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Decisions made during high school can significantly influence one’s academic trajectory. For instance, taking college credit courses in high school increases the likelihood of college attendance, while enrolling in at least 12 credits during the first year of college enhances the chances of degree completion. These findings, among many others, are derived from extensive data collected by the federal government over half a century. However, this data collection initiative recently came to an unexpected stop.
Extensive research, policy-making, and educational strategies have historically relied on this data. It has informed decisions ranging from high school counseling practices to the scheduling of advanced math courses. Yet, in a surprising move, the Trump administration and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) terminated these long-standing surveys, which were financially backed by contracts worth millions.
Impact on Education Policy and Practice
Since their inception in 1972, these high school longitudinal studies have tracked over 100,000 students into adulthood. Adam Gamoran, a nominee for the Institute of Education Sciences, lamented the cessation, stating, “For 50 years, we’ve been mapping a timeline of progress of our high school system, and we’re going to have a big blank.” The Department of Education is currently reassessing the role of these studies within its broader data collection strategy, aiming to ensure taxpayer investments are justified.
Local educational leaders, such as Quintin Shepherd, Superintendent of Pflugerville ISD in Texas, have used these surveys to benchmark their district’s performance against national standards. “Where do we benchmark amongst others? And if we’re leading, how can we continue to lead? If we’re lagging, how can we find places where we can make improvements?” Shepherd explained.
Research and Data Collection Challenges
The federal initiative had successfully gathered valuable data on several cohorts of students, providing insights into educational outcomes over decades. These longitudinal data sets are crucial for identifying trends and impacts that single-time-point studies cannot reveal. Unfortunately, funding such long-term endeavors is rare, and the recent cancellation affects planned follow-ups with students affected by the Great Recession and those who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic during middle school.
Elise Christopher, who led the studies at the National Center for Education Statistics until her recent layoff, expressed concerns over the missed opportunities for data collection. “We can’t just pick this back up later,” she noted, emphasizing the irreplaceable nature of data on current high schoolers.
Stuart Buck from the Good Science Project highlighted the non-intrusive and beneficial nature of national statistics collection, likening the cuts to losing essential services like electricity. Meanwhile, Latrenda Knighten, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, emphasized the value of these studies for educators aiming to optimize math education for future career landscapes.
As educational needs and technologies evolve, the insights from these studies could have been pivotal. Yet the abrupt halt leaves a gap in understanding the educational landscape, likened by Knighten to an unfinished story. “Every single person in this country who’s been educated in the past 50 years has benefited from something that one of these longitudinal surveys has done,” Christopher added.
Reporting contributed by: Kate Martin
A previous version of this story appeared on APM Reports.
