Congress has required that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) produce an annual report about the progress of education in the United States. "The Condition of Education 2016" presents key indicators on important topics and trends in U.S. education. These indicators focus on population characteristics, such as educational attainment and economic outcomes; participation in education at all levels; and several contextual aspects of education, including international comparisons, at both the elementary and secondary education level and the postsecondary education level.