Oct. 08, 2010
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Each year, the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics produces three eagerly awaited reports that together present a comprehensive view of the state of education in this country. These reports-The Condition of Education, the Digest of Education Statistics, and the Mini-Digest of Education Statistics-are available in full text through ERIC. Presenting a wealth of statistical data in a well-organized format, they are heavily used by researchers.
The Condition of Education is a Congressionally mandated annual report that summarizes important developments and trends. The Condition of Education 2010 is divided into five sections:
- Participation in education (enrollment figures)
- Education outcomes (test scores and other achievement data)
- Student effort and progress (graduation rates)
- Contexts of elementary and secondary education (teacher and school demographics)
- Contexts of postsecondary education (instructor and institution demographics)
The 2010 report also includes a special section on the 16,122 high-poverty schools in the country, defined as schools in which 75 percent or more of the students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
The Digest of Education Statistics provides a compilation of nationwide statistical information covering prekindergarten through graduate school from government and private sources. The most recent edition includes 442 tables that provide data on the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, and graduates, plus data on educational attainment, finances, federal funds for education, libraries, and international comparisons. Supplemental information on population trends, attitudes on education, education characteristics of the labor force, government finances, and economic trends provides background for evaluating education data. The Mini-Digest, which includes 42 tables, is designed as an easy reference for materials found in detail in the larger work.
