Education Department sets up new Web site for data display

The Education Department has decided to make all its school and student data available in one place on a new Web site called ED Data Express.

“Robust data gives us the road map to reform," Education Secretary Arne Duncan said. "This new Web site will give parents and educators reliable, accurate and timely data that they can use to evaluate reforms."

The Education Department has created a new interactive Web site to showcase its data on student achievement, dropout rates and other educational data in a single location, officials have announced.

The ED Data Express Web site allows visitors to collect data from multiple sources to create individual reports. For example, people could compare graduation rates at high schools in their state. Users can also create charts and graphics with the data.

This is the first time the data has been made accessible from a single Web page. The site was created to conform with the goals of the department’s open-government plan, which was developed to meet the White House’s aims for transparency and accountability, Education officials said.


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Users can get data from the department's program offices, the National Center for Education Statistics and the College Board. The information includes the results of state tests and the National Assessment of Educational Progress, graduation rates, budget figures, and demographics.

In June, the department created a separate site, Data.ed.gov, that offers large datasets to the public and program developers. It allows advanced users to download entire datasets for their exploration.

In April 2009, the White House created Data.gov as a single source for federal data and encouraged departments to make more data available to the public.