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Finding Statistics about Education
Jump to: Agencies |Compilations | Internet | ERIC | Indexes | Library Catalogs
Agencies that collect and publish statistics
Only a core group of organizations (most frequently government agencies, particularly federal agencies) collect, analyze, and publish extensive statistical data about education on a regular basis. Once you know the organization that collects the type of data in which you are interested, search their web site or catalogs of their print publications.
Jump to agency sites for: California / Other States / United States / International/Foreign Countries
Tip: Think about who would have cared about statistics on the subject and how, as well as from whom, the data could have been collected; this often gives clues of where to look for statistics, whether from a government agency, a professional association such as the National Education Association, or some other source. Remember also that individual schools and/or school districts often collect statistics that are required by state or federal law, but these local agencies may or may not publish these statistics themselves (and when the data is published by the state or federal government the data may have been tabulated at the state or national level only).
California
- California Department of Education
which offers, among others:
- Ed-Data (data about all public schools in California).
- Standardized Testing and Reporting Results
- Academic Performance Index Reports
- Adequate Yearly Progress Reports
- Specific school or school district websites. Tip: California School Districts with Web Servers and California County Office & K-12 District Sites make it easy to find California school district websites such as: Los Angeles Unified School District.
- Related Resources:
- Information about Schools in California. An Oviatt Library guide which includes links to statistics and other available information about a specific school or school district.
- RAND California (Oviatt Library subscription) provides easy access to statistics about California; some databases cover the entire United States. An online training exercise for this database is available.
- Compare Schools (School Wise Press)
- San Fernando Valley Enrollment Trends and Performance (PDF; view with Adobe Reader, which is free if you need it). San Fernando Valley Economic Research Center report on school districts in the San Fernando Valley.
Statistics published by other states
- Statistical Abstract: State Abstracts offers a guide to State-level statistical sources.
- State and Local Governments (Library of Congress) provides easy access to state home pages to search for statistics included in state agency sites.
United States
Federal agencies that collect education-related statistics
- National Center for Education Statistics
collects data about education at all levels. Search the site or start
with one of these favorites:
- Tables & Figures Search includes statistics from the Digest of Education Statistics, Condition of Education, and more.
- Electronic Catalog: Subjects A-Z
- NCES Fast Facts
- Census 2000 School District Demographics
- State Education Data Profiles
- Census Bureau
- Data on topics such as educational attainment, school district finances, etc. Tip : An easy way to start is to look under" Education" or under "School" in this site's Subjects A to Z.
- American Factfinder provides access to American Community Survey data (includes tabulations by school district, state, county, large cities, etc.).
- National Science Foundation, Division of Science Resources Statistics collects data about science and engineering, including resources for science and engineering education in higher education.
- Bureau of Indian Education Programs includes links to "report cards" with statistical information about schools within the Bureau of Indian Affairs jurisdiction.
- Publications of other agencies may include useful information also. For example, the Central Intelligence Agency's World Factbook includes literacy estimates for foreign countries.
- A list of major federal agencies that collect statistics, with descriptions of the statistics they provide and links to their websites, is available via FedStats and may identify other relevant agencies for a specific topic.
Other national organizations:
- Professional associations such as the National Education Association.
- Some organizations (frequently universities or non-profit organizations) are funded, usually by the federal government, to provide access to information, including statistics, about a specific topic. An example is the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition & Language Instruction Educational Programs. Often these specialized sources of information can be identified by visiting the web sites of various Program Offices of the U. S. Department of Education, consulting Education Resource Organizations Directory, or using an internet search engine such as Google.
International/Foreign Countries
- International Statistical Agencies (Census Bureau). Links to the official statistics of other countries and international organizations such as the United Nations and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- OFFSTATS: Official Statistics on the Web (University of Auckland Library list organized by country name).
- World Bank website includes data about education in developing countries as well as many other topics.
Compilations of statistics
- Tables & Figures Search includes statistics from the Digest of Education Statistics, Condition of Education, and more titles, many of which are listed individually on the Annual Reports page. (National Center for Education Statistics).
- Statistical Abstract of the United States. Both current and selected historical years are available online. (It is also available in print form in the Oviatt Library Reference Room (ref HA 202); older years on floor 2). When you find a table of interest to you, note the source of the statistic and then check to see if that source has a web site where you can check to see if later data is available.
- Statistical Abstract: State Abstracts offers a guide to State-level statistical sources.
- Education Statistics (National Education Association).
- Check almanacs and similar compilations in the Reference Room of your favorite library to see if what you need is included. If so, note the source of the statistic and then check to see if that source has a web site where you can check to see if later data is available.
Internet: Online Subject Guides and Search Engines
- Online subject guides. Examples include:
- Statistical Resources on the Web (University of Michigan Documents Center.
- Los Angeles Government Sources (Oviatt Library).
- Community Information by Zip Code (Oviatt Library).
- Information about Schools in California (Oviatt Library).
- Internet Search Engines--an Oviatt Library list of favorite internet search engines.
- Search engines especially for government information (particularly useful
if you think the federal government or a state agency collected/published
the statistic you seek).
- Google's U.S. Government Search. Note: If you are unsuccessful after trying this site and you suspect that the statistics you need may be from a trade association or other non-government source, try Google, to search all internet domains rather than just government sites.
- USA.gov, the U.S. government's official web portal.
- FedStats gateway to statistics from over 100 U.S. federal agencies.
- Site indexes and/or site search engines are available at many government agency websites, including the California Department of Education.
Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC)
The ERIC database indexes both journal articles and ERIC documents, many of which include statistical data. Most Oviatt Library users search the ERIC database using from the subscription access to ERIC (CSA) or ERIC (EbscoHost) as those offer the easiest way for our faculty and students to link from citations in the ERIC database to what the Library owns (or find other information about article availability). Free nonsubscription access to the ERIC database is also available using Educational Resources Information Center. While the contents of the ERIC database are the same in all, there are differences in each interface. It is possible in all of these to restrict a subject/keyword search to materials whose publication type was coded as being statistical. Directions on how to do this in each of the ERIC search interfaces is given below.
- ERIC (CSA)
- Use the publication type (field code PT) to restrict to numerical/quantitative data (e.g. input your subject as a keyword or descriptor and combine it, using the boolean AND with PT=110; the advanced search option makes it easy to combine the publication type with other elements of a search. (Just remember that what you want is publication type 110).
- ERIC (EbscoHost)
- Use the advanced search option, to formulate your search. After you type in your subject terms, look for the publication type pull-down menu in the "Refine search: Limit Your Results" box that is below where you type your terms. Use the the publication type pull-down menu to limit your results to numerical/quantitative data.
- Educational Resource Information Center web site
- Choose advanced search. Input your subject words then go to the publication type box to put a check in front of "Numerical/Quantitative Data" and remove the check in front of "all".
Specialized print indexes
American Statistics Index and Statistical Reference Index are major indexes that enable you to identify sources for statistics published in the United States. The Oviatt Library owns these indexes in paper copy; the latest are shelved on the Business Index Table in the Reference Room. The online equivalent, the Statistical Universe database, is available for Los Angeles residents at the Los Angeles Public Library in the Central Library's Business and Economics Department.
Library Catalogs
Library Catalogs often allow searching by keyword. This allows you to find "Statistics" where it appears in a subject, title or other searchable field and, when boolean searching is also allowed, to combine it with other terms to identify relevant sources. Library catalogs include print materials and other formats, including online sources. Try using the Oviatt Library's Library Catalog or Other Library Catalogs.
Created and maintained by Mary
M. Finley
Questions or comments: mary.finley@csun.edu
Links checked: 16 June 2008
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