The NCES Commissioner

James “Lynn” Woodworth, Ph.D.

Commissioner of Education Statistics

James “Lynn” Woodworth comes to the National Center for Education Statistics with a range of experience in education. Before joining NCES, Dr. Woodworth worked as lead quantitative research analyst at the Center for Research on Educational Outcomes (CREDO) at Stanford University. Prior to his work at CREDO, he served as a distinguished doctoral fellow in the Department of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas, where he earned a doctorate in education policy. His areas of research include charter schools, online education, and education finance.

Dr. Woodworth also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership and a bachelor’s degree in music education. He served on active duty for six years in the United States Marine Corps and was a public school teacher for 11 years before pursuing a research career.

Welcome Back to School!

It’s a busy time as our nation’s students, teachers, administrators, and staff return to school. On behalf of all of us at the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), I’d like to wish everyone a great school year!

For a snapshot of the latest information on schools and students, take a look at our blog, Back to School by the Numbers: 2019–20 School Year. Did you know that we expect 56.6 million students to attend public and private elementary and secondary schools this year? This is a slight increase from the 2018–19 school year. You’ll find this fact, and others on both PK-12 and postsecondary education, in our Back to School Fast Fact.

Check out our newly updated Kids’ Zone! You will find resources for educators and activities for students, including Create a Graph, Test Your Knowledge, and Dare to Compare. The Educators’ Corner has links to NCES data and data tools you can use for your own (and your students’) research. It also includes links to teaching practice guides, the What Works Clearinghouse, ERIC, and more.

Interested in using NCES data for research or teaching? Check out our new blog, Data Tools for College Professors and Students.

Keep an eye out this fall for new releases from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and international assessments. Look for our Nation’s Report Card on 2019 reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8—including results for the nation, states, and 27 large urban districts. Also later this year look for student assessment results from the International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) and the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), as well as adult literacy assessment results from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC).

We hope you find these resources valuable! Please check back often and follow us on social media for the latest updates:

Best,

James (Lynn) Woodworth signature
James “Lynn” Woodworth, Ph.D.
Commissioner of Education Statistics

Commissioner's Remarks

November 25, 2020
Due to COVID Pandemic, NCES to delay National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) assessment – Due to the impact of the COVID pandemic on school operations, it will not be possible for NCES to conduct the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments in accordance with the statutory requirements defined by the Education Sciences Reform Act which requires NAEP to be conducted in a valid and reliable manner every 2 years (20 U.S.C. 9622(b)(2)(B)).

June 17, 2020
NCES Commissioner's Statement on the U.S. PIAAC Skills Map Release – Today, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) announces the release of the most comprehensive snapshot of key workforce skills in every state and county in America. Using the U.S. PIAAC Skills Map: State and County Indicators of Adult Literacy and Numeracy online tool, users can easily access new information about the literacy and numeracy proficiency of adults ages 16–74 in states and counties across the United States, as well as view side-by-side comparisons of performance for individual states and counties.

Archived Commissioner's Remarks