The primary purpose of the Fast Facts website is to provide users with concise information on a range of educational issues, from early childhood to adult learning. Fast Facts draw from various published sources and are updated as new data become available. Additional references on each of these topics are highlighted within each fact.

 Assessments

ACT scores New!

Adult literacy

Advanced mathematics and science courses

Arts

International comparisons of achievement

Long-term trends in reading and mathematics achievement

Mathematics

Reading

SAT scores New!

Science New!

State-by-state rankings

 Early Childhood

Child care

Early literacy activities

Knowledge and skills of young children New!

Preprimary education enrollment

 Elementary and Secondary

Bullying New!

Career and technical education

Charter schools

Closed schools New!

Computer and internet use

Condition of public school facilities

Distance learning

Dropout rates

Educational institutions New!

English language learners

Enrollment trends New!

Expenditures

High school graduation rates

Homeschooling

Knowledge and skills at kindergarten

NCES surveys on students and teachers

Public and private school comparison New!

Public school choice programs New!

Public school students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch

School crime New!

School ID codes and searches

School safety and security measures New!

School uniforms New!

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, by gender New!

State-level statistics

Students with disabilities New!

Students with disabilities, inclusion of  New!

Teacher qualifications

Teacher trends New!

Title I New!

Transportation New!

Violence prevention

 Library

Libraries New!

 Postsecondary and Beyond

Adult learning

Adult skills in an international context

College crime New!

Degrees conferred by race and sex New!

Distance learning

Educational attainment

Employment rates of college graduates

Endowments

Enrollment

Expenditures

Financial aid

Graduation rates

Highest enrollment  New!

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Immediate transition to college

Income of young adults

International comparisons of education outcomes

Most popular majors

NCES surveys on students and teachers

Race/ethnicity of college faculty

Student debt

Students with disabilities New!

Sustainable Development Goals

Time to degree

Title IX

Tuition costs of colleges and universities

 Resources

Back to school statistics

Educational associations

Glossary

Historical reports

Ordering NCES publications and products

In fall 2018, about 56.6 million students will attend elementary and secondary schools, including 50.7 million students in public schools and 5.9 million in private schools. Before the school year is out, an estimated $654 billion will be spent related to their education. These are just a few of the statistics contained in the Back to School fact, which offers data about American elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools, students, and the educational process. Please see our related blog post: Back to School by the Numbers: 2018.