education has increased 22 percent in real terms; (2) during the same period, the National Institute of Education experienced a 76-percent real reduction in funding, and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) experienced a 64-percent reduction; (3) since 1980, the Office of Planning, Budget, and Evaluation has experienced a 62-percent reduction in funding; (4) the number of studies the Office conducted decreased 90 percent between 1980 and 1984 and the scope of many evaluations became smaller; and (5) NCES has scaled back or eliminated most of its data collection activities, which could have a serious impact on the availability and quality of education information.