Skip to main content

NCES School IDs Documentation

Overview​

The NCES School ID is a unique identification number assigned to each school in the United States by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This ID helps track and catalog schools across the country for educational research, data analysis, and reporting purposes. The NCES School ID is part of a comprehensive database managed by the NCES, which includes detailed information about schools, districts, and educational institutions at all levels.

Structure of NCES School IDs​

An NCES School ID is a numeric code that typically follows a specific format. The general structure is as follows:

  • State Code (2 digits): The first two digits represent the state in which the school is located.
  • District Code (5 digits): The next four digits represent the school district within that state. If the school does not belong to a district, this portion may be 99999.
  • School Code (5 digits): The final set of digits identifies the individual school within the district.

For example, a school ID like 317284001995 can be broken down as:

  • 31: State code (e.g., Nebraska)
  • 72840: District code
  • 01995: School code

Key Components​

  1. State Code: Each state in the U.S. has a unique two-digit code. These codes are used to group schools based on their geographic location.
  2. District Code: This is a five-digit number that identifies the school district to which the school belongs.
  3. School Code: This portion of the ID uniquely identifies the specific school within the district.

How to Find NCES School IDs​

You can find the NCES School ID through the following methods:

  1. LiveBy School API: You can use the LiveBy School API to access detailed information about schools, including their NCES School IDs.

  2. NCES Public Data Files: The NCES provides free access to its public data files, which include detailed information on every school in the United States, including their NCES School IDs.