NOTE.   Data are based on a sample survey of households and are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. Standard errors appear in parentheses. SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, October 1997, unpublished data. ( This table was prepared October 1998.) 484 LIBRARY RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY: TECHNOLOGY Table 428.   Student use of computers, by level of instruction and selected characteristics: 1984 to 1997 Student and school characteristics October, 1984 total October 1989, total October 1993 October 1997 Total Prekindergarten and kindergarten Grades 1 to 8 Grades 9 to 12 1st to 4th year of college 5th or later year of college Total Prekindergarten and kindergarten Grades 1 to 8 Grades 9 to 12 1st to 4th year of college 5th or later year of college 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Percent of students using computers at school Total ............................ 27.3 42.7 59.0 26.2 68.9 58.2 55.2 52.1 68.8 36.5 79.3 ( 0.4) 70.5 ( 0.6) 64.7 55.5 Sex Male ............................. 29.0 43.5 59.4 25.9 69.5 56.5 57.5 56.7 70.1 37.1 79.5 ( 0.5) 71.3 ( 0.8) 67.8 59.9 Female ......................... 25.5 41.9 58.7 26.5 68.4 60.0 53.3 47.8 67.6 35.7 79.0 ( 0.5) 69.6 ( 0.8) 62.2 52.1 Race/ ethnicity White, non Hispanic .... 30.0 45.7 61.6 29.4 73.7 59.9 54.9 49.8 71.1 38.7 84.0 ( 0.4) 71.9 ( 0.7) 64.3 53.8 Black, non Hispanic ..... 16.8 32.6 51.5 16.5 56.5 54.5 56.9 57.9 66.3 33.5 71.6 ( 0.9) 72.9 ( 1.4) 69.2 55.8 Hispanic ....................... 18.6 34.9 52.3 19.2 58.4 54.1 51.9 53.7 61.5 31.0 68.3 ( 0.9) 63.1 ( 1.8) 63.3 54.7 Other ............................ 28.6 42.7 59.0 23.5 65.7 57.3 60.9 69.4 65.3 32.7 74.9 ( 1.3) 63.6 ( 2.9) 63.1 68.9 Household income Less than $ 5,000 ......... 18.7 36.7 51.2 19.6 55.0 50.6 61.7 66.7 62.1 25.4 69.6 ( 1.9) 67.9 ( 2.9) 61.1 74.1 $ 5,000 to 9,999 ........... 21.0 36.1 53.3 24.4 60.3 51.9 53.9 56.2 63.5 35.1 70.1 ( 1.6) 61.6 ( 2.4) 69.8 74.8 $ 10,000 to 14,999 ....... 22.4 38.4 56.4 20.1 64.7 56.7 50.7 76.1 66.2 33.3 74.1 ( 1.4) 68.2 ( 2.1) 64.1 70.5 $ 15,000 to 19,999 ....... 25.9 41.5 58.1 23.8 67.5 57.4 51.2 58.5 65.9 33.0 74.9 ( 1.6) 66.7 ( 2.4) 62.1 69.4 $ 20,000 to 24,999 ....... 26.7 42.4 56.4 23.7 64.3 53.0 57.4 52.4 66.9 34.2 74.9 ( 1.5) 69.2 ( 2.0) 64.0 65.8 $ 25,000 to 29,999 ....... 30.5 46.1 60.0 28.0 70.1 60.3 51.5 58.0 68.5 38.9 77.7 ( 1.5) 72.0 ( 2.2) 63.1 53.7 $ 30,000 to 34,999 ....... 30.5 44.2 59.1 23.7 69.6 59.7 51.7 45.3 67.6 34.6 79.9 ( 1.3) 70.4 ( 2.1) 55.2 47.7 $ 35,000 to 39,999 ....... 32.3 45.2 60.7 27.1 72.1 61.7 49.2 47.9 69.0 34.6 79.9 ( 1.4) 70.1 ( 2.2) 61.5 55.2 $ 40,000 to 49,999 ....... 32.8 44.7 59.3 28.5 70.3 57.2 53.9 48.6 70.5 34.7 81.6 ( 1.1) 74.1 ( 1.6) 63.3 52.0 $ 50,000 to 74,999 ....... 35.5 47.0 62.6 28.6 75.6 61.5 57.4 44.2 71.7 39.3 84.0 ( 0.8) 72.8 ( 1.2) 67.2 48.5 $ 75,000 or more .......... 36.0 51.2 64.6 33.5 78.7 62.5 60.9 47.7 72.1 43.2 85.7 ( 0.8) 71.6 ( 1.3) 68.1 50.1 Control of school Public ........................... 27.4 43.3 60.2 30.1 68.6 58.1 53.9 54.1 41.2 40.1 79.0 ( 0.4) 70.5 ( 0.6) 63.4 56.7 Private .......................... 26.5 38.9 52.1 18.7 72.5 60.7 60.7 48.0 37.8 29.6 82.1 ( 1.1) 69.6 ( 2.1) 70.4 53.0 Percent of students using computers at home Total ............................ 11.5 18.8 27.0 15.6 24.7 28.7 32.8 52.6 45.1 29.6 43.4 ( 0.5) 48.8 ( 0.6) 49.8 67.2 Sex Male ............................. 14.0 20.7 27.4 15.1 24.8 28.2 36.6 56.1 45.2 30.3 43.6 ( 0.6) 49.3 ( 0.9) 51.3 64.1 Female ......................... 9.0 17.0 26.6 16.1 24.6 29.2 29.7 49.5 44.9 28.8 43.3 ( 0.7) 48.1 ( 0.9) 48.6 69.6 Race/ ethnicity White, non Hispanic .... 13.7 22.7 32.8 19.4 31.4 35.9 36.0 53.6 54.9 38.4 54.4 ( 0.6) 60.9 ( 0.7) 55.1 70.3 Black, non Hispanic ..... 4.9 7.3 10.9 4.2 9.0 10.4 19.4 48.1 21.1 9.8 20.6 ( 0.8) 21.0 ( 1.3) 25.6 56.3 Hispanic ....................... 3.6 7.5 10.4 5.7 7.5 9.8 22.0 52.2 21.1 11.2 18.6 ( 0.7) 21.6 ( 1.6) 37.3 56.1 Other ............................ 9.0 18.8 28.7 17.0 23.2 37.0 33.0 47.1 49.1 34.1 46.9 ( 1.5) 51.8 ( 3.0) 55.2 59.1 Household income Less than $ 5,000 ......... 2.9 8.4 9.7 1.1 4.1 6.8 25.6 45.2 22.6 4.7 17.4 ( 1.6) 17.3 ( 2.3) 40.8 57.1 $ 5,000 to 9,999 ........... 3.2 5.4 8.0 0.9 4.5 5.3 21.3 45.6 15.8 7.6 9.9 ( 1.0) 9.1 ( 1.4) 41.0 55.4 $ 10,000 to 14,999 ....... 5.0 7.2 11.4 4.6 6.4 8.7 29.8 50.0 18.4 9.4 12.8 ( 1.1) 18.1 ( 1.8) 34.9 64.2 $ 15,000 to 19,999 ....... 7.5 11.3 15.1 6.9 10.9 14.1 28.9 43.0 20.7 9.4 16.4 ( 1.4) 20.6 ( 2.1) 35.1 74.8 $ 20,000 to 24,999 ....... 9.9 12.9 16.8 7.4 13.1 17.9 27.7 49.6 30.5 14.5 26.1 ( 1.5) 31.7 ( 2.0) 44.1 61.3 $ 25,000 to 29,999 ....... 12.8 17.0 21.1 12.3 19.3 22.0 26.1 47.0 34.6 20.9 32.2 ( 1.6) 37.9 ( 2.3) 42.8 53.4 $ 30,000 to 34,999 ....... 15.8 17.7 24.1 18.7 20.5 29.1 26.4 44.4 38.7 22.7 36.4 ( 1.6) 42.3 ( 2.3) 45.8 65.4 $ 35,000 to 39,999 ....... 19.4 21.4 27.1 13.0 26.3 28.1 32.7 52.7 44.1 28.1 44.5 ( 1.7) 45.9 ( 2.4) 47.0 67.4 $ 40,000 to 49,999 ....... 20.4 25.7 32.2 21.6 32.9 33.9 32.5 45.9 50.6 37.3 51.0 ( 1.4) 56.2 ( 1.9) 51.1 54.1 $ 50,000 to 74,999 ....... 24.2 31.6 43.0 25.5 45.3 46.4 40.1 58.2 61.7 44.3 64.2 ( 1.0) 67.3 ( 1.3) 56.3 73.2 $ 75,000 or more .......... 22.1 43.8 56.1 38.2 62.3 61.0 47.0 64.7 74.2 58.5 80.3 ( 0.9) 80.7 ( 1.1) 62.8 76.1 Control of school Public ........................... 11.2 17.9 25.3 12.1 23.0 27.2 31.9 50.0 30.2 24.0 41.2 ( 0.5) 46.9 ( 0.6) 49.7 66.1 Private .......................... 13.8 24.4 37.4 22.4 41.5 47.2 36.9 57.7 35.9 40.2 65.0 ( 1.4) 72.8 ( 2.0) 50.3 69.5 Percent of students using computers at home for school work Total ............................ 4.6 8.9 14.9 0.6 10.8 20.9 23.1 36.6 28.6 1.5 23.9 ( 0.4) 39.0 ( 0.6) 40.8 49.3 Sex Male ............................. 5.9 9.5 14.8 0.9 10.1 20.5 26.3 40.3 28.3 1.7 23.8 ( 0.5) 38.8 ( 0.8) 42.4 47.2 Female ......................... 3.3 8.3 15.0 0.4 11.5 21.4 20.5 33.2 28.9 1.4 24.0 ( 0.6) 39.1 ( 0.9) 39.6 50.9 Race White, non Hispanic .... 5.4 10.7 18.2 0.8 13.8 26.5 25.7 37.8 35.0 1.7 30.2 ( 0.5) 49.0 ( 0.8) 45.9 51.3 Black, non Hispanic ..... 2.3 3.4 5.7   4.0 6.9 11.5 30.1 12.5 1.5 10.3 ( 0.6) 15.6 ( 1.2) 19.2 39.8 Hispanic ....................... 1.4 3.6 5.6   2.9 6.7 15.9 36.8 12.5 0.7 9.5 ( 0.5) 15.8 ( 1.4) 27.6 46.2 Other ............................ 3.8 9.1 16.0 1.1 9.3 27.0 23.7 29.2 33.6 1.9 28.2 ( 1.4) 44.9 ( 3.0) 45.2 45.8 Household income Less than $ 5,000 ......... 1.0 5.0 6.7   2.5 4.0 18.7 36.0 15.1   8.8 ( 1.2) 11.7 ( 2.0) 31.6 53.7 $ 5,000 to 9,999 ........... 1.5 3.2 4.8   1.1 3.6 16.1 35.5 10.4 1.1 3.9 ( 0.7) 7.3 ( 1.3) 35.3 44.8 $ 10,000 to 14,999 ....... 1.9 3.5 7.3   2.6 5.6 25.9 34.6 11.4 0.8 5.3 ( 0.7) 13.5 ( 1.6) 28.9 50.1 $ 15,000 to 19,999 ....... 3.0 4.5 8.6 0.4 4.7 10.8 18.7 31.0 13.2 1.0 8.4 ( 1.0) 13.2 ( 1.7) 31.0 63.3 $ 20,000 to 24,999 ....... 3.1 5.7 9.8 0.7 5.1 12.6 22.9 35.0 19.4 1.7 12.5 ( 1.2) 25.4 ( 1.9) 35.2 44.6 $ 25,000 to 29,999 ....... 5.1 6.4 10.4 1.1 6.3 13.4 19.5 34.9 21.9 2.1 18.6 ( 1.4) 27.5 ( 2.2) 34.4 40.8 $ 30,000 to 34,999 ....... 4.9 8.0 13.0 0.8 8.1 21.9 18.0 35.1 24.4 0.8 19.0 ( 1.3) 33.2 ( 2.2) 38.7 48.9 $ 35,000 to 39,999 ....... 7.1 10.5 15.4 0.8 12.4 21.0 22.6 37.2 26.5 0.4 22.3 ( 1.4) 35.5 ( 2.3) 38.7 55.7 $ 40,000 to 49,999 ....... 9.2 11.9 17.1 1.1 14.7 24.2 22.2 32.1 30.1 2.9 26.7 ( 1.2) 45.5 ( 1.9) 38.9 36.8 $ 50,000 to 74,999 ....... 11.5 15.2 23.2 1.0 19.7 35.0 27.0 38.2 39.3 1.2 36.1 ( 1.0) 54.9 ( 1.4) 46.9 53.1 $ 75,000 or more .......... 9.8 22.0 30.4 0.8 29.4 45.2 30.6 41.5 48.3 2.8 48.5 ( 1.2) 66.4 ( 1.4) 51.5 50.4 Control of school Public ........................... 4.5 8.5 14.2 0.5 10.1 19.8 22.7 34.7 21.8 1.5 22.5 ( 0.4) 37.1 ( 0.6) 40.6 48.7 Private .......................... 5.4 11.4 18.8 1.0 17.8 35.4 24.8 40.1 24.6 1.6 37.7 ( 1.4) 62.0 ( 2.3) 42.0 50.6   Data not available.

NOTE.   Data are based on a sample survey of households and are subject to sampling and nonsampling error. Standard errors appear in parentheses. SOURCE: U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey, October 1984, 1989, 1993, and 1997, unpublished data. ( This table was prepared September 1998.) 485 Guide to Tabular Presentation This section is intended to assist the reader in following the basic structure of the Digest tables and to provide a legend for some of the common symbols and indexes used throughout the book. Unless otherwise noted, all data are for the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Table Components Title Describes the table content concisely.

Unit Indicator Informs the reader of the measurement united in the table   ` ` In thousands,'' `` In millions of dollars,'' etc. Noted below the title unless several units are used, in which case the unit indicators are generally given in the spanner or individual column heads.

Spanner Describes a group of two or more columns.

Column head Describes specific column. Stub Describes a row or a group of rows. Each stub is followed by a number of dots ( leaders) or by a semicolon if no data appears in the data fields.

Field The area of the table which contains the data elements.

Rules in the field Single horizontal rules indicate   that the data below the line add to the figure immediately above the line, or   in the case of derived figures ( e. g., percents, medians that the datum above the line represents a cumulative figure.

Double horizontal rules demarcate groups of related rows.

Single vertical rules delineate columns.

Double vertical rules divide the table into sections with unique stubs. 486 GUIDE TO TABULAR PRESENTATION Footnote Describes a unique circumstance relating to a specific item within the table. Usually listed below the bottom rule of the table.

Note Furnishes general information that relates to the entire table.

Source The document or reference from which the data are drawn. This note may also include the organizational unit responsible for preparing the data.

Descriptive Terms Average A number that is used to represent the `` typical value'' of a group of numbers. It is regarded as a measure of `` location'' or `` central tendency'' of a group of numbers.

Arithmetic mean is the most commonly used average It is derived by summing the individual item values of a particular group and dividing that sum by the number of items. This value is often referred to simply as the `` mean'' or `` average.''

Median is the measure of central tendency that occupies the middle position in a rank order of values. It generally has the same number of items above it as below it. If there is an even number of items in the group, the median is the average of the middle two items.

Per capita, or per person, figure represents an average computed for every person in a specified group, or population. It is derived by dividing the total for an item ( such as income or expenditures) by the number of persons in the specified population.

Index number A value that provides a means of measuring, summarizing, and communicating the nature of changes that occur from time to time or from place to place. An index is used to express changes in prices over periods of time but may also be used to express differences between related subjects at a single point in time. The Digest most often uses the Consumer Price Index to compare purchasing power over time.

To compute a price index, a base year or period is selected. The base year price is then designated as the base or reference price to which the prices for other years or periods are related.

A method of expressing the price relationship is:

Index number =

Price of a set of one or more items for related year x 100 Price of the same set of items for base year When 100 is subtracted from the index number, the result equals the percent change in price from the base year.

Current and constant dollars are used in a number of tables to express finance data. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are in current dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Constant dollars provide a measure of the impact of inflation on the current dollars.

Current dollar figures reflect actual prices or costs prevailing during the specified year( s).

Constant dollar figures attempt to remove the effects of price changes ( inflation) from statistical series reported in dollar terms.

The constant dollar value for an item is derived by dividing the base year price index ( for example, the Consumer Price Index for 1996) by the price index for the year of data to be adjusted and multiplying by the item to be adjusted. The result is an adjusted dollar value as it would presumably exist if prices were the same as the base year   in other words, as if the dollar had constant purchasing power. Any changes in the constant dollar amounts would reflect only changes in the real values.

NOTE: Tables may not include data for all years implied in table titles. 487 Guide to Sources Sources and Comparability of Data The information presented in this report was obtained from many sources, including federal and state agencies, private research organizations, and professional associations. The data were collected using many research methods, including surveys of a universe ( such as all colleges) or of a sample, compilations of administrative records, and statistical projections. Digest users should take particular care when comparing data from different sources. Differences in procedures, timing, phrasing of questions interviewer training, and so forth mean that the results from the different sources may not be strictly comparable. Following the general discussion of data accuracy below, descriptions of the information sources and data collection methods are presented, grouped by sponsoring organization. More extensive documentation of a particular survey's procedures does not imply more problems with the data, only that more information is available.

Accuracy of Data The accuracy of any statistic is determined by the joint effects of `` sampling'' and `` nonsampling'' errors. Estimates based on a sample will differ somewhat from the figures that would have been obtained if a complete census had been taken using the same survey instruments, instructions, and procedures. In addition to such sampling errors, all surveys, both universe and sample, are subject to design, reporting and processing errors and errors due to nonresponse To the extent possible, these nonsampling errors are kept to a minimum by methods built into the survey procedures. In general, however, the effects of nonsampling errors are more difficult to gauge than those produced by sampling variability.

Sampling Errors The samples used in surveys are selected from a large number of possible samples of the same size that could have been selected using the same sample design. Estimates derived from the different samples would differ from each other. The difference between a sample estimate and the average of all possible samples is called the sampling deviation. The standard or sampling error of a survey estimate is a measure of the variation among the estimates from all possible samples and, thus, is a measure of the precision with which an estimate from a particular sample approximates the average result of all possible samples. The sample estimate and an estimate of its standard error permit us to construct interval estimates with prescribed confidence that the interval includes the average result of all possible samples. If all possible samples were selected under essentially the same conditions and an estimate and its estimated standard error were calculated from each sample, then: ( 1) approximately 2/ 3 of the intervals from one standard error below the estimate to one standard error above the estimate would include the average value of all possible samples; and ( 2) approximately 19/ 20 of the intervals from two standard errors below the estimate to two standard errors above the estimate would include the average value of all possible samples. We call an interval from two standard errors below the estimate to two standard errors above the estimate a 95 percent confidence interval. To illustrate this concept, consider the data and standard errors appearing on table 105. For the 1997 estimate that 11.0 percent of 16 to 24 year olds were high school dropouts, the table shows that the standard error is .3 percent. Therefore, we can create a 95 percent confidence interval which is approximately 10.4 to 11.6 ( 11.0 percent + 2 times .3 percent Analysis of standard errors can help assess how valid a comparison between two estimates might be. The standard error of a difference between two independent sample estimates is equal to the square root of the sum of the squared standard errors of the estimates. The standard error ( se) of the difference between independent sample estimates `` a'' and `` b'' is:

sea, b = ( sea 2+ seb 2) 1/ 2 It should be noted that most of the standard error estimates presented in subsequent sections and in the original documents are approximations. That is, to derive estimates of standard errors that would be applicable to a wide variety of items and could be prepared at a moderate cost, a number of approxi 488 GUIDE TO SOURCES mations were required. As a result, the standard error estimates provide a general order of magnitude rather than the exact standard error for any specific item. The preceding discussion on sampling variability was directed toward a situation concerning one or two estimates. Determining the accuracy of statistical projections is more difficult. In general, the further away the projection date is from the date of the actual data being used for the projection, the greater the probable error in the projections. If, for instance, annual data from 1970 to 1996 are being used to project enrollment in institutions of higher education, the further beyond 1996 one projects, the more variability in the projection. One will be less sure of the 2008 enrollment projection than of the 2000 projection A detailed discussion of the projections methodology is contained in Projections of Education Statistics to 2008 ( National Center for Education Statistics 1998).

Nonsampling Errors Universe and sample surveys are subject to nonsampling errors. Nonsampling errors may arise when respondents or interviewers interpret questions differently when respondents must estimate values, or when coders, keyers, and other processors handle answers differently, when persons who should be included in the universe are not, or when persons fail to respond ( completely or partially). Nonsampling errors usually, but not always, result in an understatement of total survey error and thus an overstatement of the precision of survey estimates. Since estimating the magnitude of nonsampling errors often would require special experiments or access to independent data, these nonsampling errors are seldom available. To compensate for nonresponse, adjustments of the sample estimates are often made. An adjustment made for either type of nonresponse, total or partial, is often referred to as an imputation, which is often a substitution of the `` average'' questionnaire response for the nonresponse. Imputations are usually made separately within various groups of sample members which have similar survey characteristics. Imputation for item nonresponse is usually made by substituting for a missing item the response to that item of a respondent having characteristics that are similar to those of the nonrespondent. Although the magnitude of nonsampling error in the data compiled in this Digest is frequently unknown idiosyncrasies that have been identified are noted on the appropriate tables. U. S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics ( NCES)

Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study The Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study ( B& B) is based on the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study ( NPSAS) and provides information concerning education and work experience after completing the bachelor's degree. B& B provides cross sectional information 1 year after bachelor's degree completion ( comparable to the Recent College Graduates study), while at the same time providing longitudinal data concerning entry into and progress through graduate level education and the workforce. It also provides information on entry into, persistence and progress through, and completion of graduate level education   information not available through follow ups involving high school cohorts or even college entry cohorts, both of which are restricted in the number who actually complete a bachelor's degree and continue their education. B& B will follow NPSAS baccalaureate degree completers for a 12 year period after completion, beginning with NPSAS: 93. About 11,000 students who completed their degrees in the 1992   93 academic year were included in the first B& B ( B& B: 93/ 94). In addition to the student data, B& B collected postsecondary transcripts covering the undergraduate period providing complete information on progress and persistence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. New B& B cohorts will alternate with BPS in using NPSAS as their base. For additional information about B& B contact:

Paula R. Knepper Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Paula l Knepper@ ed. gov Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study The Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study ( BPS) provides information on persistence, progress, and attainment from initial time of entry into postsecondary education through leaving and entering the workforce. BPS includes traditional and nontraditional ( e. g., older) students and is representative of all beginning students in postsecondary education. BPS follows first time, beginning students for at least 489 GUIDE TO SOURCES 5 years at approximately 2 year intervals, collecting student data, and financial aid reports. By starting with a cohort that has already entered postsecondary education, and following it for 5 years, BPS will be able to determine to what extent students who start postsecondary education at various ages differ in their progress, persistence, and attainment. The first BPS study was conducted in 1989   90, with follow up surveys in 1992 and 1994. The second BPS cohort of students began with a survey in 1995   96 and a follow up in 1998. Further information on the Beginning Postsecondary Student Longitudinal Study may be obtained from:

Aurora M. D'Amico Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Aurora l D'Amico@ ed. gov Common Core of Data NCES uses the Common Core of Data ( CCD) survey to acquire and maintain statistical data from each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the outlying areas. Information about staff and students is collected annually at the school, LEA ( local education agency or school district), and state levels. Information about revenues and expenditures is also collected at the state and LEA levels. Data are collected for a particular school year ( July 1 through June 30) via survey instruments sent to the state education agencies during the subsequent school year. States have 1 year in which to modify the data originally submitted. Since the CCD is a universe survey, the CCD information presented in this edition of the Digest is not subject to sampling errors. However, nonsampling errors could come from two sources   nonreturn and inaccurate reporting. Almost all of the states submit the six CCD survey instruments each year, but submissions are sometimes incomplete or too late for publication. Understandably, when 57 education agencies compile and submit data for approximately 88,000 public schools and 16,000 local school districts, misreporting can occur. Typically, this results from varying interpretation of NCES definitions and differing recordkeeping systems. NCES attempts to minimize these errors by working closely with the Council of Chief State School Officers ( CCSSO) and its Committee on Evaluation and Information Systems ( CEIS). The state education agencies report data to NCES from data collected and edited in their regular reporting cycles. NCES encourages the agencies to incorporate into their own survey systems the NCES items they do not already collect so that those items will also be available for the subsequent CCD survey Over time, this has meant fewer missing data cells in each state's response, reducing the need to impute data. NCES subjects data from the education agencies to a comprehensive edit. Where data are determined to be inconsistent, missing, or out of range, NCES contacts the education agencies for verification. NCES prepared state summary forms are returned to the state education agencies for verification. States are also given an opportunity to revise their statelevel aggregates from the previous survey cycle. Questions concerning the Common Core of Data can be directed to:

John Sietsema Elementary/ Secondary and Libraries Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 John l Sietsema@ ed. gov Federal Support for Education NCES prepares an annual compilation of federal funds for education. Data for U. S. Department of Education programs come from the Budget of the United States Government. Budget offices of other federal agencies provide information for all other federal program support except for research funds, which are obligations reported by the National Science Foundation in Federal Funds for Research and Development. Some data are estimated, based on reports from the federal agencies contacted and the Budget of the United States Government. Except for money spent on research, outlays were used to report program funds to the extent possible. Some tables are obligations as noted in the title of the table. Some federal program funds not commonly recognized as education assistance are also included in the totals reported. For example, portions of federal funds paid to some states and counties as shared revenues resulting from the sale of timber and minerals from public lands have been estimated as funds used for education purposes. Parts of the funds received by states ( in 1980) and localities ( throughout the period) under the General Revenue Sharing Program are also included, as are portions of federal funds received by the District of Columbia. The share of these funds allocated to education was assumed to be equal to the share of general funds expended for elementary and secondary education by states and localities in the same year as reported by the U. S. Bureau of the Census in its annual publication Governmental Finances. 490 GUIDE TO SOURCES All state intergovernmental expenditures for education were assumed earmarked for elementary/ secondary education. Contributions of parent governments of dependent school systems to their public schools amounted to approximately 9 percent of local government revenues and local government revenue sharing in each year. Therefore, 9 percent of local government revenue sharing funds were assumed allocated each fiscal year to elementary and secondary education. Parent government contributions to public school systems were obtained from the U. S. Bureau of the Census, Finances of Public School Systems. The amount of state revenue sharing funds allocated for postsecondary education in 1980 was assumed to be 13 percent, the proportion of direct state expenditures for institutions of higher education reported in Governmental Finances for that year. The share of federal funds for the District of Columbia assigned to education was assumed to be equal to the share of the city's general fund expenditures for each level of education. For the job training programs conducted by the Department of Labor, only estimated sums spent on classroom training have been reported as educational program support. During the 1970s, The Office of Management and Budget ( OMB) prepared annual reports on federal education program support. These were published in the Budget of the United States Government [ Special Analyses]. The information presented in this report is not, however, a continuation of the OMB series. A number of differences in the two series should be noted. OMB required all federal agencies to report outlays for education related programs using a standardized form, thereby assuring agency compliance in reporting. The scope of education programs reported here differs from OMB. Off budget items such as the annual volume of guaranteed student loans were not included in OMB's reports. Finally, while some mention is made of an annual estimate of federal tax expenditures OMB did not include them in its annual analysis of federal education support. Estimated federal tax expenditures for education are the difference between current federal tax receipts and what these receipts would be without existing education deductions to income allowed by federal tax provisions. Recipients' data are estimated based on Estimating Federal Funds for Education: A New Approach Applied to Fiscal Year 1980, `` Federal Support for Education, Fiscal Years 1980 to 1984,'' and Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance. The recipients' data are estimated and tend to undercount institutions of higher education ( IHEs), students, and local education agencies ( LEAs). This is because some of the federal programs have more than one recipient receiving funds. In these cases, the recipients were put into a `` mixed recipients'' category, because there was no way to disaggregate the amount each recipient received. Further information on federal support for education may be obtained from:

Charlene Hoffman Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Ave NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Charlene l Hoffman@ ed. gov High School and Beyond High School and Beyond ( HS& B) is a national longitudinal survey of 1980 high school sophomores and seniors. The base year survey was a probability sample of 1,015 high schools with a target number of 36 sophomores and 36 seniors in each of the schools. A total of 58,270 students participated in the base year survey. Substitutions were made for noncooperating schools   but not for students   in those strata where it was possible. Overall, 1,122 schools were selected in the original sample and 811 of these schools participated in the survey. An additional 204 schools were drawn in a replacement sample. Student refusals and absences resulted in an 82 percent completion rate for the survey. Several small groups in the population were oversampled to allow for special study of certain types of schools and students. Students completed questionnaires and took a battery of cognitive tests. In addition a sample of parents of sophomores and seniors ( about 3,600 for each cohort) was surveyed. HS& B first follow up activities took place in the spring of 1982. The sample design of the first followup survey called for the selection of approximately 30,000 persons who were sophomores in 1980. The completion rate for sophomores eligible for on campus survey administration was about 96 percent. About 89 percent of the students who left school between the base year and first follow up surveys ( dropouts, transfer students, and early graduates) completed the first follow up sophomore questionnaire As part of the first follow up survey of HS& B, transcripts were requested in fall 1982 for an 18,152 member subsample of the sophomore cohort. Of the 15,941 transcripts actually obtained, 1,969 were excluded because the students had dropped out of school before graduation, 799 were excluded because they were incomplete, and 1,057 were excluded because the student graduated before 1982 or the transcript indicated neither a dropout status nor graduation. Thus 12,116 transcripts were utilized for the overall curriculum analysis presented in this publication. All courses in each transcript were as 491 GUIDE TO SOURCES signed a six digit code based on A Classification of Secondary School Courses ( developed by Evaluation Technologies, Inc. under contract with NCES). Credits earned in each course were expressed in Carnegie units. ( The Carnegie unit is a standard of measurement that represents one credit for the completion of a 1 year course. To receive credit for a course, the student must have received a passing grade   ` ` pass,'' `` D,'' or higher.) Students who transferred from public to private schools or from private to public schools between their sophomore and senior years were eliminated from public/ private analyses. In designing the senior cohort first follow up survey one of the goals was to reduce the size of the retained sample, while still keeping sufficient numbers of minorities to allow important policy analyses. A total of 11,227 ( 94 percent) of the 11,995 persons subsampled completed the questionnaire. Information was obtained about the respondents' school and employment experiences, family status, and attitudes and plans. The sample for the second follow up, which took place in spring 1984, consisted of about 12,000 members of the senior cohort and about 15,000 members of the sophomore cohort. The completion rate for the senior cohort was 91 percent, and the completion rate for the sophomore cohort was 92 percent. HS& B third follow up data collection activities were performed in spring of 1986. Both the sophomore and senior cohort samples for this round of data collection were the same as those used for the second follow up survey. The completion rates for the sophomore and senior cohort samples were 91 percent and 88 percent, respectively. Table A1 contains the maximum number of cases that are available for the tabulations of the specific classification variables used throughout this publication The standard error ( se) of an individual percentage ( p) based on HS& B data can be approximated by the formula sep = DEFT [ p( 100   p)/ n] 1/ 2 where n is the sample size and DEFT, the square root of the design effect, is a factor used to adjust for the particular sample design used in HS& B. Table A2 provides the DEFT factors for different HS& B samples and subsamples.

In evaluating a difference between two independent percentages, the standard error of the difference may be conservatively approximated by taking the square root of the sum of the squared standard errors of the two percentages. For example, in the 1986 follow up of 1980 sophomores, 84.0 percent of the men and 77.2 percent of the women felt that being successful in work was `` very important,'' a difference of 6.8 percentage points. Using the formula and the sample sizes from table A1 and the DEFT factors from table A2, the standard errors of the two percentages being compared are calculated to be:

1.43[( 84.0)( 16.0)/( 5,391)] 1/ 2 = .714 1.43[( 77.2)( 22.8)/( 5,857)] 1/ 2 = .784 The standard error of the difference is therefore (. 7142 + .7842) 1/ 2 = (. 510 + .615) 1/ 2 = 1.06 The sampling error ( 95 chances in 100) of the difference is approximately double the standard error, or approximately 2.1 percentage points, and the 95 percent confidence interval for the difference is 6.8 ± 2.1, or 4.7 to 8.9 percentage points. The standard error estimation procedure outlined above does not compensate for survey item nonresponse which is a source of nonsampling error. ( Table A1 reflects the maximum number of responses that could be tabulated by demographic characteristics.) For example, of the 10,925 respondents in the 1984 follow up survey of 1980 high school graduates, 372, or 3.4 percent, did not respond to the particular question on whether they had ever used a pocket calculator. Item nonresponse varied considerably. A very low nonresponse rate of 0.1 percent was obtained for a question asking whether the respondent had attended a postsecondary institution A much higher item nonresponse rate of 12.2 percent was obtained for a question asking if the respondent had used a micro or minicomputer in high school. Typical item nonresponse rates ranged from 3 to 4 percent. The Hispanic analyses presented in this report relied on students' self identification as members of one of four Hispanic subgroups: Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano; Cuban; Puerto Rican, Puertorriqueno, or Boricua; or other Latin American, Latino, Hispanic, or Spanish descent. An NCES series of technical reports and data file users manuals, available electronically, provides additional information on the survey methodology. Further information on the High School and Beyond survey may be obtained from:

Aurora M. D'Amico Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Aurora l D'Amico@ ed. gov 492 GUIDE TO SOURCES High School Transcript Study Tabulations The two most recent transcript studies in 1990 and in 1994 were based on surveys conducted as part of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The 1990 study involved analysis of transcripts of approximately 21,500 1990 high school graduates from 330 schools. The 1994 study involved about 25,000 graduates. Approximately 21,500 1990 graduates were selected for the National Assessment of Educational Progress ( NAEP) transcript study in 1990. The study collected information such as course lists, graduation requirements, and the definition of units of credit and grades, on a school level basis. Similar studies were conducted of course taking patterns of 1987 and 1982 graduates. The 1987 data are based on approximately 22,799 transcripts from 433 schools obtained as part of the 1987 High School Transcript Study. The 1982 data are based on approximately 12,000 transcripts collected by the High School and Beyond Project. Because the 1982 High School and Beyond study used a different method for identifying handicapped students than did the 1987 and 1990 transcript studies and in order to make the statistical summaries as comparable as possible, all the counts and percentages in this report are restricted to students whose records indicate that they had not participated in a special education program. This restriction lowers the number of 1990 graduates represented in the tables to 20,866. Further information can be obtained from:

Janis Brown Assessment Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5653 Janis l Brown@ ed. gov Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS) surveys approximately 10,000 postsecondary institutions, including universities and colleges as well as institutions offering technical and vocational education beyond the high school level. This survey, which began in 1986, replaced the Higher Education General Information Survey ( HEGIS). IPEDS consists of eight integrated components that obtain information on who provides postsecondary education ( institutions), who participates in it and completes it ( students), what programs are offered and what programs are completed, and both the human and financial resources involved in the provision of institutionally based postsecondary education. Specifically, these components include: Institutional Characteristics, including instructional activity; Fall Enrollment, including age and residence; Enrollment in Occupationally Specific Programs; Completions; Finance; Staff; Salaries of Full Time Instructional Faculty; and Academic Libraries. The higher education portion of this survey is a census of accredited 2 and 4 year colleges. Prior to 1993, data from the technical and vocational institutions were collected through a sample survey. Beginning in 1993, all data are gathered in a census of all postsecondary institutions. The tabulations on `` Institutional Characteristics'' developed for this edition of the Digest are based on lists of all institutions and are not subject to sampling errors. Recently the definition of institutions to be counted under the higher education category has been modified The older standard for higher education included those institutions that had courses leading to an associate degree or higher, or were accepted for credit toward those degrees. Tables that use this standard are labeled `` higher education'' in the Digest The newer category includes institutions which award associate or higher level degrees that are eligible to participate in Title IV federal financial aid programs These tables or columns are labeled as `` degree granting'' institutions. The impact of this change has generally not been large. For example, tables on faculty salaries and benefits were only affected to a very small extent. Also, degrees awarded at the bachelor's level or higher were not heavily affected. The largest impact has been on private 2 year college enrollment. In contrast, most of the data on public 4 year colleges has been affected only to a minimal extent. The impact on enrollment in public 2 year colleges was noticeable in certain states, but relatively small at the national level. Overall, enrollment for all institutions was about 0.5 or one half a percent higher for degree granting institutions compared to the total for higher education institutions. Prior to the establishment of IPEDS in 1986, HEGIS acquired and maintained statistical data on the characteristics and operations of institutions of higher education. Implemented in 1966, HEGIS was an annual universe survey of institutions accredited at the college level by an agency recognized by the Secretary of the U. S. Department of Education. These institutions were listed in NCES's Education Directory, Colleges and Universities. Most trend tables presented in this report draw on HEGIS surveys which solicited information concerning institutional characteristics, faculty salaries, finances enrollment, and degrees. Since these surveys were distributed to all higher education institutions the data presented are not subject to sampling error. However, they are subject to nonsampling error, the sources of which varied with the survey instrument Information concerning the nonsampling error of the enrollment and degrees surveys draws 493 GUIDE TO SOURCES extensively on the `` HEGIS Post Survey Validation Study'' conducted in 1979. Further information on IPEDS may be obtained from:

Susan Broyles Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Susan l Broyles@ ed. gov Institutional Characteristics This survey provides the basis for the universe of institutions presented in the Directory of Postsecondary Institutions. The universe comprises institutions that met certain accreditation criteria and offered at least a 1 year program of college level studies leading toward a degree. All of these institutions were certified as eligible by the U. S. Department of Education's Division of Eligibility and Agency Evaluation. The survey collects basic information necessary to classify the institutions including control, level, and kinds of programs; information on tuition, fees, and room and board charges; and unduplicated full year enrollment counts and instructional activity.

Fall Enrollment This survey has been part of the HEGIS and IPEDS series since 1966. The enrollment survey response rate is relatively high; the 1996 response rate was 96 percent for degree granting institutions, or 95 percent overall. Major sources of nonsampling error for this survey as identified in the 1979 report were classification problems, the unavailability of needed data, interpretation of definitions, the survey due date, and operational errors. Of these, the classification of students appears to have been the main source of error. Institutions had problems in correctly classifying first time freshmen and other first time students for both full time and part time categories. These problems occurred most often at 2 year institutions ( private and public) and private 4 year institutions In the 1977   78 HEGIS validation studies, the classification problem led to an estimated overcount of 11,000 full time students and an undercount of 19,000 part time students. Although the ratio of error to the grand total was quite small ( less than 1 percent the percentage of errors was as high as 5 percent for detailed student levels and even higher at certain aggregation levels. Beginning with fall 1986, the survey system was redesigned with the introduction of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS) ( see above). The IPEDS system comprises all postsecondary institutions, but also maintains comparability with earlier surveys by allowing HEGIS institutions to be tabulated separately. The survey allows ( in alternating years) for the collection of age and residence data.

Salaries, Tenure, and Fringe Benefits of Full Time Instructional Faculty This institutional survey has been conducted for most years from 1966   67 to 1987   88, and annually since 1989   90. Although the survey form changed a number of times during those years, only comparable data are presented in this report. Between 1966   67 and 1985   86 this survey differed from other HEGIS surveys in that imputations were not made for nonrespondents. Thus, there is some possibility that the salary averages presented in this report may differ from the results of a complete enumeration of all colleges and universities. Beginning with the surveys for 1987   88, the IPEDS data tabulation procedures included imputations for survey nonrespondents. The response rate for the 1996   97 survey was 92 percent for degree granting institutions. Because of the higher response rate for public colleges, it is probable that the public colleges' salary data are more accurate than the data for private colleges. Although data from these surveys are not subject to sampling error, sources of nonsampling error may include computational errors and misclassification in reporting and processing. NCES reviews individual colleges' data for internal and longitudinal consistency and contacts the colleges to check inconsistent data.

Completions This survey was part of the HEGIS series throughout its existence. However, the degree classification taxonomy was revised in 1970   71, 1982   83, and 1991   92. Collection of degree data has been maintained through the IPEDS system. Though information from survey years 1970   71 through 1981   82 is directly comparable, care must be taken if information before or after that period is included in any comparison. Degrees conferred trend tables arranged by the 1991   92 classification are included in the Digest to provide consistent data from 1970   71 to 1995   96. Data in this edition on associate and other formal awards below the baccalaureate by field of study, cannot be made comparable with figures prior to 1982   83. The nonresponse rate did not appear to be a significant source of nonsampling error for this survey. The return rate over the years has been high, with the degree granting institutions response rate for the 1995   96 survey at 98 percent. The overall response rate including the noncollegiate institutions was 88 percent in 1994   95. Because of the high return rate for the institutions of higher education, nonsampling error caused by imputation is also minimal. 494 GUIDE TO SOURCES The major sources of nonsampling error for this survey were differences between the NCES program taxonomy and taxonomies used by the colleges, classification of double majors, operational problems, and survey timing. In the 1979 HEGIS validation study, these sources of nonsampling contributed to an error rate of 0.3 percent overreporting of bachelor's degrees and 1.3 percent overreporting of master's degrees. The differences, however, varied greatly among fields. Over 50 percent of the fields selected for the validation study had no errors identified Categories of fields that had large differences were business and management, education, engineering letters, and psychology. It was also shown that differences in proportion to the published figures were less than 1 percent for most of the selected fields that had some errors. Exceptions to these were: master's and Ph. D. programs in labor and industrial relations ( 20 percent and 8 percent); bachelor's and master's programs in art education ( 3 percent and 4 percent); bachelor's and Ph. D. programs in business and commerce, and in distributive education ( 5 percent and 9 percent); master's programs in philosophy ( 8 percent); and Ph. D. programs in psychology ( 11 percent).

Financial Statistics This survey was part of the HEGIS series and has been continued under the IPEDS system. Changes were made in the financial survey instruments in fiscal years ( FY) 1976, 1982, and 1987. The FY 76 survey instrument contained numerous revisions to earlier survey forms and made direct comparisons of line items very difficult. Beginning in FY 82, Pell Grant data were collected in the categories of federal restricted grants and contracts revenues and restricted scholarships and fellowships expenditures. The introduction of IPEDS in the FY 87 survey included several important changes to the survey instrument and data processing procedures. While these changes were significant, considerable effort has been made to present only comparable information on trends in this report and to note inconsistencies Finance tables for this publication have been adjusted by subtracting the largely duplicative Pell Grant amounts from the later data to maintain comparability with pre FY 82 data. Possible sources of nonsampling error in the financial statistics include nonresponse, imputation, and misclassification. The response rate has been about 85 to 90 percent for most of the years reported. The response rate for the FY 1996 survey was 94 percent for higher education institutions, or 83 percent overall. Two general methods of imputation were used in HEGIS. If the prior year's data were available for a nonresponding institution, these data were inflated using the Higher Education Price Index and adjusted according to changes in enrollments. If no previous year's data were available, current data were used from peer institutions selected for location ( state or region), control, level, and enrollment size of institution In most cases estimates for nonreporting institutions in IPEDS were made using data from peer institutions Beginning with FY 87, the IPEDS survey system included all postsecondary institutions, but maintained comparability with earlier surveys by allowing 2 and 4 year HEGIS institutions to be tabulated separately Unless specified otherwise, the finance data tabulated for this publication reflect totals for the HEGIS or higher education institutions only. For FY 87 through FY 91, in order to maintain comparability with the historical time series of HEGIS institutions, data were combined from two of the three different survey forms that make up the IPEDS survey system The vast majority of the data were tabulated from Form 1, which was used to collect information from public and private nonprofit 2 and 4 year colleges Form 2, a condensed form, was used to gather data for the 2 year proprietary institutions. Because of the differences in the data requested on the two forms, several assumptions were made about the Form 2 reports so that their figures could be included in the institutions of higher education totals. In IPEDS, the Form 2 institutions were not asked to separate appropriations from grants and contracts, nor state from local sources of funding. For the Form 2 institutions, all the federal revenues were assumed to be federal grants and contracts and all of the state and local revenues were assumed to be restricted state grants and contracts. All other Form 2 sources of revenue, except for tuition and fees and sales and services of educational activities, were included under `` other.'' Similar adjustments were made to the expenditure accounts. The Form 2 institutions reported instruction and scholarship and fellowship expenditures only. All other educational and general expenditures were allocated to academic support. To reduce reporting error, NCES uses national standards for reporting finance statistics. These standards are contained in College and University Business Administration: Administrative Services ( 1974 Edition), and the Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual for Higher Education ( 1990 Education published by the National Association of College and University Business Officers; Audits of Colleges and Universities ( as amended August 31, 1974), by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants; and HEGIS Financial Reporting Guide ( 1980), by NCES. Wherever possible, definitions and formats in the survey form are consistent with those in these four accounting texts. 495 GUIDE TO SOURCES Staff The fall staff data presented in this publication were collected by NCES, through the IPEDS system, which collected data from postsecondary institutions, including all 2 and 4 year higher education institutions The NCES collects staff data biennially in odd numbered years in institutions of postsecondary education The IPEDS `` Fall Staff'' questionnaires were mailed out by NCES; the respondents reported the number of employees in their institutions as of January 15, 1996. The `` Fall Staff'' questionnaires were mailed out by NCES between October and November 1995; the respondents reported the employment statistics in their institution that cover the payroll period closest to October 1 of the survey year. The `` Fall Staff, 1995'' survey had an overall response rate of 87 percent. The response rate for higher education institutions was 94 percent. Further information on the `` Fall Staff'' survey may be obtained from:

Rosa Fernandez Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Rosa l Fernandez@ ed. gov Library Statistics Program Nationwide, public library statistics are collected using the Public Libraries Survey and disseminated annually through the Federal State Cooperative System for public library data ( FSCS). Descriptive statistics are produced for nearly 9,000 public libraries. The Public Libraries Survey includes information about staffing; operating income and expenditures; type of governance; type of administrative structure; size of collection; and service measures such as reference transactions, public service hours, interlibrary loans, circulation, and library visits. In FSCS, respondents supply the information electronically, and data are edited and tabulated in machine readable form. The respondents are 8,921 public libraries identified in the 50 states and the District of Columbia by state library agencies. At the state level, FSCS is administered by State Data Coordinators, appointed by the Chief Officer of each State Library Agency. The State Data Coordinator collects the requested data from local public libraries and submits these data to NCES. An annual training conference sponsored by NCES is provided for the State Data Coordinators. A steering committee representing State Data Coordinators and other public library constituents is active in the development of FSCS data elements and software Technical assistance to states is provided by phone and in person by the FSCS steering committee and by NCES staff and contractors. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have submitted data which are available for individual public libraries and are also aggregated to state and national levels. Since 1990, data have been collected electronically The most recent software is called DECPLUS. It includes identifying information on all known public libraries and their outlets, some state libraries, and some library systems and cooperatives. Beginning in 1994, this resource will be available for drawing samples for special surveys on such topics as literacy, access for the disabled, and library construction. Under the Academic Libraries Survey ( ALS), NCES surveyed academic libraries on a 3 year cycle between 1966 and 1988. Since 1988, ALS has been a component of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System and is on a 2 year cycle. ALS provides data on about 3,500 academic libraries. In aggregate, these data provide an overview of the status of academic libraries nationally and statewide. The survey collects data on the libraries in the entire universe of accredited higher education institutions and on the libraries in nonaccredited institutions with a program of 4 years or more. ALS produces descriptive statistics on academic libraries in postsecondary institutions in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas. The School Library Statistics Survey collected data on school libraries/ media centers in 1990   91 and 1993   94. This survey asked questions on libraries in public and private schools as part of the Schools and Staffing Survey ( SASS). These questionnaires were revised and a sample survey of about 7,600 schools was conducted during school year 1993   94. The library components of the 1990   91 SASS include: number of students served and number of professional staff and aides; at the district level, number of full time equivalent librarians/ media specialists, vacant positions, positions abolished, and approved positions and amount of librarian input in establishing curriculum. The 1993   94 survey was much more extensive and added questions concerning media centers and collections of libraries. Additional information on these academic and school library studies is available from:

Jeff Williams Elementary/ Secondary and Library Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Jeffrey l Williams@ ed. gov National Adult Literacy Survey The National Adult Literacy Survey was created as a new measure of literacy and funded by the Depart 496 GUIDE TO SOURCES ment of Education and by 12 states. It is the third and largest assessment of adult literacy funded by the federal government. The aim of the survey is to profile the English literacy of adults in the United States based on their performance across a wide array of tasks that reflect the types of materials and demands they encounter in their daily lives. To gather the information on adults' literacy skills, trained staff interviewed nearly 13,600 individuals aged 16 and older during the first 8 months of 1992. These participants had been randomly selected to represent the adult population in the country as a whole. Black and Hispanic households were oversampled to ensure reliable estimates of literacy proficiencies and to permit analyses of the performance of these subpopulations. In addition, some 1,100 inmates from 80 federal and state prisons were interviewed to gather information on the proficiencies of the prison population. In total, over 26,000 adults were surveyed. Each survey participant was asked to spend approximately an hour responding to a series of diverse literacy tasks as well as questions about his or her demographic characteristics, educational background reading practices, and other areas related to literacy. Based on their responses to the survey tasks, adults received proficiency scores along three scales which reflect varying degrees of skill in prose, document and quantitative literacy. The results of the survey were published in a report, Adult Literacy in America, in September 1993. Further information on the National Adult Literacy Survey may be obtained from:

Sheida White Assessment Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5653 Sheida l White@ ed. gov National Assessment of Educational Progress The National Assessment of Educational Progress ( NAEP) is a series of cross sectional studies designed and initially implemented in 1969. NAEP has gathered information about selected levels of educational achievement across the country. NAEP has surveyed the educational attainments by age and grade ( 9, 13, and 17 year olds, and 4th, 8th, and 12th graders), and young adults ( ages 25 to 35), in 10 learning areas. NAEP administers two different types of tests. The NAEP long term trend assessments are separate from a series of newer NAEP assessments ( called `` main assessments'') that involve more recently developed instruments. Long term trend assessments use the same sets of questions and tasks to measure trends across time, while main assessments reflect current educational content and assessment methodology. The assessment data presented in this publication were derived from tests designed and conducted by the Education Commission of the States ( 1969   1983) and by the Educational Testing Service ( 1983 to present). Three stage probability samples have been used. The primary sampling units have been stratified by region and, within region, by state, size of community, and, for the two smaller sizes of community strata, by socioeconomic level. The first stage of sampling entails defining and selecting primary sampling units ( PSUs). For each age/ grade level ( grades 4, 8, and 12) the second stage entails enumerating stratifying, and randomly selecting schools, both public and private, within each PSU selected at the first stage. The third stage involves randomly selecting students within a school for participation in NAEP. Assessment exercises have been administered either to individuals or to small groups of students by specially trained personnel. Sample sizes for the reading proficiency portion of the 1995   96 NAEP long term trends study were: 5,019 for the 9 year olds, 5,493 for the 13 year olds, and 4,669 for the 17 year olds. Response rates were 96 percent, 92 percent, and 84 percent, respectively. Response rates for earlier years ( 1970   71, 1974   75, and 1979   80) were generally lower. For example, the lowest response rate for the 9 year olds was 88 percent in 1974   75, and the lowest response rate overall was 70 percent for the 17 year olds in 1974   75. Sample sizes in math and science portions of the 1995   96 long term trends were: 5,414 9 year olds, 5,658 13 year olds, and 3,539 17 year olds. Response rates were 95, 93, and 84 percent, respectively Assessments focusing on particular subject areas are conducted separately from long term assessments The 1993   94 U. S. history data in this report are based on a nationally representative sample of 5,499 4th graders, 8,767 8th graders, and 7,818 12th graders. The response rates were: 90 percent for 4th graders, 90 percent for 8th graders, and 89 percent for 12th graders. The 1991   92 writing assessment was administered to 7,166 4th graders, 11,112 8th graders, and 11,532 12th graders. Student response rates for the 1992   93 writing assessment were 93 percent for the 4thgraders 89 percent for the 8th graders, and 81 percent for the 12th graders. Sample sizes varied depending on the test items and the scoring method used. In 1995   96, a science assessment was administered to 7,305 4th graders, 7,774 8th graders, and 7,537 12th graders. The response rates were 94 per 497 GUIDE TO SOURCES cent for the 4th graders, 94 percent for the 8th graders and 93 percent for the 12th graders. The 1993   94 geography assessment was administered to 5,507 4th graders, 6,878 8th graders, and 6,234 12th graders. The response rates for the assessment were 93 percent for the 4th graders, 93 percent for the 8th graders, and 90 percent for the 12th graders. In 1990, representative state level data were produced for mathematics at the 8th grade level. This was the first time NAEP had produced data on a state by state level. In 1996, state level assessments were conducted in 4th and 8th grade mathematics and 8th grade science. Information from NAEP is subject to both nonsampling and sampling error. Two possible sources of nonsampling error are nonparticipation and instrumentation Certain populations have been oversampled to assure samples of sufficient size for analysis. Instrumentation nonsampling error could result from failure of the test instruments to measure what is being taught and, in turn, what is being learned by the students. For further information on NAEP, contact:

Peggy Carr Assessment Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5653 Peggy l Carr@ ed. gov National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 ( NELS: 88) is the third major longitudinal study sponsored by the National Center for Education Statistics. The two studies that preceded NELS: 88, the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 ( NLS   72) and High School and Beyond ( HS& B) in 1980, surveyed high school seniors ( and sophomores in HS& B) through high school, postsecondary education, and work and family formation experiences Unlike its predecessors, NELS: 88 begins with a cohort of 8th grade students. In 1988, some 25,000 8th graders, their parents, their teachers, and their school principals were surveyed. Follow ups were conducted in 1990, 1992, and 1994, when a majority of these students were in 10th and 12th grades, and then 2 years after their scheduled high school graduation A fourth follow up is planned for the year 2000. NELS: 88 is designed to provide trend data about critical transitions experienced by young people as they develop, attend school, and embark on their careers It complements and strengthens state and local efforts by furnishing new information on how school policies, teacher practices, and family involvement affect student educational outcomes ( i. e., academic achievement, persistence in school, and participation in postsecondary education). For the base year, NELS: 88 included a multifaceted student questionnaire four cognitive tests, a parent questionnaire, a teacher questionnaire, and a school questionnaire. In 1990, when the students were in 10th grade, the students, school dropouts, their teachers, and their school principals were surveyed. The 1988 survey of parents was not a part of the 1990 follow up. In 1992, when the students were in 12th grade, the second follow up conducted surveys of students, dropouts, parents, teachers, and school principals. Also, information on the students' transcripts, the schools' course offerings, and enrollments were collected and there was a school effects survey. Tables A3 and A4 present the respondent counts and design effects of NELS: 88 and the 1990 and 1992 follow ups. Further information about the NELS: 88 survey can be obtained from:

Jeffrey A. Owings Elementary/ Secondary and Library Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Jeffrey l Owings@ ed. gov National Household Education Survey The National Household Education Survey ( NHES) is a data collection system that is designed to address a wide range of education related issues. Surveys were conducted in 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1996. The NHES targets specific populations for detailed data collection. It is intended to provide more detailed data on the topics and populations of interest than are collected through supplements to other household surveys. The topics addressed by the NHES: 91 were early childhood education and adult education. About 60,000 households were screened for the NHES: 91. In the Early Childhood Education component, about 14,000 parents/ guardians of 3 to 8 year olds completed interviews about their children's early educational experiences. Included in this component were participation in nonparental care/ education, care arrangements and school, and family, household and child characteristics. In the NHES: 91 Adult Education component, about 9,800 persons 16 years of age and older, identified as having participated in an adult education activity in the previous 12 months, were questioned about their activities. Data were collected on programs and up to four courses, including the subject matter duration, sponsorship, purpose, and cost. Information on the household and the 498 GUIDE TO SOURCES adult's background and current employment also was collected. In the NHES: 95 survey, 23,969 adults were sampled for the adult education component and 80 percent ( 19,722) completed the interview. In the NHES: 93, nearly 64,000 households were screened. Approximately 11,000 parents of 3 to 7 year olds completed interviews for the School Readiness component. Topics included were the developmental characteristics of preschoolers, school adjustment and teacher feedback to parents for kindergartners and primary students, center based program participation, early school experiences, home activities with family members, and health status. In the School Safety and Discipline component, about 12,700 parents of children in grades 3 through 12, and about 6,500 youth in grades 6 through 12, were interviewed about their school experiences. Topics included the school learning environment, discipline policy, safety at school, victimization, the availability and use of alcohol/ drugs, and alcohol/ drug education Peer norms for behavior in school and substance use were also included in this topical component Extensive family and household background information was collected, as well as characteristics of the school attended by the child. In the NHES: 95 survey, the Early Childhood Program participation component and the Adult Education component were similar to those in 1991. In the Early Childhood component, about 14,000 parents of children from birth to third grade were interviewed For the Adult Education component, about 19,500 civilian adults were interviewed. In the spring of 1996, Parent and Family Involvement in education and Civic Involvement were covered For the Parent and Family Involvement component nearly 21,000 parents of children grades 3 to 12 were interviewed. For the Civic Involvement component about 8,000 youth grades 6 to 12, about 9,000 parents, and about 2,000 adults were interviewed The 1996 survey also addressed public library use. Adults in almost 55,000 households were interviewed to support state level estimates of household public library use. For more information contact:

Kathryn Chandler Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Kathryn l Chandler@ ed. gov National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 The National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 ( NLS   72) began with the collection of base year survey data from a sample of about 19,000 high school seniors in the spring of 1972. Five more follow up surveys of these students were conducted in 1973, 1974, 1976, 1979, and 1986. The NLS   72 was designed to provide the education community with information on the transitions of young adults from high school through postsecondary education and the workplace. The sample design for the NLS   72 was a stratified two stage probability sample of students from all schools, public and private, in the 50 states and the District of Columbia with a 12th grade enrollment during the 1971   72 school year. During the first stage of sampling, about 1,070 schools were selected for participation in the base year survey. As many as 18 students were selected at random from each of the sample schools. The size of both the school and student samples were increased during the first follow up survey. Beginning with the first follow up and continuing through the fourth follow up, about 1,300 schools participated in the survey and slightly under 23,500 students were sampled. The response rates for each of the different rounds of data collection have been 80 percent or higher. Sample retention rates across the survey years have been quite high. For example, of the individuals responding to the base year questionnaire, the percentages who responded to the first, second, third, and fourth follow up questionnaires were about 94, 93, 89, and 83 percent, respectively. Further information may be obtained from:

Aurora M. D'Amico Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Aurora l D'Amico@ ed. gov National Postsecondary Student Aid Study The National Postsecondary Student Aid Study ( NPSAS) is a comprehensive nationwide study of how students and their families pay for postsecondary education. It covers national representative samples of undergraduates, graduates, and first professional students; students attending less than 2 year institutions, 2 to 3 year schools, 4 year colleges, and major universities. Participants included students who do not receive aid and their parents as well as students who do receive financial aid and their parents. Study results are used to help determine future federal policy regarding student financial aid. The study was conducted every 3 years. Beginning in 1999   2000, the survey will be conducted every 4 years. The first NPSAS was conducted during the 1986   87 school year. Data were gathered from about 1,074 colleges, universities, and other postsecondary 499 GUIDE TO SOURCES institutions; 60,000 students; and 14,000 parents. These data provided information on the cost of postsecondary education, the distribution of financial aid, and the characteristics of both aided and nonaided students and their families. As a part of the 1992   93 NPSAS, information on 77,000 undergraduates and graduate students enrolled during the school year was collected at 1,000 postsecondary institutions. The sample included students enrolled at any time between July 1, 1992, and June 30, 1993. About 66,000 students and a subsample of their parents were interviewed by telephone The 1996 NPSAS contains information on more than 48,000 undergraduate and graduate students from 973 postsecondary institutions. Students were enrolled at any time during the 1995   96 school year. Further information may be obtained from:

Andrew G. Malizio Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Andrew l Malizio@ ed. gov National Study of Postsecondary Faculty This study is in response to a continuing need for data on faculty and instructors persons who directly affect the quality of education in postsecondary institutions They often determine curriculum content, student performance standards, and the quality of students preparation for careers. Faculty members perform important research and development work and perform public service activities. The National Study of Postsecondary Faculty ( NSOPF) was designed to provide data about faculty to postsecondary researchers planners, and policymakers. NSOPF is the most comprehensive study of faculty in postsecondary educational institutions ever undertaken. The first cycle of NSOPF was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics ( NCES) with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities ( NEH) in 1987   88 ( NSOPF: 88) with a sample of 480 colleges and universities, over 3,000 department chairpersons, and over 11,000 instructional faculty. The second cycle of NSOPF was conducted by NCES with support from NEH and the National Science Foundation ( NSF) in 1992   93 ( NSOPF: 93). NSOPF: 93 was limited to surveys of institutions and faculty, but with a substantially expanded sample of 974 colleges and universities, and 31,354 faculty and instructional staff. Further information may be obtained from:

Linda J. Zimbler Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Linda l Zimbler@ ed. gov Projections of Education Statistics Since 1964, NCES has published projections of key statistics for elementary and secondary schools and institutions of higher education. These projections include statistics such as enrollments, instructional staff, graduates, earned degrees, and expenditures The Projections reports include several alternative projection series and a methodology section describing the techniques and assumptions used to prepare them. Data in this edition of the Digest reflect the middle alternative projection series. Differences between the reported and projected values are, of course, almost inevitable. An evaluation of past projections revealed that, at the elementary and secondary level, projections of enrollments have been quite accurate: mean absolute percentage differences for enrollment were less than 1 percent for projections from 1 to 5 years in the future, while those for teachers were less than 4 percent. At the higher education level, projections of enrollment have been fairly accurate: mean absolute percentage differences were 5 percent or less for projections from 1 to 5 years into the future. For further information about projection methodology and accuracy, contact:

Debra E. Gerald Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5654 Debra l Gerald@ ed. gov Survey of Recent College Graduates Since 1976, NCES has conducted six surveys of baccalaureate and master's degree recipients 1 year after graduation. The Recent College Graduates ( RCG) surveys have concentrated on those graduates entering the teaching profession. The surveys link major field of study with outcomes such as whether the respondent entered the labor force or was seeking additional education. Data on labor force includes employment status ( unemployed, parttime or full time employed), occupation, salary, career potential, relation to major field of study, and need for a college degree. To obtain accurate results 500 GUIDE TO SOURCES on teachers, graduates with a major in education were oversampled. The latest two surveys continued to oversample education majors, but increased the sampling of graduates with majors in other fields. The survey involved a two stage sampling procedure First, the universe of institutions awarding bachelor's and master's degrees was stratified by number or percentage of degrees awarded to education graduates and by control of institution ( public or private). A sample of institutions within each stratum was then selected. Second, for each of the selected institutions, a list of their graduates by major field of study was obtained and a sample of graduates was drawn by major field of study. Graduates in certain major fields of study ( e. g., education, mathematics physical sciences) were sampled at higher rates than graduates in other fields. Roughly one year after graduation, the sample of graduates was located, contacted by mail or telephone, and asked to respond to the questionnaire. The locating process was more detailed than in most surveys. Nonresponse rates were directly related to the time, effort, and resources used in locating graduates, rather than to graduates' refusals to participate Despite the difficulties in locating graduates, response rates for recent studies are comparable to studies without locating problems. The 1976 survey of 1974   75 college graduates was the first and smallest of the series. The sample consisted of 211 schools, of which 200 ( 96 percent) responded. Of the 5,854 graduates in the sample, 4,350 responded, for a response rate of 79 percent. The 1981 survey was somewhat larger, with a coverage of 297 institutions and 15,852 graduates. Responses were obtained from 283 institutions, for an institutional response rate of 95 percent, and from 9,312 graduates ( 716 others were determined to be out of scope), for a response rate of 74 percent. The 1985 survey sampled 404 colleges and 18,738 graduates of whom 17,853 were found to be in scope. Responses were obtained from 13,200 students for a response rate of 78 percent. The response rate for the colleges was 98 percent. The 1987 survey form was sent to 21,957 graduates. Responses were received from 16,878, for a response rate of 79.7 percent. The 1991 RCG study involved a sample of 18,135 graduates of 400 bachelor's and master's degreegranting institutions. The 18,135 graduates consisted of 16,172 bachelor's degrees recipients and 1,963 master's degree recipients between July 1, 1989, and June 30, 1990. Random samples of graduates were selected from lists stratified by field of study. Graduates in education, mathematics, and the physical sciences were sampled at a higher rate, as were minority graduates to provide a sufficient number of these graduates for analysis purposes. The graduates included in the sample were selected in proportion to the institution's number of graduates. The institutional response rate was 95 percent and the graduate response rate was 83 percent. Table A5 contains sample sizes for number of graduates, by field, for the 1976, 1981, 1985, 1987, and 1991 surveys. This survey system has been replaced by a new data collection entitled Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study. Further information on the RCG survey may be obtained from:

Peter Stowe Postsecondary Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5652 Peter l Stowe@ ed. gov Public School Principal Survey on Safe, Disciplined, and Drug Free Schools This sample survey used the NCES Fast Response Survey System ( FRSS), which is designed to gather timely information for policymakers. The survey was conducted in 1991 by Westat, Inc. A national sample of 830 public school principals, represented by a response rate of 94 percent, answered questions regarding the extent of discipline problems within their schools. They were also questioned about the nature and effectiveness of their schools' current policies and drug education programs. This survey categorized principals by instructional level ( elementary, secondary), type of school location ( city, urban fringe, town, rural), enrollment size ( less than 300, 300 to 999, 1,000 or more), region ( Northeast Central, Southeast, and West), and percentage of students receiving free or reduced price lunches ( 10 percent or less, 11 to 40 percent, 41 percent or more). For more information about this survey contact:

Bernie Greene Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Bernard l Greene@ ed. gov Public School Kindergarten Teachers' Views on Children's Readiness for School This sample survey of 1,448 public school kindergarten teachers was conducted as part of a national early childhood assessment system for National Education Goal One: `` By the year 2000, all American children will start school ready to learn.'' The survey obtained data on kindergarten teachers' views of chil 501 GUIDE TO SOURCES dren's readiness and on the teacher's classroom practices. For more information about this survey contact:

Bernie Greene Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Bernard l Greene@ ed. gov Advanced Telecommunications in U. S. Public Elementary and Secondary Schools, 1997 Current information regarding the availability and use of telecommunications, and in particular, access to the Internet, was requested by this sample survey. The data were gathered from a nationally representative sample of public elementary and secondary schools in fall 1997. The survey was commissioned in response to the National Information Infrastructure ( NII) set forth by the President to encourage an acceleration of the goal to connect all of the nation's school classrooms, as well as libraries, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies, to the `` Information Superhighway.'' For more information about this survey contact:

Bernie Greene Early Childhood, International and Crosscutting Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Bernard l Greene@ ed. gov Schools and Staffing Survey The Schools and Staffing Survey ( SASS) is a set of linked questionnaires that covers public school districts public and private schools, principals, and teachers as its core components. SASS was first conducted for the National Center for Education Statistics by the U. S. Bureau of the Census during the 1987   88 school year. SASS subsequently was conducted in 1990   91 and in 1993   94. The next SASS is scheduled for school year 1999   2000. SASS is a mailed questionnaire with telephone follow up that collects data on the nation's public and private elementary and secondary teaching force, characteristics of schools and school principals, demand for teachers, and school/ school district policies. The 1990   91 and 1993   94 SASS also collected data on Bureau of Indian Affairs ( BIA) schools. The SASS data are collected through a sample survey of schools, the school districts associated with sampled schools, school principals, and teachers. The 1993   94 SASS expanded as well to cover school libraries and librarians, and field tested an administrative student records questionnaire. The 1993   94 SASS estimates are based upon a sample consisting of approximately 9,900 public schools, 3,300 private schools, and 5,500 public school districts associated with the public schools in the sample. From these schools, about 57,000 public school teachers and 11,500 private school teachers were selected for the 1993   94 SASS teacher survey. The public school sample for the 1993   94 SASS was based upon the 1991   92 school year Common Core of Data ( CCD), the compilation of all the nation's public school districts and public schools. CCD is collected annually from state education agencies. The frame includes regular public schools, Department of Defense operated military base schools in the United States, and nonregular schools such as special education, vocational, and alternative schools. SASS is designed to provide national estimates for public and private school characteristics and state estimates for school districts, public schools, principals, and teachers. The teacher survey is designed as well to allow comparisons between new and experienced teachers, and between bilingual ESL teachers and other teachers. The private school sample for the 1993   94 SASS was selected from the 1991   92 Private School Universe Survey ( PSS), supplemented with list updates from states and some associations available in time for sample selection. PSS collects basic data on all of the nation's private schools from two sources: the list frame and the area search frame. The list frame was compiled from a set of private school associations that provide NCES with their membership lists and states that gather lists of private schools. The area search frame consisted of schools not included on the list frame that were compiled from local sources in a sample of counties around the United States. Private school estimates are available at the national level and by type of private school. The Teacher Demand and Shortage ( school district and School Principal Questionnaires were mailed out first in October 1993, along with School Library/ Media Center and Library Media Specialist/ Librarian Questionnaires. The weighted response rate for the Teacher Demand and Shortage Questionnaire was 93.9 percent. Weighted response rates for the Public School Principal Questionnaire and the Private School Questionnaire were 96.6 percent and 87.6 percent, respectively. In December 1993, public, private, and BIA school questionnaires were mailed out. The public, private, and BIA teacher questionnaires were sent out in several batches, between mid December 1993 and early February 1994. Weighted response rates for the Public School Questionnaire and the Private School Questionnaire were 92.3 percent and 83.2 percent, 502 GUIDE TO SOURCES respectively. Five percent of public schools and 9 percent of private schools did not provide a list of teachers in their schools and were thus ineligible for sampling. Weighted response rates were 88.2 percent for public school teachers and 80.2 percent for private school teachers. Item response rates were varied, but generally high, ranging from 67 to 100 percent for the TDS, 65 to 100 percent for public school principal questions, 55 to100 percent for private school principal items, 83 to 100 percent for public school items, 61 to 100 percent for private school survey items, 71 to 100 percent for public school teacher items, and 69 to 100 percent for private school teacher items. Public use and restricted use microdata files are available on CD ROM. Summary data from the 1993   94 SASS can be found in Schools and Staffing in the United States: Selected Data for Public and Private Schools, 1993   94 ( NCES 95   191). More detailed results from the 1993   94 SASS are published in Schools and Staffing in the United States: A Statistical Profile, 1993   94 ( NCES 96   124). Data by state are available in SASS by State   1993   94 Schools and Staffing Survey Selected State Results ( NCES 96   312). Further information about the sample may be obtained from 1993   94 Schools and Staffing Survey: Sample Design and Estimation ( NCES 96   086). Data from previous SASS collections are published in the 1987   88 and 1990   91 Profile reports ( NCES 92   127 and 93   146, respectively), as well as the 1987   88 and 1990   91 versions of the sample design report ( NCES 91   127 and 93   449, respectively). For more information about this survey or to order reports, contact:

Kerry Gruber Elementary/ Secondary and Library Studies Division National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5651 Kerry l Gruber@ ed. gov The Third International Mathematics and Science Study The Third International Mathematics and Science Study ( TIMSS) is the largest, most comprehensive, and most rigorous international comparison of education ever undertaken. During the 1995 school year, the study tested the mathematics and science knowledge of half a million students from 41 nations at 5 different grade levels. At the same time, the students their teachers, and the principals of their schools were asked to respond to questionnaires about their backgrounds and their attitudes, experiences and practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics and science. TIMSS is a collaborative research project sponsored by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement ( IEA). The TIMSS International Study Center is housed in the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy ( CSTEEP) at Boston College. The TIMSS International Study Director, Albert E. Beaton, directs the international activities of the study, together with his staff at the International Study Center. To contact the TIMSS International Study Center:

Dr. Albert Beaton TIMSS International Study Director CSTEEP, Campion Hall 323 Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA 02167 Office for Civil Rights Civil Rights Survey of Elementary and Secondary Schools The Office for Civil Rights ( OCR), U. S. Department of Education, conducts biennial surveys of public school districts and of schools within those districts. Data are obtained on the characteristics of pupils enrolled in public schools throughout the nation. Such information is required under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to enable OCR to carry out its compliance responsibilities. The 1990 survey included the 100 largest public school districts, those of special interest ( i. e., court order, compliance review), and a stratified random sample of approximately 3,500 districts representing approximately 40,000 schools. School, district, and national data are currently available Further information is available from:

Peter McCabe Office for Civil Rights U. S. Department of Education 330 C Street SW Washington, DC 20202 The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of the Education of the Handicapped Act The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ( IDEA), formerly the Education of the Handicapped Act ( EHA), requires the Secretary of Education to transmit to Congress annually a report describing the progress in serving the nation's handicapped children The annual report contains information on children served by the public schools under the provi 503 GUIDE TO SOURCES sions of Part B of the IDEA and for children served in state operated programs ( SOP) for the handicapped under Chapter I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ( ESEA). Statistics on children receiving special education and related services in various settings and school personnel providing such services are reported in an annual submission of data to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services ( OSERS), by the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the outlying areas. The child count information is based on the number of handicapped children receiving special education and related services on December 1st of each year. Since each participant in programs for the handicapped is reported to OSERS, the data are not subject to sampling error. However, nonsampling error can occur from a variety of sources. Some states follow a noncategorical approach to the delivery of special education services, but produce counts by handicapping condition because EHA   B requires it. In those states that do categorize their handicapped students, definitions and labeling practices vary. Further information on the Annual Report to Congress may be obtained from:

Office of Special Education Programs Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 330 C Street SW Washington, DC 20202 National Longitudinal Transition Study of Special Education Students As part of the 1983 amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act ( EHA), Congress requested that the U. S. Department of Education conduct a national longitudinal study of the transition of secondary special education students to determine how they fare in terms of education, employment, and independent living. A 5 year study was mandated, which was to include youth from ages 13 to 21 who were in special education at the time they were selected and who represented all 11 federal disability categories Data were drawn from extensive telephone interviews with parents, from school records, and from a survey of educators in secondary schools attended by youth in the study. The study was conducted by SRI International and began in April, 1987. The National Transition Study involves a nationally representative sample of more than 8,000 secondary age youth with disabilities. A sample of 450 school districts was randomly selected from the universe of approximately 14,000 school districts serving secondary special education students An additional replacement sample of 176 additional districts was selected due to a low rate of agreement to participate from the initial group of districts Participation in the study was invited from the approximately 80 special schools serving secondaryage deaf, blind, and deaf blind schools. A total of approximately 300 school districts and 25 special schools agreed to have youth selected for the study. For further information about this study, contact:

Office of Special Education Programs Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 330 C Street SW Washington, DC 20202 Other Governmental Agencies U. S. Bureau of the Census Current Population Survey Current estimates of school enrollment rates, as well as social and economic characteristics of students are based on data collected in the Census Bureau's monthly household survey of about 60,000 households. The monthly Current Population Survey ( CPS) sample consists of 729 areas comprising 1,973 counties, independent cities, and minor civil divisions throughout the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The samples are initially selected based on the decennial census files and are periodically updated to reflect new housing construction. The monthly CPS deals primarily with labor force data for the civilian noninstitutional population ( i. e., excluding military personnel and their families living on post and inmates of institutions). In addition, in October of each year, supplemental questions are asked about highest grade completed, level and grade of current enrollment, attendance status, number and type of courses, degree or certificate objective and type of organization offering instruction for each member of the household. In March of each year, supplemental questions on income are asked. The responses to these questions are combined with answers to two questions on educational attainment: highest grade of school ever attended, and whether that grade was completed. The estimation procedure employed for the monthly CPS data involves inflating weighted sample results to independent estimates of characteristics of the civilian noninstitutional population in the United States by age, sex, and race. These independent estimates are based on statistics from decennial censuses statistics on births, deaths, immigration, and emigration; and statistics on the population in the armed services. Generalized standard error tables are provided in the Current Population Reports. The data are subject to both nonsampling and sampling errors. 504 GUIDE TO SOURCES Further information is available in the Current Population Reports, Series P   20, or by contacting:

Education and Social Stratification Branch Population Division Bureau of the Census U. S. Department of Commerce Washington, DC 20233 School Enrollment Each October, the Current Population Survey ( CPS) includes supplemental questions on the enrollment status of the population 3 years old and over, in addition to the monthly basic survey on labor force participation. The main sources of nonsampling variability in the responses to the supplement are those inherent in the survey instrument. The question of current enrollment may not be answered accurately for various reasons. Some respondents may not know current grade information for every student in the household, a problem especially prevalent for households with members in college or in nursery school. Confusion over college credits or hours taken by a student may make it difficult to determine the year in which the student is enrolled. Problems may occur with the definition of nursery school ( a group or class organized to provide educational experiences for children), where respondents' interpretations of `` educational experiences'' vary. The 1997 CPS sample was selected from the 1990 Decennial Census files with coverage in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sample is continually updated to account for new residential construction The United States was divided into 2,007 geographic areas. In most states, a geographic area consisted of a county or several contiguous counties. In some areas of New England and Hawaii, minor civil divisions are used instead of counties. A total of 754 geographic areas were selected for sample. About 50,000 occupied households are eligible for interview every month. Interviewers are unable to obtain interviews at about 3,200 of these units. This occurs when the occupants are not found at home after repeated calls or are unavailable for some other reason For the October 1997 basic CPS, the nonresponse rate was 6.3 percent and for the school enrollment supplement the nonresponse rate was an additional 4.7 percent for a total supplement nonresponse rate of 10.7 percent. Examples of sampling variability in the estimates of school enrollment rates are given in table A6. Further information on the CPS survey may be obtained from:

http:// www. bls. census. gov/ cps/ cpsmain. htm Questions concerning the CPS `` School Enrollment survey may be directed to:

Education and Social Stratification Branch Population Division Bureau of the Census U. S. Department of Commerce Washington, DC 20233 Educational Attainment Data on years of school completed are derived from two questions on the Current Population Survey ( CPS) instrument. Formal reports documenting educational attainment are produced by the U. S. Bureau of the Census using March CPS results. The latest report is Educational Attainment in the United States, March 1994 and 1993, Series P   20, No. 476, which is available from the Government Printing Office. In addition to the general constraints of the CPS, some data indicate that the respondents have a tendency to overestimate the educational level of members of their household. Some inaccuracy is due to a lack of the respondent's knowledge of the exact educational attainment of each household member and the hesitancy to acknowledge anything less than a high school education. Another cause of nonsampling variability is the change in the numbers in the armed services over the years. Caution should also be used when comparing newer data, which reflect 1990 census based population controls, with data from March 1993 and earlier years, which reflect 1980 or earlier census based population controls. This change in population controls had relatively little impact on summary measures such as means, medians, and percentage distributions It did have a significant impact on levels. For example, use of 1990 based population controls results in about a 1 percent increase in the civilian noninstitutional population and in the number of families and households. Thus, estimates of levels for data collected in 1994 and later years will differ from those for earlier years by more than what could be attributed to actual changes in the population. These differences could be disproportionately greater for certain subpopulation groups than for the total population Examples of the sampling variability in the estimates of educational attainment are given in table A7. For the March 1997 basic CPS, the nonresponse rate was 7.2 percent and for the suppplement the nonresponse rate was an additional 9.2 percent for a total supplement nonresponse rate of 15.7 percent. The figures shown in the table hold for total or white population estimates only. The variability in estimates for subgroups ( region, household relationships etc.) can be estimated using the tables pre 505 GUIDE TO SOURCES sented in Current Population Reports. Further information on the Current Population Survey may be obtained from the CPS web site at:

http:// www. bls. census. gov/ cps/ cpsmain. htm Questions concerning `` Educational Attainment in the United States'' may be directed to:

Education and Social Stratification Branch Population Division Bureau of the Census U. S. Department of Commerce Washington, DC 20233 Government Finances The Census Bureau conducts an annual survey of Government Finances as authorized by law under Title 13, United States Code, Section 182. This survey covers the entire range of government finance activities: revenue, expenditure, debt, and assets. Revenues and expenditures comprise actual receipts and payments of a government and its agencies, including government operated enterprises, utilities, and public trust funds. The expenditure reporting categories comprise all amounts of money paid out by a government and its agencies with the exception of amounts for debt retirement and for loan, investment, agency, and private trust transactions. Most of the federal government statistics are based on figures that appear in The Budget of the United States Government. Since the classification used by the Census Bureau for reporting state and local government finance statistics differs in a number of important respects from the classification used in the United States Budget, it was necessary to adjust the federal data. For this report, federal budget expenditures include interest accrued, but not paid, during the fiscal year; Census data on interest are on a disbursement basis. The state government finances are based primarily on the annual Census Bureau survey of state finances Census staff compiled figures from official records and reports of the various states for most of the state financial data. The sample of local governments is drawn from the periodic Census of Governments and consists of certain local governments taken with certainty plus a sample below the certainty level. The statistics in Governmental Finances that are based wholly or partly on data from the sample are subject to sampling error. State government finance data are not subject to sampling error. Estimates of major United States totals for local governments are subject to a computed sampling variability of less than one half of 1 percent. The estimates are also subject to the inaccuracies in classification, response and processing which would occur if a complete census had been conducted under the same conditions as the sample. Further information can be obtained from:

Governments Division Bureau of the Census U. S. Department of Commerce Washington, DC 20233 1990 Census of Population   Education in the United States This report is based on a part of the decennial census which consists of questions asked of a 1 in 6 sample of persons and housing units in the United States. This sample was asked more detailed questions about income, occupation and housing costs in addition to general demographic information.

School Enrollment Persons classified as enrolled in school reported attending a `` regular'' public or private school or college at any time between February 1, 1990 and the time listed. Questions asked were whether the institution attended was public or private, and level of school in which the student was enrolled.

Educational Attainment Data for educational attainment were tabulated for persons 15 years and over, and classified according to the highest grade completed or the highest degree received. Instructions were also given to include the level of the previous grade attended or the highest degree received for persons currently enrolled in school.

Poverty Status To determine poverty status, answers to income questions were used and compared to the appropriate poverty threshold. All persons except institutionalized persons, persons in military group quarters and in college dormitories, and unrelated persons under 15 years old were considered. If total income of each family or unrelated individual in the sample was less than the corresponding cutoff, that family or individual was classified as `` below the poverty level.'' Further information can be obtained from:

Education and Social Stratification Branch Population Division Bureau of the Census U. S. Department of Commerce Washington, DC 20233 National Institute on Drug Abuse The National Institute on Drug Abuse of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services is the primary supporter of the long term study entitled `` Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Life 506 GUIDE TO SOURCES styles and Values of Youth,'' conducted at the University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research. One component of the study deals with student drug abuse. Results of a national sample survey have been published annually since 1975. Approximately 125 to 135 schools have participated each year. With the exception of 1975 when about 9,400 students participated in the survey, the annual senior samples are comprised of roughly 17,000 students. They complete self administered questionnaires given to them in their classrooms by University of Michigan personnel. Beginning in 1991, similar surveys of nationally representative samples of 8th and 10thgrade students have been conducted annually. The 10th grade samples involve about 15,000 students in 125 schools each year, while the 8th grade samples have approximately 18,000 students in 160 schools. Over the years, the response rate has varied from 77 to 84 percent. Table A8 provides examples of the survey's sampling error. Understandably, there will be some reluctance to admit illegal activities. Also, students who were out of school on the day of the survey were nonrespondents The survey did not include high school dropouts The inclusion of these two groups would tend to increase the proportion of individuals who had used drugs. A 1983 study found that the inclusion of the absentees could increase some of the drug usage estimates by as much as 2.7 percentage points. ( Details on that study and its methodology were published in Drug Use Among American High School Students, College Students, and Other Young Adults, by Lloyd D. Johnston, Patrick M. O'Malley, and Jerald G. Bachman, available from the National Clearinghouse on Drug Abuse Information, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857.) Further information on this survey may be obtained from:

National Institute of Drug Abuse Division of Epidemiology and Statistical Analysis 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857 National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates Awarded in the United States The Survey of Earned Doctorates Awarded in the United States has collected basic statistics from the universe of doctoral recipients in the United States each year since 1958. It has been supported by five federal agencies: the National Science Foundation, in conjunction with the U. S. Department of Education; the National Endowment for the Humanities; the United States Department of Agriculture; and the National Institutes of Health. A survey form is distributed, with the assistance of graduate deans, to each person completing the requirements for a doctorate. Of the approximately 40,000 persons eligible for the survey, approximately 95 percent respond. The questionnaire obtains information on sex, race/ ethnicity, marital status, citizenship handicaps, dependents, specialty field of doctorate educational institutions attended, time spent in completion of doctorate, financial support, educational debt, postgraduation plans, and educational attainment of parents. The data are collected, edited, and published by the National Academy of Sciences. For further information contact:

Science and Engineering Education and Human Resources Program Division of Science Resources Studies National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22230 Federal Obligations to Universities, Colleges and Nonprofit Institutions Each year, the National Science Foundation collects data on obligations to colleges and universities from federal agencies. Obligations differ from expenditures in that funds obligated during one fiscal year may be spent by the recipient in later years. Obligation amounts include direct federal support, so that amounts subcontracted to other institutions are included. Those funds received through subcontracts from prime contractors are excluded. Also excluded from the data are certain types of financial assistance such as the U. S. Department of Education's Guaranteed Student Loan Program and obligations to the U. S. service academies. For purposes of tabulations in this publication, university administered federally funded research and development centers ( FFRDCs) have been included in appropriate state totals. The universe of academic institutions for this survey is based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics ( see above). Institutions without federal support were excluded and some systems were combined into single reporting units. Further information on this survey may be obtained from Federal Support to Universities, Colleges, and Nonprofit Institutions, published by the National Science Foundation, or by contacting:

Science and Engineering Activities Program Division of Science Resources Studies National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22230 507 GUIDE TO SOURCES Survey of Scientific and Engineering Expenditures at Universities and Colleges The National Science Foundation's annual academic survey collects data on research and development expenditures in the sciences and engineering from a sample of 459 institutions in the United States and outlying areas. Those institutions were selected from the universe of 595 schools that grant a graduate science or engineering degree and/ or perform activities for which at least $ 50,000 has been funded from separately budgeted R& D expenditures. In addition the survey includes 19 university affiliated, federally funded research and development centers ( FFRDCs). The 459 institutions sampled for FY 1991 include all doctorate granting institutions, all historically black colleges and universities with any R& D expenditures, and a random sample of all other institutions. The response rate was 97 percent. Data presented are assembled from the most recently completed survey and represent the latest totals available. Further information on this survey may be obtained from Academic Science/ Engineering, R& D Funds, published by the National Science Foundation, or by contacting:

Science and Engineering Activities Program Division of Science Resources Studies National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22230 Other Organization Sources American College Testing Program The American College Testing ( ACT) Assessment is designed to measure educational development in the areas of English, mathematics, social studies, and natural sciences. The ACT Assessment is taken by college bound high school students and the test results are used to predict how well students might perform in college. Prior to the 1984   85 school year, national norms were based on a 10 percent sample of the students taking the test. Since then, national norms are based on the test scores of all students taking the test. Moreover, beginning with 1984   85, these norms have been based on the most recent ACT scores available from students scheduled to graduate in the spring of the year. Duplicate test records are no longer used to produce national figures. Separate ACT standard scores are computed for English, mathematics, social studies, science reasoning and, as of October 1989, reading. ACT standard scores are reported for each subject area on a scale from 1 to 36. The four ACT standard scores have a mean ( average) of about 19 and a standard deviation of about 6 for college bound students nationally. A composite score is obtained by taking the simple average of the four standard scores and is an indication of a student's overall academic development across these subject areas. Beginning with the October 1989 test date, a new version of the ACT was introduced. It should be noted that college bound students who take the ACT Assessment are not representative of college bound students nationally. First, students who live in the Midwest, Rocky Mountains and Plains, and the South are overrepresented among ACT tested students as compared with collegebound students nationally. Second, ACT tested students tend to enroll in public colleges and universities more frequently than do college bound students nationally. For further information, contact:

The American College Testing Program 2201 North Dodge Street P. 0. Box 168 Iowa City, IA 52243 American Federation of Teachers The American Federation of Teachers ( AFT) has reported national and state average salaries and earnings for teachers, other school employees, government workers, and professional employees over the past 25 years. The AFT's survey of state departments of education obtains information on minimum salaries, experienced teachers reentering the classroom and teacher age and experience. Most data from the survey are reported as received, although some data are confirmed by telephone. These data are available in the AFT's annual report Survey and Analysis of Salary Trends. While this serves as the primary vehicle for reporting the results of the AFT's annual survey of state departments of education, several other data sources are also used in the report Further information on this survey can be obtained from:

American Federation of Teachers 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20001 College Entrance Examination Board The Admissions Testing Program of the College Board comprises a number of college admissions tests, including the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test ( PSAT) and the Scholastic Assessment Test ( SAT). High school students participate in the testing program as sophomores, juniors, or seniors   some more than once during these 3 years. If they have taken the tests more than once, only the most 508 GUIDE TO SOURCES recent scores are tabulated. The PSAT and SAT report subscores in the areas of mathematics and verbal ability. The SAT results are not representative of high school students or college bound students nationally since the sample is self selected. Generally, tests are taken by students who need the results to attend a particular college or university. The state totals are greatly affected by the requirements of its state colleges Public colleges in a number of states require ACT scores rather than SAT scores. Thus, the proportion of students taking the SAT in these states is very low and is inappropriate for any comparison. In recent years, more than 1 million high school students have taken the examination annually. Further information on the SAT can be obtained from:

College Entrance Examination Board Educational Testing Service Princeton, NJ 08541 Council for Aid to Education The Council for Aid to Education, Inc., ( CFAE) is a not for profit corporation funded by contributions from businesses. CFAE largely provides consulting and research services on voluntary support to corporations and information services to education institutions Each year CFAE conducts a survey of colleges and universities and private elementary and secondary schools to obtain information on the amounts, sources, and purposes of private gifts, grants, and bequests received during the academic year. In the 1991   92 study, survey forms were sent to approximately 2,900 colleges and universities and 1,280 responded. The response rates were much higher for the 4 year colleges than for the 2 year colleges For example, 89 percent of the doctoral level institutions and 55 percent of the comprehensive and general baccalaureate colleges participated in the survey, but only 12 percent of the 2 year colleges responded CFAE estimates that about 84 percent of all voluntary support is reported in the survey because of the high participation of institutions receiving large amounts of funding. Survey forms are reviewed by CFAE for internal consistency before preparing a computerized database. Institutional reports of voluntary support data from the CFAE `` Survey of Voluntary Support of Education'' are more comprehensive and detailed than the related data in the `` Financial Statistics of Institutions of Higher Education'' survey conducted by NCES. The results from the `` Survey of Voluntary Support of Education'' are published in the annual Voluntary Support of Education, which may be purchased from CFAE. Further information is available from:

Director of Research Council for Aid to Education, Inc. 51 Madison Avenue Suite 2200 New York, NY 10010 Council of Chief State School Officers The Council of Chief State School Officers ( CCSSO) is a nonprofit organization of the 57 public officials who head departments of public education in every state, the outlying areas, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools. In 1985, the CCSSO founded the State Education Assessment Center to provide a locus of leadership by the states to improve the monitoring and assessment of education. State Education Indicators 1993 is the principal report of the Assessment Center's program of indicators on education. Most of the data are obtained from a member questionnaire; the remainder of the data are obtained from federal government agencies. Information on mathematics education was taken from CCSSO, State Policies on Science and Mathematics Evaluation, 1992. For additional information, contact:

Edward Roeber State Education Assessment Center Council of Chief State School Officers One Massachusetts Avenue NW 7th Floor Washington, DC 20001 Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted The Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted is composed of the director or individual in the leadership position for gifted education in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the outlying areas. The Council has conducted many surveys in the past and most recently conducted two comprehensive state surveys in order to produce a profile of gifted education throughout the nation. These data are reported in the 1985, 1987, 1990, and 1994 `` State of the States Gifted and Talented Education'' reports. This edition of the Digest uses data from the 1995   96 school year. Further information is available from:

Michael Hall, Executive Director Council of State Directors of Programs for the Gifted c/ o Office of Public Instruction P. O Box 202501 Helena, MT 59620   2501 509 GUIDE TO SOURCES Education Commission of the States The Education Commission of the States ( ECS) Clearinghouse collects information on laws and standards in the field of education and reports them periodically in `` Clearinghouse Notes.'' The Commission collects information about administrators, principals and teachers. It also examines policy areas, such as assessment and testing, collective bargaining early childhood issues, quality education, and school schedules. The information is collected by reading state newsletters, tracking state legislation, and surveying state education agencies. Data are verified by the individual states when necessary. Even though ECS monitors state activity on a continuous basis, it updates the reports only when there is significant change in state activity. Further information is available from:

Shawni Arora Education Commission of the States 707 17th Street, Suite 2700 Denver, CO 80202   3427 Gallup Poll Each year the Gallup Poll conducts the `` Public Attitudes Toward the Public Schools'' survey, funded by Phi Delta Kappa. The survey includes interviews with adults representing the civilian noninstitutional population 18 years old and over. The sample used in the 27th annual survey was made up of a total of 1,311 respondents and is described as a modified probability sample of the nation Personal, in home interviewing was conducted in representative communities. The survey is a sample survey and is subject to sampling error. The size of error depends largely on the number of respondents providing data. Table A9 shows the approximate sampling errors associated with different percentages and sample sizes for the survey. Table A10 provides approximate sampling errors for comparisons of two sample percentages. For example, an estimated percentage of about 10 percent based on the responses of 1,000 sample members has an approximate sampling error of 2 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. The sampling error for the difference in 2 percentages ( 50 percent versus 41 percent) based on 2 samples of 750 members and 400 members, respectively, is about 8 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. Further information on this survey can be obtained from:

Neville Robertson Phi Delta Kappa P. O. Box 789 Bloomington, IN 47402   0789 Independent Sector The Independent Sector has commissioned the Gallup Poll to conduct a national survey on the giving and volunteering behavior of Americans. This survey is part of a series of surveys that will be conducted every 2 years. The 1991 information was obtained from in home personal interviews conducted from April 3 to May 17, 1992, with a representative national sample of 2,671 adult Americans 18 or more years old. The sampling procedure did not include those with incomes above $ 200,000 because they constitute such a small percentage of the population. The results from this survey are published in Giving and Volunteering in the United States and may be purchased from:

Independent Sector 1828 L Street NW Washington, DC 20036 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement ( IEA)

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, known as the IEA, is comprised of research centers and scholars from around the world whose aim is to investigate education problems common among countries. In 1988, the IEA General Assembly, composed of the research institutes participating in IEA projects, decided to undertake a study of reading literacy. The study held its first National Research Coordinator ( NRC) meeting in November 1988. The construction and pilot testing of instruments was conducted in the period from November 1988 to July 1990. The main testing took place in the period October 1990 to April 1991 depending on the school year in each country. Thirtytwo school systems were involved in the IEA Reading Literacy Study. Data were collected from 210,059 students, 10,518 teachers, and 9,073 schools. All students took reading tests for two sessions totaling 75 minutes at the 9 year old level and two sessions totaling 85 minutes at the 14 year old population. All students responded to a background questionnaire about their reading at home and at school. Teachers and school principals responded to questionnaires about themselves, their teaching and the school organization Each national center ( NCES was the center for the United States) completed a National Case Study Questionnaire. For more information, contact:

Marilyn Binkley, NRC USA National Center for Education Statistics 555 New Jersey Avenue NW Washington, DC 20208   5650 510 GUIDE TO SOURCES Institute of International Education Each year the Institute of International Education ( IIE) conducts a survey of the number of foreign students studying in American colleges and universities and reports these data in Open Doors. All of the regionally accredited institutions in the Education Directory Colleges and Universities published by NCES are surveyed by IIE. The data presented in the Digest are drawn from the IIE survey which requests the total enrollment of foreign students in an institution and information on student characteristics, such as country of origin. For the 1994   95 survey, 2,684 out of 2,758 ( 97.3 percent) institutions reported data for the survey. Additional information can be obtained from the publication Open Doors or by contacting: