Despite popular claims that the United States has reached a "post-racial" era--one in which race no longer matters for determining one's life chances--college students continue to have strong views toward whether or not racial discrimination is still a major problem in this country. Utilizing multilevel modeling on data merged from the…

This project assesses the feasibility of creating a voluntary, nationwide data dictionary that can be used to standardize the reporting of postsecondary accountability reporting requirements for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (otherwise known as Perkins IV). Variables, field codes, and programming instructions,…

States have made tremendous progress in developing longitudinal data systems that can track student progress and answer critical policy questions. However, more work is needed, particularly on certain elements. Data on course-taking and grades (element 6), college readiness test scores (element 7), and other feedback from post-secondary…

This document is one of 5 sections of the Data Element Dictionary developed as part of the WICHE Management Information Systems (MIS) Program. The elements in this section apply to both the current and historical data concerning students. The purpose of the WICHE MIS Program is to make it possible to derive data which will be truly comparable for…

Now that all 50 states and the District of Columbia are building statewide longitudinal data systems, the next step is to ensure that the information in these systems is used to improve student learning. The Data Quality Campaign (DQC) has identified 10 actions that states can take to ensure that the right data are available and accessible and…

The use of student outcomes data in higher education is discussed. Consideration is given to a widely recognized taxonomy of student outcomes developed by Alexander Astin and his associates, and a classification of outcomes developed by Oscar Lenning and his associates at the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS). Issues…

Instructions for using the computerized Canadian University Student Information System created by Statistics Canada are presented in this manual. The data base includes information on all students registered in Canadian universities, affiliates, and degree-granting colleges. A complete list of all available data elements and column headings that…

A description is presented of types of information and codes pertaining to graduation statistics of the University Student Information System (USIS), a data base that provides a Canada-wide system of university enrollment statistics. The information for this system is collected on an individual student basis. In 1974 the USIS enrollment statistics…

This paper describes promising practices in developing model student information systems, with a focus on information management and administrative record keeping. Three school districts with exemplary information systems are profiled, using data derived from document analysis, on-site observation, and interviews with district and site-level…

A feasibility plan is presented for a California comprehensive student information study that would identify factors affecting students' progress through California's entire educational system. The feasibility plan identifies: (1) potential improvements, (2) the study design required to achieve them, (3) the cost of implementing the design,…

This document is divided into two parts: the first presents a taxonomy of questions designed for a hypothetical computer database; the second describes the rationale for a question oriented approach to data. This taxonomy is described as a list of questions an educator might use to find out more about the achievement, attendance, and…

This paper presents a study of the contrast of social and clinical perspectives on the selection and use of information by school staff, including: (1) an outline of the context and activities of the study; (2) a definition and discussion of the basic distinction between social and clinical perspectives; (3) an examination of case material…

This document presents a method of determining the best location for a potential satellite campus by predetermining the population characteristics of its potential students. The question is approached as a marketing problem with a geographical orietation. The test site for this project was Pierce College in the Los Angeles Comunity College…

The three purposes for which this study was conducted involved collection and summarization of otherwise unavailable data on student characteristics and aspirations, editing and summarization of reading test data collected over the past six years, and testing of the feasibility and utility of a computerized master file combining student data…

The design and development of a computerized student flow model at Eastern Montana College and its use in monitoring student enrollment are considered. In addition, guidelines are presented for adapting a flow model to the dimensions of a particular institution. Particular emphasis is given to reviewing the criteria that researchers should use…