Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education officially unveiled its United States Education Dashboard.  While such a tool is never going to grab the headlines, it is an important announcement and an even more important resource.

According to ED, the Dashboard seeks to present “indicators in … areas that are critical to improving educational results and achieving the President’s 2020 college attainment goal.”  These areas include: Early Learning through High School, Postsecondary Education and Training, Teachers and Leaders, and An Excellent Education for All.

For Early Learning through High School, for instance, the Dashboard offers the latest data on metrics such as preschool enrollment, fourth and eighth grade NAEP scores, four-year high school graduation rate numbers, and public high school grads who took at least one AP test.

Sure, all of this data can be found by searching through numerous websites or trying to divine how best to read the NAGB site.  But for those looking for outcomes and a collection of data on the status of our public schools, the U.S. Education Dashboard can serve as a strong one-stop shop for educators, policymakers, and pundits alike.  

Here’s hoping ED keeps the site fresh, updated, focused, and informative.