AERA, Postsecondary Data Collaborative Applaud NCES Response on Covid-19


May  2020

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has been examining ways to gather information on the impact of the outbreak on students. AERA joined 18 organizations on a letter led by the Postsecondary Data Collaborative thanking NCES Commissioner James “Lynn” Woodworth for the inclusion of Covid-related survey questions on the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study for 2020 (NPSAS:20).

“In this time of crisis and eventual recovery, the overall importance of NPSAS:20 cannot be understated,” the letter stated. “It will be an essential resource for researchers and policymakers to understand college affordability and student financial aid in the face of school closures, economic instability, and changing institutional and state budgets.”

The NPSAS:20 is currently in the stage of data collection. The added questions focus on topics such as changes to instruction; changes to student and family income and financial situation; receipt of refunds for room and board, tuition, and study abroad programs; technology for and adaptation to distance learning; and perception of communication from institutions on Covid-19 response.