The data presented in this combined report--"Rankings & Estimates"--provide facts about the extent to which local, state, and national governments commit resources to public education. As one might expect in a nation as diverse as the United States--with respect to economics, geography, and politics--the level of commitment to…

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education shares the Governor's concern about the need to prepare students for the 21st century economy. Technology has the power to enhance students' learning, engage them, and ultimately prepare them for the competitive world beyond school. In order to prepare students for their future in this increasingly…

To remain competitive in the international marketplace, the United States will have to recommit to a new era of educational reform. Students must be pushed to reach higher expectations, and the U.S. educational system must find an efficient and centralized mechanism to measure national progress in education reform. This document describes the…

The data presented in this combined report--"Rankings & Estimates"--provide facts about the extent to which local, state, and national governments commit resources to public education. As one might expect in a nation as diverse as the United States--with respect to economics, geography, and politics--the level of commitment to…

Figures generated by the Common Core of Data survey indicate public school enrollment in the United States decreased by about 818,000 in fall 1981, a 2 percent decline from fall 1980 and part of a continuous decline since 1972. The five states reporting the largest decreases in enrollment (New York, California, Michigan, Illinois, and Ohio)…

Curriculum suppliers, state departments of education, and home school leaders, are the sources used to estimate that between 248,500 and 353,500 school-aged children (K-12) were educated at home in the 1990-91 school year. This paper explains how this estimate was derived. It provides information on process, possible bias, alternate survey…

Discusses the advantages and limitations of three enrollment projection techniques: (1) preschool census, (2) regression line, and (3) entry-grade to live birth ratio. Four tables illustrate the methods. (MLF)

A research psychologist and education consultant offers school board members some principles for appraising statistics: (1) distinguish between rates and numbers; (2) distinguish between ranks and scores; (3) try to "look through" the pictorial representation of data; (4) double check the data for accuracy; and (5) consider the source of the data.…

In 2007, under the leadership of Superintendent Walter Rulffes and the Clark County Education Association (CCEA), the Clark County School District (CCSD) conducted a web-based survey of all school-based licensed educators in which they were asked to share their perceptions of the state of teaching and learning conditions in the district. It was…

This report presents a new analysis of student achievement scores and educational progress for states on the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Results based on score quartiles show that states are generally making more progress in mathematics achievement than in reading, good readers are getting better at the same time weak readers are…

Only by accepting responsibility for ferreting out all the accurate relevant information on an issue can board members trust their decisions. Describes the categories of fundamental, unsolicited, and on-demand information and how best to deal with them. (MLF)

Many states are answering the call for public reports on educational progress by developing indicator systems that are designed to show trends within and relationships among school data. A table shows 13 states and the number of indicator components used. Offers advice to school boards considering indicator systems. (MLF)

This paper provides an overview of U.S. Department of Education programs authorized and funded under federal law. It includes information as well on the laboratories, centers, and other facilities funded by the Department that provide important resources for education. Each entry, which gives a brief overview of a program or resource, is listed…

This reference document attempts to provide southeastern educators with useful information for developing and implementing educational policy. Part I consists of "data profiles" that summarize major trends and implications concerning socioeconomic characteristics, student performance, financial support for education, educational staff,…

This publication contains 17 education "indicators," each telling a different and compelling story about American education. Most of the material comes from the Department of Education's 1986 and 1987 editions of "The Condition of Education." Listed under "outcomes," are the following indicators: (1) reading…