Current Population Survey (CPS) – October Supplement

2. USES OF DATA

The October Supplement provides important education data to policymakers and researchers on school enrollment and educational attainment. Data from the October Supplement, together with data from the basic CPS and the March Supplement (Annual Social and Economic Supplement), provide the basis for descriptive and analytic reports that portray the social and economic characteristics of students in relation to the specifics of their school enrollment. From these sources, it is possible to retention rates and completion rates for various levels of education, and high school dropout. In some years, the October Supplement also provides policy-relevant data on private school tuition, adult education, vocational education, early childhood education, and student mobility.