The current status of education for 1999 is presented as an indicator report, analyzing key data that measure the health of education, monitor important developments, and show trends in major aspects of education. Each year, about 60 indicators are selected that represent a consensus of professional judgment on the most significant national measures of the condition and progress of education at this time, tempered by the availability of current and valid information. The report first presents an overview essay of the information in the individual indicators. Following are the indicators organized into five sections: (1) learner outcomes; (2) quality of education environments (elementary/secondary); (3) quality of education environments (postsecondary); (4) social support for learning; and (5) educational participation and progress. The report includes the text, tables, and charts for each indicator plus the technical supporting data, supplemental information, and data sources. Appendices comprise over half of the publication and contain supplemental tables and notes, estimates of standard errors for the statistics, data sources, a glossary, an index, and a list of selected publications of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). (MLF)