Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP): A taxonomic coding scheme for secondary and postsecondary instructional programs. It is intended to facilitate the organization, collection, and reporting of program data using classifications that capture the majority of reportable data. The CIP is the accepted federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications and is used in a variety of education information surveys and databases. See also supplemental note 9.

Cognitive development: The development of the learning structures and systems in the brain that begins at birth and continues through adulthood, which includes the construction of thought processes such as memory, problem solving, means-end behavior, concept attainment, exploration of objects, preverbal and verbal communication (both vocalizations and gestures), and decision making.

College: A postsecondary educational institution.

Combined school: A combined school has one or more of grades kindergarten (K) through grade 6 and one or more of grades 9-12. For example, schools with grades K-12, 6-9, or 1-12 are classified as combined schools.

Constant dollars: Dollar amounts that have been adjusted by means of price and cost indexes to eliminate inflationary factors and allow for direct comparison across years.

Consumer price index (CPI): This price index measures the average change in the cost of a fixed-market basket of goods and services purchased by consumers.