Every U.S. state and the District of Columbia maintain a system to collect and store education data. These systems vary widely in their scope and sophistication -- and, by extension, in their ability to provide information that can guide decision-making. Most states have developed statewide longitudinal data systems, which establish formal…

Earning a college degree has long been critical to unlocking many high-paying jobs -- and, as a result, to economic mobility and security. Increasingly, however, the traditional "norm" of a college student--one who enrolls straight out of high school, receives some support from their parents, lives on campus, and does not have…

State longitudinal data systems (SLDSs) promise a rich source of data for education research. SLDSs contain statewide student data that can be linked over time and to additional data sources for education management, reporting, improvement, and research, and ultimately for informing education policy and practice. Authored by Karen Levesque, Robert…

This chapter examines lessons learned by states that are using student unit record (SUR) data to improve outcomes for community college students and recommends steps states can take to strengthen their use of SUR databases to benefit students and communities. (Contains 1 exhibit.)

A series of national meetings with a professional working group were held to discuss data issues, needs, and priorities in order to determine national data needs for vocational education. The study team gathered detailed information on current federal-level data collection efforts relevant to vocational education. Local and state data collection…

The Common Core of Data (CCD) is the primary database of the National Center for Education Statistics on elementary and secondary education in the United States. CCD is a comprehensive, annual, national statistical database of all elementary and secondary schools and school districts. It contains data that are comparable across all states, and all…

The purpose of the Maine Assessment of Educational Progress (MAEP) in 1972 was to complete the first phase of a 10-year comprehensive needs assessment program involving students in public and non-public schools of the state. The total program is designed to provide specific information about knowledge, skills, understandings, and attitudes in 10…

This volume of the report on the State Educational Needs Assessment Project of Arizona consists of a series of appendixes that provide supplementary information to the report proper. The appendixes are as follows: A. Arizona Assessment of Needs Survey, 1969; B. Critical Educational Needs in Arizona, May 1969; C. Pre-Proposal for Assessment of…

This report contributes to the comprehensive evaluation of the Common Core of Data (CCD) program by providing an analysis of CCD definitions in order to identify potential classification problems. At the time of the evaluation, the CCD program consisted of four surveys. The focus of this evaluation is on the "Public Elementary/Secondary…

The State Educational Needs Assessment Project (SENAP) conducted in Arizona had the following puposes: (1) to investigate and identify critical educational needs in Arizona in both cognitive and affective domains and in the psychomotor areas; (2) to develop or modify a model for needs assessment which would encompass selection and codification of…

The National Postsecondary Education Cooperative has sponsored two working groups on student outcomes, one exploring the issue from a policy perspective and the other, from a data perspective. This report presents the results of the data perspective case studies, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the "state of the art" in student…

This report presents an overview of the procedures used to produce the findings contained in three reports concerning vocational education coordination and planning. Following a summary of the findings of barriers and facilitators to coordination in vocational education planning, a description of the basic procedures for this research effort is…

A general description is provided of the vocational education program within the secondary schools of predominately rural Appalachia, as well as an indication of where the vocational education program may be strengthened to make instructional offerings relevant to the jobs available to Appalachian secondary school students. Discussion includes…

Since the creation of the National Cooperative Educational Statistics System in 1988, states have joined with the National Center for Education Statistics to produce and maintain comparable and uniform education statistics. Through the National Forum on Education Statistics, states have met to develop and propose a set of basic data elements for…

Following an introduction of the systems approach for handling information, a proposal is made for an educational data system for the South Carolina school system. Input data provided by schools, school districts, and professional personnel are to be processed for use primarily by various units of the State Education Department. This department…