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The State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary and Secondary Education is an annual state-level collection of the numbers of staff, high school graduates, and students in grades prekindergarten through 12. The data are collected from state education agencies (SEAs), processed and edited by the U.S. Bureau of the Census, and then verified by NCES. The State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary and Secondary Education is part of the Common Core of Data collection. Staff counts. All staff counts (including teachers) are in full-time equivalency units. This is the amount of time required to perform an assignment stated as a proportion of a full-time position. It is computed by dividing the amount of time employed by the time normally required for a full time position. All states and outlying areas provided data for this survey. However, state agencies vary in their data collection and reporting systems, with resulting variations across states. Several states collapsed two or more categories of staff into one. In these cases, NCES disaggregated this number by distributing the reported amount to the several categories based on the average distribution of these staff in other states. Imputation of data items. Data for prekindergarten students and staff that were missing and not reported elsewhere by the states were imputed. These items are noted as “imputed” in the data tables. The method used for imputing all variables other than prekindergarten students was to: (a) create a subset of states reporting the item in question; (b) calculate the ratio of the missing item to total student membership for each state in the subset; (c) calculate the average ratio of the item to total student membership for the subset; (d) multiply the total student membership of the state with the missing item by the average ratio; (e) substitute the imputed estimate for the missing item and then recompute the subtotals and totals. Missing prekindergarten student counts were imputed by first calculating an average ratio of prekindergarten students to total students minus prekindergarten students for reporting states, and then by following steps (d) and (e) above. Imputations on all states missing a specific data item are done at one time, ie. imputed values are not used in the imputation of another value. Imputation is only done on the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Totals and subtotals are noted in the tables when one or more items included in the total are imputed or adjusted. High school completers. NCES made no adjustments or imputations to the high school diploma, high school equivalency, or other high school completion data. Not applicable was accepted as a valid response for other high school completers for the 1999–2000 school year. The type of high school completions available to students varies by state policies. For example, in some states the only type of completion available is a regular diploma, while in other states, there are a variety of completion types available from regular diploma to a seat time certificate. For this reason, caution should be used in comparing states. [back to top]Definitions Administrative Support Staff: This category consists of staff members who provide direct support to local education agency and school administrators. This includes secretarial and other clerical staff, and persons whose activities are concerned with support of the teaching and administrative duties of the office of the principal or department chairpersons, or central office administrators. Diploma Recipients: These are those graduates who received a diploma during the previous school year and subsequent summer school. A diploma recognizes that the recipient has successfully completed a prescribed course of studies at the secondary school level. Elementary/Secondary Teachers: States report teachers in these categories. Elementary/secondary categories do not reflect the same grades in all states. High School Equivalency Recipients: These are individuals age 19 or younger (except in Minnesota where they are age 20 or younger) who received a high school equivalency certificate during the previous school year or subsequent summer. This is a formal document certifying that an individual met the state requirements for high school graduation equivalency by obtaining satisfactory scores on an approved examination, and met other performance requirements (if any) set by a state education agency or other appropriate body. Membership Count: This comprises the total student enrollment on October 1 (or the closest school day to October 1) for all grade levels (including prekindergarten and kindergarten) and ungraded pupils. Membership includes students both present and absent on the measurement day. Other High School Completers: These are individuals who received a certificate of attendance, or other certificate of completion, in lieu of a diploma during the previous school year and subsequent summer school. Prekindergarten: This is a group or class that is part of a public school program, and is taught during the year or years preceding kindergarten. Student/Other Support Staff: This category consists of library and media support staff, professional and supervisory staff (e.g., school psychologists, social workers, attendance officers) providing non-instructional services to students, and support services staff not reported in other categories, (e.g., data processing, health, building and equipment maintenance, bus drivers, security, and food service workers). It combines the categories of library/media support staff, student support services staff, and other support staff that are reported on the Common Core of Data surveys. Teachers of Ungraded Classes: This category includes teachers of classes or programs without standard grade designation. Ungraded
Students: These are students who are assigned to programs or classes
without standard grade designation. States are requested to report
teachers of ungraded classes even if all students are assigned a grade
level of record (for example, in Florida). |
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