September 2023

Emerson J. Elliott, former commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and an AERA member, died on September 26 at age 89. He was a pioneer in federal statistics during a career that spanned nearly four decades of federal service.

During his 38 years in federal government, Elliott served 15 times as director of federal planning research and/or statistics agencies. He was Elliott served as the first presidentially appointed and Senate-confirmed commissioner of NCES, serving from 1988 to 1995. He is widely credited with establishing NCES as a highly credible source of statistical information on public education in the United States. He was also responsible for creating the education unit in the Office of Management and Budget.

“Emerson’s passing is a big loss to the education research, statistics, and federal data and science policy communities,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “One of the joys of serving in my role was the opportunity to work with and learn from Emerson as a shrewd policy wonk, a wise educational statistician, and a supportive and generous leader and mentor. Our community will miss his humor, wisdom, and friendship, and the twinkle in his eye.”

Elliott received the 2011 AERA Distinguished Public Service in Education Award. He served much of the past 20 years as AERA’s representative to the Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics.

Highlights asked several education research leaders for brief comments on Elliott and his legacy. Their responses follow.

• “As Commissioner of NCES, Emerson Elliott was the giant on whose shoulders subsequent commissioners have stood. He was a person of deep conviction and dedication who ensured that NCES reported reliably and validly on the health of education in the nation regardless of the politics of the day.” – George Bohrnstedt, Senior Vice President and Institute Fellow, American Institutes for Research
   

• “Emerson Elliott was a pillar of educational statistics and essentially created NCES as a major statistical agency.” – Norman Bradburn, Distinguished Senior Fellow, NORC

• “Emerson Elliott was a giant of the federal statistical system and a champion of high-quality education data. Tireless, incredibly knowledgeable, and quick-witted, he was a great source of inspiration and advice for me during my time in government. He was irreplaceable and will be greatly missed.” – 2011–2013 NCES Commissioner Jack Buckley, Vice President of People Science, Roblox
   
• “Emerson Elliott was the father of NCES as we know it today. He set high standards, instilled integrity of the highest degree, redefined what quality and accuracy look like for a statistical agency, and set a high bar for the entire federal statistical system. Having my life cross paths with a human being of Emerson’s caliber is a gift I will always cherish. A genuinely good human being. The NCES family will miss him dearly.” – NCES Commissioner Peggy Carr
   
• “Emerson Elliott was an exemplar of the art of educational statecraft, committed to a wise use of data and the improvement of education for all people. He was a great mentor and a loving friend, and now a great loss to all of us.” – Michael Feuer, Dean of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development and Professor of Education Policy, George Washington University
   
• "I have wonderful memories of Emerson. He was everything you could want in a colleague and leader – professional, thoughtful, and with incredible integrity. He had an amazing way of building consensus on research policy, even in a highly politicized environment. He was a true statesman who knew how to handle problems and forge ahead. He made NCES an agency that was truly respected." – 2013-14 AERA President Barbara Schneider, John A. Hannah University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University
   
• “Emerson Elliott was the consummate public servant. His years at the helm of NCES were marked by extraordinary integrity, leadership, and wisdom. He was attuned and responsive to the needs of policymakers but never at the expense of rigor in the reporting of statistical data.” – 1999–2000 AERA President Lorrie A. Shepard, University Distinguished Professor, University of Colorado Boulder
   
• “The federal statistical system was so fortunate that Emerson chose to devote his professional life to nurturing education statistics from infancy to maturity. A man of wise counsel and affable demeanor, Emerson took risks to raise the profile and role of NCES. Emerson was the absolute model of what a federal civil servant should be; his legacy will forever guide NCES’s contributions to informing decisions about our nation’s education policies and programs.” – Katherine Wallman, Chief Statistician of the United States (1992–2017)
   
• “Emerson Elliott was an outstanding leader in the federal statistical agencies world. Not only did he serve over a decade as the U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics, but he continued to advise future commissioners over the years after the end of his tenure. Emerson was a great collaborator and influenced federal statistical agency policy throughout his lifetime. He continued his work towards improving the statistical system all the way up until his passing. He was a true force for progress and improvement in the often-immobile world of federal statistics policy. Emerson will be greatly missed.” – 2018–2021 NCES Commissioner James (Lynn) Woodworth, Research Fellow, CREDO at Stanford University    

Elliott retired from the U.S. Department of Education, as U.S. Commissioner of Education Statistics, in 1995. He continued in his commitment to improving education, serving as director of special projects at the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (previously the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education).