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Statistical Standards
Statistical Standards Program
 
Table of Contents
 
Introduction

 
·Purpose of Standards
·Background of Standards
·Development of Standards
·OMB Quality Guidelines
 

1. Development of Concepts and Methods
2. Planning and Design of Surveys
3. Collection of Data
4. Processing and Editing of Data
5. Analysis of Data / Production of Estimates or Projections
6. Establishment of Review Procedures
7. Dissemination of Data
 
Glossary
Appendix A
Appendix B
Appendix C
Appendix D
 
Publication information

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INTRODUCTION


Purpose of Statistical Standards

This website contains the 2002 revised statistical standards and guidelines for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the principal statistical agency within the U.S. Department of Education. Our primary goal is to provide high quality, reliable, useful, and informative statistical information to public policy decision makers and to the general public. Thus, much of the standards and guidelines are geared towards fulfilling that goal. In particular, the standards and guidelines that follow are intended for use by NCES staff and contractors to guide them in their data collection, analysis, and dissemination activities. These standards and guidelines are also intended to present a clear statement for data users regarding how data should be collected in NCES surveys, and the limits of acceptable applications and use. Beyond these immediate uses, we hope that other organizations involved in similar public endeavors will find the contents of some of these standards and guidelines useful in their work as well. To that end, Chart A displays the organizational chart for NCES in an effort to help those less familiar with NCES understand some of the relationships that are present in many of the internal review processes that are described in the standards and guidelines. All users of these standards and guidelines should be cognizant of the fact that the contents of this website are continually being reviewed for technological and statistical advances.

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