Washington, D.C. — Today, the National Academy of Education (NAEd) and the National Council on Measurement in Education (NCME), represented by the Legal Defense Fund, jointly filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education. The lawsuit challenges the Department’s decision to cripple the collection of critical educational data—a move that significantly undermines evidence-informed research efforts to identify educational inequality as well as best practices which advance educational opportunities for all students.

The lawsuit argues that this decision severely hampers researchers’ ability to conduct timely research critical to producing evidence-based insights that inform educational policies and practices. For instance, extensive research has demonstrated the disproportionate educational disparities experienced by Black, Latino, and Native American students; students with disabilities; English language learner/multilingual learners; and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Eliminating the collection of educational data jeopardizes efforts to monitor progress, assess the efficacy of pedagogical interventions, and ensure equal learning opportunities for all students.

You can read the Legal Defense Fund’s press release and access the full complaint.