The National Longitudinal School Database (NLSD) comprises three files, making up a near-census of all schools and districts in the United States from school years 1990-91 to 2019-20. The three files are the Public School File, Private School File, and District File. As evident by the titles, the first two files report data at the school-level for…

The author describes how high school students can use Google Tour Builder to track the impact of local Civil War veterans by conducting research with primary and secondary sources. In the article, there is a description of an example from Larned, Kansas where more than one hundred Civil War veterans settled a community on the plains. Digitized…

This First Look report presents data on public elementary and secondary education revenues and expenditures at the local education agency (LEA) or school district level for fiscal year (FY) 2012.1. Specifically, this report includes findings from the following types of school finance data: (1) Revenue and expenditure totals by state and the 100…

This First Look report introduces new data for national and state-level public elementary and secondary revenues and expenditures for fiscal year (FY) 2012. Specifically, this report includes findings from the following types of school finance data: (1) Revenue and expenditure totals; (2) Revenues by source; (3) Expenditures by function and…

In 1854 the German scientist Zeising claimed that the ratio of a person's height to the height of their navel is in the same ratio as the Golden Ratio ([phi] = 1.62). There is so much hype about the Golden Ratio that it is worth reading an article at http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_06_04.html. It explains why some of the more far-fetched ideas…

One of four projects conducted by the American Statistical Association (ASA) in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census, the conference explored the most important and fruitful research and development topics within the user-oriented software domain. Its objectives were to (1) develop recommendations on mechanisms to improve access to and use of…

This guide provides some basic statistical techniques that may be used in writing grant proposals, analyzing reports, and evaluating programs. Examples focus on rural Pennsylvania. The first section, Understanding Data, discusses definitions, codes, and data limitations. Definitions of Census Bureau geographic, demographic, housing, and…

The usefulness of the 1980 Census for planning in postsecondary education, and specifically in California, was assessed. Attention is directed to the use of past census data by higher education planners as well as the development of the 1980 Census. The geographic subunits covered by the 1980 Census that may be of use to postsecondary education…

Launching an alumni survey requires consultation with many campus constituencies, thoughtful decisions about intent and content, careful planning of all operational procedures and proper promotion. Census surveys, telephone versus mail surveys, decisions on data entry, timelines, costs, publicizing, etc. are discussed. (MLW)

Presents an overview of the 1990 census and its many components, including sources of census data, format availability such as CD-ROM and databases, and ways in which census data are used. The effect of new technology, especially CD-ROM, on users and reference librarians is considered. (Author/LRW)

Large-scale databases are an underutilized source of data for secondary analysis by researchers. Major government and private databases available to the public, the types of agencies developing them, and how to obtain and utilize them are described. A catalogue of 20 databases, their characteristics and sources is included. (BS)

Summarizes development of QUEST, a family of general purpose data handling computer programs which support existing curricula; demonstrates their usefulness for administrative recordkeeping and in elementary school history and geography courses for managing large amounts of data from varied sources (i.e., census materials); and compares QUEST with…

Describes a project developed for fifth graders that was designed to teach them about databases through collecting information for a community census. Activities supported by the census project are listed, including both noncomputer activities and computer activities; and an effective sequence of instruction with databases is discussed. (LRW)

The Los Angeles Unified School District contracted with GeoBased Systems to produce an enrollment projection model based on a set of assumptions regarding fertility, mortality, and migration for each of four ethnic groups. This article discusses the data, methodology, and results used by individual schools to project student numbers. (MLH)

This executive summary introduces Volume II of the "African American Education Data Book," which brings together information about the educational status of African American preschool, elementary, and secondary school children. Like Volume I, Volume II records the African American educational progress that has previously existed as part…