IEA's International Computer and Information Literacy Study (ICILS) 2018 investigated how well students are prepared for study, work, and life in a digital world. ICILS 2018 measured international differences in students' computer and information literacy (CIL): their ability to use computers to investigate, create, participate, and communicate at…

California has long been a national and global leader in developing and maintaining quality higher education options, as well as in providing financial aid and consumer protections for Californians who access that education. However, although California's colleges and the state government do collect, receive, and report a great deal of data, these…

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

California currently faces an opportunity to develop an effective data system that can assist in improving the state's future understanding of the educational progress of English learners (ELs). This policy brief outlines the needs for good data on ELs and makes recommendations for creating an effective longitudinal data system for ELs. It…

This section of the "Archiving Methodology" is concerned with the role of data collection contractors in the archiving process. Their role is discussed from three perspectives: (1) the nature of the relationship of the data collection contractor, the project officer, and the archivist; (2) the considerations contractors must make when…

This volume of "Archiving Methodology" is devoted to file-level documentation. File-level documentation refers to the description of the contents of a single data file or a group of identically structured files. It consists of three sections: (1) file background--information pertaining to the origin, purpose, and collection methodology…

Examples from the evaluation of a program in which data collection systems were developed jointly by the program's staff and evaluators are described. The Louisiana SPUR (Special Plan Upgrading Reading) Project was evaluated by the Louisiana Department of Education Bureau of Evaluation. SPUR involves 63 of the state's 66 public school systems and…

This data file user's manual documents the procedures used to collect and process high school transcripts for a large sample of the younger cohort (1980 sophomores) in the High School and Beyond survey. The manual provides the user with the technical assistance needed to use the computer file and also discusses the following: (1) sample design for…

This manual has been produced to familiarize data users with the procedures followed for data collection and processing of the first follow-up dropout component of the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88). Necessary documentation is also provided for use of the data files. The base-year population covered by the NELS:88 included…

The purpose of this user's manual is to document the procedures used to collect and process postsecondary school transcripts for members of the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 who had attended any postsecondary institutions since leaving high school. In addition, this manual will provide researchers with the technical…

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) conducts a variety of surveys on elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. Recently an Integrated Sampling Team has been formed to explore the possible gains from a greater integration of these surveys and from new technology. The team will investigate the feasibility and desirability…

This volume of "Archiving Methodology" provides contractors with standards for developing project-level documentation. This volume is designed to acquaint a potential data user with the research and/or evaluative effort that generated the archived data. It serves as both an introduction to and an overview of a collection of data files by…

Campuses should act on salary equity issues before litigation arises. Campuses must resolve database problems, unfocused studies, problems in data interpretations, and constraints on implementing findings if they are to take timely actions. Internally motivated monitoring and court-ordered monitoring are discussed. (Author/MLW)

The authors of EC 610 840 reflect on their use of data from the federally developed National Education Longitudinal Study for their research. They identify specific weaknesses of their study stemming from use of this database (such as lack of severity data) as well as strengths (use of a national sample). Researchers are urged to utilize such…

Comparison of 19 national data collection programs found significant variability in the disability categories used. Discussion focuses on issues related to improving disability identification in large-scale data collection programs and the effects of these issues on reporting policy-relevant information. (Author/DB)