Statement on Trump Administration Ending IES Data Collection and Potential IMLS Impacts

As an organization committed to advancing and supporting school libraries, educational institutions, and public libraries, the EveryLibrary Institute is deeply troubled by the recent actions taken by the U.S. Department of Education under the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The abrupt termination of nearly $900 million in contracts with the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) will dismantle a core research arm responsible for tracking student progress and informing educational policy.

This action disrupts ongoing research studies looking at student learning outcomes and ends the collection and dissemination of accurate data. The loss of these long-standing data collection efforts raises a critical question: Why is the administration choosing to diminish our nation's visibility into the quality and impact of our schools?

We are concerned that his data purge may extend to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), which plays a crucial role in tracking the work of public libraries across the country. This data collection supports state- and local-level decisions about taxes, staffing, collections, and facilities. IMLS is on the cusp of launching a new National Museum Survey, designed to create the first federal, publicly available database of credible statistics on museums and related institutions. That new project will help our museum colleagues improve the quality and impact of their missions, collections, and programs. 

We call upon Congress to investigate the rationale behind the administration's decision to eliminate these critical programs. Americans need to see and understand the motivations driving this decision. The collection and dissemination of timely and accurate data fuels research across the nation. Interrupting or derailing these efforts carries a profound cost, as delays in data collection translate to delays in educational improvements and community advancements.