The Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (commonly referred to as the Evidence Act) requires changes to how the federal government manages and uses the information it collects, emphasizing strong agency coordination for the strategic use of data.
The Evidence Act requires agencies to develop an evidence-building plan as a part of their quadrennial strategic plan, as well as an evaluation plan concurrent with their annual performance plan. It codifies and expands existing Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act (CIPSEA) authorities. It also mandates that data be "open by default" taking into account privacy and confidentiality, requiring the development of an open data plan and a single platform that inventories all of the agency's open data assets.
The following senior agency officials have been designated to lead the Department of Education's efforts to implement the law and support the necessary cross-office and cross-agency coordination.
| Evidence Act Official Title | Department Officer |
|---|---|
| Chief Data Officer | Ross Santy |
| Evaluation Officer | Matthew Soldner |
| Statistical Official | Peggy Carr |
As guidance is received and these officials work within and across agencies, the Department of Education looks forward to reporting its successes in implementing the law and supporting the strategic use of data.
Department of Education Data Governance Board
The Federal Data Strategy 2020 Action Plan identifies initial actions for agencies that are essential for establishing processes, building capacity, and aligning existing efforts to better leverage data as a strategic asset.
Agency Action 2 ("Institutionalize Agency Data Governance") calls for agencies to publish agency data governance materials on this webpage. The Data Governance Board Charter [PDF, 394KB] outlines the purpose, expectations, roles and responsibilities, and procedures governing the work of the Board. It includes information on membership and meeting cadence.
Department of Education Data Strategy
The Department, through its Data Governance Board, established the inaugural Data Strategy in December 2020 and the updated Department of Education Data Strategy published in August 2023. The Department of Education Data Strategy describes the Department's vision for accelerating progress toward becoming a data-driven organization and fully leveraging the power of data to advance the Department's mission of ensuring equal access and fostering educational excellence for our nation's learners.
Evidence-Building Deliverables
The Evidence Act requires each agency to develop a series of deliverables to document its work to build and use evidence in policymaking.
The Department of Education's Evaluation Policy [PDF, 152KB] was approved by the Office of the Secretary in August 2020. It reaffirms the Department's commitment to five core principles in program evaluation: (1) independence and objectivity, (2) relevance and utility, (3) rigor and quality, (4) transparency, and (5) ethics.
The Department of Education's Learning Agenda [PDF, 1.1MB] was released as part of the agency's Strategic Plan in July 2022. It outlines the priority learning questions that the Department seeks to answer between FY22 and FY26, and is organized across six focal areas: (1) addressing the impact of COVID-19 on students, educators, and faculty; (2) promoting equity in student access to education resources, opportunities, and inclusive environments; (3) supporting a diverse and talented educator workforce and professional growth to strengthen student learning; (4) meeting students' social, emotional, and academic needs; (5) increasing postsecondary value by focusing on equity-conscious strategies to address affordability, completion, post-enrollment success, and support for inclusive institutions; and (6) effectively managing federal student aid programs. The Strategic Plan also includes the Department's required Capacity Assessment [PDF, 7.7MB].
Finally, the Evidence Act also requires each agency to post an Annual Evaluation Plan describing its most significant evaluation activities. ED's current and prior-year Annual Evaluation Plans include:
- The Annual Evaluation Plan for FY25 [PDF, 540 KB] (posted March 2024)
- The Annual Evaluation Plan for FY24 [PDF, 540 KB] (posted March 2023)
- The Annual Evaluation Plan for FY23 [PDF, 770 KB] (posted March 2022)
- The Annual Evaluation Plan for FY22 [PDF, 1.1MB] (posted August 2021)
The most up-to-date status of all evaluations conducted by the Department's Institute of Education Sciences can be found here.
Non-Regulatory Guidance on Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments
On September 28, the U.S. Department of Education published a revised version of the Non-Regulatory Guidance on Using Evidence to Strengthen Education Investments. This version of the Evidence Guidance is a revision to the Non-Regulatory Guidance first issued in 2016. This update retains the structure of the Evidence Guidance and clarifies that the cycle of continuous improvement and evidence definitions have broad applicability, including in K-12 education, career and technical education, postsecondary education, and special education. In addition, this version of the Evidence Guidance provides current information about the evidence provisions in ED’s regulations, known as the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). Read more about the updates in the homeroom blog post, Advancing Opportunity through Building and Using Evidence. If you have questions, please reach out to evidence@ed.gov.
Department of Education Open Data Plan
Title II of the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 contains the Open, Public, Electronic, and Necessary Government Data Act or the OPEN Government Data Act. This law requires federal agencies to develop an Open Data Plan and the Federal Data Strategy includes specific actions for the development and publication of agency Open Data Plans. The Department of Education’s Open Data Plan not only addresses the key components of the OPEN Government Data Act and the Federal Data Strategy but also meets the requirements of Goal 4 in the Department of Education’s Data Strategy.
The Department embraces the principles of increased transparency, participation, and collaboration as essential to its work. The Department’s Open Data Plan was conceptually guided by public input received throughout 2023 and was subsequently drafted throughout 2024 by an interagency working group under the leadership of the Department’s Data Governance Board. The Department’s inaugural Open Data Plan was published in September 2024.