Skip Navigation

Private School Universe Survey (PSS)



1. Overview

BIENNIAL SURVEY OF THE UNIVERSE OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS
PSS collected:
  • Student enrollment
  • Student characteristics
  • Teaching staff
  • High school graduates
  • School religious orientation or affiliation
  • Existence and type of
    kindergarten program

In recognition of the importance of private education, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) has made the collection of data on private elementary and secondary schools a priority. In 1988, NCES introduced a proposal to develop a private school data collection system that would improve on the irregular collection of private school information dating back to 1890. Since 1989, the U.S. Census Bureau has conducted the biennial Private School Universe Survey (PSS) for NCES. The PSS collects information comparable to that collected on public schools in the Common Core of Data (CCD) (see CCD chapter). PSS data are complemented by the more in-depth information collected in the private school sample surveys that were part of the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) (see SASS chapter). The last SASS data collection took place during the 2011–12 school year and was replaced with the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) in 2015–16. The NTPS did not include private schools as of the 2015–16 data collection, but private schools were included in the 2017–18 NTPS. The most recent PSS data collection took place during the 2017–18 school year, and the next PSS data collection will take place during the 2019–20 school year.

Purpose

To (1) generate biennial data on the total number of private schools, teachers, and students; and (2) build an accurate and complete universe of private schools to serve as a sampling frame for NCES sample surveys.

Components

The PSS consists of a single survey that is completed by administrative personnel in private schools. An early estimates survey designed to allow early reporting of key statistics was discontinued after the 1992–93 school year.

Private School Universe Survey. This survey collects data on private elementary, secondary, and combined schools, including enrollment by grade, race/ethnicity and sex, number of high school graduates from the previous year, number of teachers, program emphasis, school religious orientation or affiliation, association membership, existence and type of kindergarten program, number of days in the school year and length of the school day, and whether the school has a library media center.

Periodicity

Biennial. The next PSS will be administered in 2019–20 and every two years thereafter. Earlier surveys were conducted in 1989–90, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1997–98, 1999–2000, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2015–16, and 2017–18.

Data Availability

Public-use data for the PSS through the 2015–16 school year are available at https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/pss/pssdata.asp. Information on how to obtain restricted-use PSS data can be found at https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/licenses.asp.

Top