Free Publications - Education Data Standards and Codes

The National Forum on Education Statistics develops free resources on a variety of issues that affect schools, school districts, and state education agencies. Each publication is based on extensive, objective research and the collective experience and expertise of a wide variety of education professionals. Past publications are reviewed and updated periodically to keep up with changes in a dynamic educational system.

Education Data Standards and Codes

Cover image thumbnail of the Forum Guide to Reporting Civil Rights Data      Forum Guide to Reporting Civil Rights Data
This publication is designed to help local education agency staff report civil rights data to the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. This publication includes an overview of the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), a discussion of the challenges and opportunities in reporting civil rights data, an explanation of the CRDC reporting process, and six case studies.
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Cover image thumbnail of the The Forum Guide to Collecting and Using Attendance Data      Forum Guide to Collecting and Using Attendance Data
This publication is designed to help state and local education agency staff improve their collection, reporting, and use of attendance data to improve student and school outcomes. This publication includes best practice suggestions and real–life examples, provides a set of voluntary attendance codes, and features tip sheets for a wide range of education agency staff.
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Cover image thumbnail of the NCES Nonfiscal Data Handbook for Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education      Forum Guide to School Courses for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Classification System
SCED is a voluntary, common classification system for prior-to-secondary and secondary school courses. This guide includes an overview of the SCED structure and descriptions of the SCED Framework elements, recommended attributes, and information for new and existing users on best practices for implementing and expanding their use of SCED.
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Cover image thumbnail of the Forum Guide to Metadata: The Meaning Behind Education Data   Forum Guide to Metadata: The Meaning Behind Education Data
This document offers best practice concepts, definitions, implementation strategies, and templates/tools for an audience of data, technology, and program staff in state and local education agencies.
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Cover image thumbnail of the Managing an Identity Crisis: Forum Guide to Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories   Managing an Identity Crisis: Forum Guide to Implementing New Federal Race and Ethnicity Categories
This best-practice guide is developed to assist state and local education agencies in their implementation of the new federal race and ethnicity categories—thereby reducing redundant efforts within and across states, improving data comparability, and minimizing reporting burden.
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Cover image thumbnail of the Forum Guide to Core Finance Data Elements   Forum Guide to Core Finance Data Elements
This document provides an overview of key finance data terms. It also covers the 2 NCES public school finance surveys: the state-level National Public Education Financial Survey and the School District Finance Survey (or F-33).
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Cover image thumbnail of the Accounting for Every Student: A Taxonomy for Standard Student Exit Codes   Accounting for Every Student: A Taxonomy for Standard Student Exit Codes
This "best practice" guide presents an exhaustive and mutually exclusive exit code taxonomy that accounts, at any single point in time, for all students enrolled (or previously enrolled) in a particular school or district.
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Cover image thumbnail of the Forum Guide to Education Indicators   Forum Guide to Education Indicators
The Forum Guide to Education Indicators provides encyclopedia-type entries for 44 commonly used education indicators. Each indicator entry contains a definition, recommended uses, usage caveats and cautions, related policy questions, data element components, a formula, commonly reported subgroups, and display suggestions.
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Cover image thumbnail of the NCES Financial Accounting for Local and State School Systems: 2003 Edition   NCES Financial Accounting for Local and State School Systems: 2003 Edition
This NCES Handbook is designed to be the national standard for state departments of education when reporting financial data and for school districts when preparing comprehensive annual financial reports (CAFRs).
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NCES
National Center for
Education Statistics
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