In the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, high hopes were placed in the production of global metrics. Such expectations rest upon two main assumptions: first, that global data demands will lead to an increase in domestic data supply; and second, that global and domestic data needs are closely aligned. Having passed the halfway point of the SDGs, this paper critically examines each of these assumptions in relation to recent developments in the education field. In so doing, it highlights the need for greater reflection on the opportunity costs associated with the production of globally comparable data, and for an empirically-informed analysis of the necessary resources and conditions for strengthening education information systems and domestic statistical capacity.