Condition of Education 2010

8/8/2019 Condition of Education 2010

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NCES 2010-028

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


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The Condition o Education 2010MAY 2010

Susan Aud

William HussarMichael Planty

Thomas Snyder

National Center or Education Statistics

Kevin Bianco

Mary Ann Fox

Lauren Frohlich

Jana Kemp

American Institutes or Research

Lauren DrakeMacroSys, LLC

Katie Ferguson

Production Manager

MacroSys, LLC

Thomas Nachazel

Senior Editor

Gretchen HannesEditor

American Institutes or Research

NCES 2010-028

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


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U.S. Department of EducationArne DuncanSecretary

Institute of Education SciencesJohn Q. EastonDirector

National Center for Education Statistics

Stuart KerachskyDeputy Commissioner

Te National Center or Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary ederal entity or collecting, analyzing, andreporting data related to education in the United States and other nations. It ullls a congressional mandate to collect,collate, analyze, and report ull and complete statistics on the condition o education in the United States; conduct andpublish reports and specialized analyses o the meaning and signicance o such statistics; assist state and local educationagencies in improving their statistical systems; and review and report on education activities in oreign countries.

NCES activities are designed to address high-priority education data needs; provide consistent, reliable, complete,and accurate indicators o education status and trends; and report timely, useul, and high-quality data to the U.S.Department o Education, the Congress, the states, other education policymakers, practitioners, data users, and thegeneral public. Unless specically noted all inormation contained herein is in the public domain.

We strive to make our products available in a variety o ormats and in language that is appropriate to a variety oaudiences. You, as our customer, are the best judge o our success in communicating inormation eectively. I you haveany comments or suggestions about this or any other NCES product or report, we would like to hear rom you. Pleasedirect your comments to:

National Center or Education StatisticsInstitute o Education SciencesU.S. Department o Education1990 K Street NW

Washington, DC 20006-5651

May 2010

Te NCES World Wide Web Home Page address is http://nces.ed.gov.Te NCES World Wide Web Publications and Products address is http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch .

Suggested CitationAud, S., Hussar, W., Planty, M., Snyder, ., Bianco, K., Fox, M., Frohlich, L., Kemp, J., Drake, L. (2010). Te Conditiono Education 2010(NCES 2010-028). National Center or Education Statistics, Institute o Education Sciences, U.S.Department o Education. Washington, DC.

For ordering information on this report, write to

ED PubsU.S. Department o Education

P.O. Box 22207Alexandria, VA 22304

or call toll ree 1-877-4ED-PUBS or order online at http://www.edpubs.gov.

Content ContactSusan Aud(202) [email protected]
http://nces.ed.gov/http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearchhttp://www.edpubs.gov/http://www.edpubs.gov/http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearchhttp://nces.ed.gov/


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Commissioner's Statement iii

Introductiono ensure reliable, accurate, and timely data, which arenecessary to monitor the progress o education in theUnited States, Congress has mandated that the NationalCenter or Education Statistics (NCES) produce an

annual report, Te Condition o Education. Tis yearsreport presents 49 indicators o important developmentsand trends in U.S. education. Tese indicators ocuson participation and persistence in education, studentperormance and other measures o achievement, theenvironment or learning, and resources or education.

Tis statement summarizes the main ndings o theindicators, which are divided into the ve sections shownbelow. Each indicator is reerenced by its number in thevolume (e.g.,indicator 1).

Special Section on High-PovertySchoolsDrawing upon data rom various NCES surveycollections presented in Te Condition o Education2010, this special section provides a descriptive prole ohigh-poverty schools in the United States. It examinesthe characteristics o students who attend these schools,as well as the principals, teachers, and support sta who

work in these schools. Using the percentage o a schoolsenrollment that is eligible or the National School LunchPrograms ree or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) as themeasure o school poverty, the characteristics o high-

poverty schools are as ollows:

In 200708, there were 16,122 schools, or 17percent o all public schools, that were consideredhigh-poverty schools. Tat is, in these schools,75 percent or more o the student enrollment waseligible or ree or reduced-price meals.

A greater percentage o high-poverty secondaryschools were classied as alternative and specialeducation schools than were low-poverty schools.

A greater percentage o high-poverty public schoolswere eligible to participate in the ederal itle Iprogram or disadvantaged students than werelower-poverty public schools.

In 200708, approximately 20 percent oelementary school students and 6 percent osecondary school students attended high-povertypublic schools.

In 200708, greater percentages o Hispanic,Black, and American Indian/Alaska Native studentsattended high-poverty public elementary andsecondary schools than did White or Asian/Pacic

Islander students; in addition, greater percentageso Asian/Pacic Islander students attended theseschools than did White students.

Te percentage o students who were limited-English procient was higher in high-povertyschools than in low-poverty schools.

Te characteristics o principals who work in high-poverty public schools are as ollows:

In 200708, approximately 21 percent (or 13,400)o all elementary school principals worked inhigh-poverty schools, compared with 27 percent(or 16,700) who worked in low-poverty schools.

About 12 percent (or 2,500) o all secondary schoolprincipals worked in high-poverty schools, while 33percent (or 7,000) worked in low-poverty schools.

Compared with low-poverty schools, high-povertyelementary and secondary schools employed a largerpercentage o Black and Hispanic principals and asmaller percentage o White principals.

Te educational attainment o principals varied byschool poverty level among secondary schools butnot among elementary schools. In high-povertysecondary schools, the percentage o principals

whose highest educational level was an educationspecialist or proessional diploma was smallerthan the respective percentage o principals inlow-poverty secondary schools.

Te characteristics o teachers and support sta who workin high-poverty public schools are as ollows:

In 200708, approximately 21 percent (or 410,400)o all ull-time elementary school teachers taught inhigh-poverty schools, while 28 percent (or 543,800)taught in low-poverty schools. About 8 percent (or87,100) o all ull-time secondary school teachers

worked in high-poverty schools, compared with 40percent (or 414,500) who worked in low-povertyschools.

High-poverty elementary and secondary schoolsemployed a greater percentage o Black andHispanic teachers and a smaller percentage o

White teachers than did low-poverty schools.

eacher educational attainment and proessionalcertication varied by school poverty levels.For both elementary and secondary schools, asmaller percentage o teachers working in high-poverty schools had a masters degree or theirhighest education level than teachers working inlow-poverty schools.

Commissioners Statement


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iv Te Condition o Education 2010


Generally, or both elementary and secondaryschools, there were no measurable dierencesbetween high- and low-poverty schools in thedistribution o school support sta, such as schoolcounselors or other para-proessionals.

Te outcomes or students who attend high-povertypublic schools are as ollows:

On each NAEP assessment given between 1998 and2009, average reading scores or 4th- and 8th-gradestudents rom high-poverty schools were lower thanthe scores or students rom low-poverty schools.

On each NAEP assessment given between 2000and 2009, average mathematics scores or 4th- and8th-grade students rom high-poverty schools werelower than the scores or students rom low-povertyschools.

In 2008, the average NAEP music and visual artsscores or 8th-grade students rom high-povertyschools were lower than the scores or 8th-gradersrom low-poverty schools.

In 200708, the average percentage o 12th-graders whograduated with a diploma during the previous year waslower at high-poverty schools than at low-poverty schools.Te percentage o graduates attending a 4-year-college

was lower or graduates rom high-poverty schools thanor graduates rom low-poverty schools.

Section 1: Participation inEducation

As the U.S. population increases in size, so doesenrollment at all levels o education. Because omandatory enrollment laws at the elementary andsecondary levels, growth is due largely to increases in thesize o the school-age population. At the postsecondarylevel, both population growth and increasing enrollmentrates help account or rising enrollments in undergraduateand postbaccalaureate (graduate and rst-proessional)programs. Te cohorts o students have become more

diverse over time, with Hispanic students in particularmaking up increasing proportions o the school-agepopulation. Similarly, enrollment has risen amongstudents who speak a language other than Englishat home.

Between 2000 and 2008, rates o enrollment inormal education increased or young adults ages1819 and or adults ages 2024 and 2529, theages at which individuals are typically enrolled incollege or graduate school. For children ages 34(typically nursery school ages), the enrollment rate

increased rom 20 to 53 percent between 1970 and2008 and has remained stable (between 52 and56 percent) since 2000. For youth ages 713 and1415, enrollment rates have remained at nearly100 percent over the past 38 years, reecting statescompulsory age requirements or school attendance

(indicator 1).

From 200708 to 201920, total publicschool enrollment is projected to increase by 6percent to 52.3 million students. Enrollment inprekindergarten through grade 8 is projected toreach an estimated high o 37.2 million in 201920.Enrollment in grades 912 is projected to declinethrough 2011 and then increase rom 201112 to201920, surpassing its 200708 enrollment by201920. From 200708 to 201920, the South isprojected to increase its share o enrollment to 40percent (indicator 2).

Private school enrollment in prekindergartenthrough grade 12 increased rom 5.9 million in199596 to 6.3 million in 20012002 and thendecreased to 5.9 million in 200708. About 11percent o all elementary and secondary schoolstudents were in private schools in 200708. WhileRoman Catholic schools maintained the largestshare o total private school enrollment overallrom 199596 to 200708, the percentage oprivate school students enrolled in nonsectarianschools increased rom 20 to 22 percent during thisperiod, and the percentage enrolled in Conservative

Christian schools increased rom 13 to 15 percent(indicator 3).

Between 1988 and 2008, the percentage opublic school students who were White decreasedrom 68 to 55 percent. During this period, thepercentage o Hispanic students doubled rom 11to 22 percent, and in 2008, Hispanic enrollmentexceeded 10 million students. In general, rom1988 to 2008 White enrollment decreased in eachregion and Hispanic enrollment increased, whileBlack enrollment remained stable. Asian enrollmentincreased in the Northeast and Midwest but

remained stable in the West and South (indicator 4).

Between 1979 and 2008, the number o school-agechildren (children ages 517) who spoke a languageother than English at home increased rom 3.8to 10.9 million, or rom 9 to 21 percent o thepopulation in this age range. Te percentageo school-age children who spoke English withdifculty increased rom 3 to 6 percent between1979 and 2000 and then decreased to 5 percentin 2008. O the school-age children who spokea language other than English at home and who


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Commissioner's Statement v

spoke English with difculty, 75 percent (or 2.0million) spoke Spanish (indicator 5).

Since the enactment o the Individuals withDisabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1975, thenumber and percentage o children and youthreceiving special education services increased nearlyevery year until 200405. In 197677, some 3.7million children and youth (or about 8 percent opublic school enrollment) were served under IDEA.By 200708, the number who received services hadincreased to 6.6 million (or about 13 percent opublic school enrollment). O those who receivedservices, 39 percent received them or a speciclearning disability. About 95 percent o the childrenand youth who received services in 200708 wereenrolled in regular schools; o those children, thepercentage who spent most o their school dayin a general class was higher in 200708 than in

198990 (57 vs. 32 percent) (indicator 6).

From 2000 to 2008, undergraduate enrollment inpostsecondary institutions increased by 24 percentto 16.4 million students, and it is expected to reach19.0 million students in 2019. In 2008, emalesaccounted or 57 percent and males accounted or 43percent o enrollment. By 2019, emales are expectedto account or 59 percent o total undergraduateenrollment. Enrollment in public institutionsincreased rom 10.5 million students in 2000 to12.6 million in 2008, a 19 percent increase. Privateinstitutions experienced a higher rate o growth

during this period: enrollment increased 44 percent,rom 2.6 to 3.8 million students. Undergraduateenrollment at 2-year institutions increased rom 5.9to 7.0 million students between 2000 and 2008,

while at 4-year institutions it increased rom 7.2 to9.4 million students (indicator 7).

Postbaccalaureate enrollment was 1.6 millionstudents in 1976; enrollment uctuated between themid-1970s to the early 1980s, but since 1983 it hasincreased every year, reaching 2.7 million studentsin 2008. Enrollment in postbaccalaureate programs,

which include graduate and rst-proessional

programs, is projected to increase through 2019 to3.4 million students. In 2008, emales comprised59 percent o enrollment and males comprised41 percent, and in 2019 emales and males areexpected to respectively comprise 61 and 39 percento postbaccalaureate enrollment (indicator 8).

Section 2: Learner OutcomesHow well do U.S. students and the American educationsystem perorm? Data rom national and internationalassessments o students academic achievement can

help address this question, as can data on adultseducational experiences and earnings. In areas such asmathematics and reading, the perormance o elementaryand secondary students has shown some improvementsince the assessments were rst given, but not or allgroups o students or or all grade levels. Te association

between education and the employment and earnings oadults helps underscore the importance o education orindividuals and society.

Average reading scores assessed by the NationalAssessment or Educational Progress (NAEP)increased by 4 points each or 4th-graders (rom 217to 221) and or 8th-graders (rom 260 to 264) rom1992 to 2009. At grade 4, the average reading scalescore on the 2009 assessment was not measurablydierent rom the average score in 2007, but washigher than scores on all o the previous assessmentssince 1992. Te percentages o 4th-grade students

perorming at or above the Basic, at or above theProfcient, and at theAdvancedachievement levelsshowed no measurable change rom 2007 to 2009.

At grade 8, the 2009 average reading score was1 point higher than the 2007 score. From 2007to 2009, the percentages o 8th-grade studentsperorming at or above Basicand at or aboveProfcienteach increased 1 percentage point, andthe percentage perorming atAdvanceddid notmeasurably change (indicator 9).

From 2007 to 2009, there were no measurablechanges in average National Assessment or

Educational Progress (NAEP) reading scores orWhite, Black, or Hispanic 4th-grade students,but the 2009 scores were higher than those romthe assessment years prior to 2007. Te 2009reading achievement gap between White andBlack 4th-graders was 26 points, which was notmeasurably dierent rom the gap in 2007 but wassmaller than all other gaps rom earlier assessmentyears. Te 4th-grade White-Hispanic gap in 2009(25 points) was not measurably dierent rom thegap in 2007 or 1992. At grade 8, average readingscores in 2009 or White, Black, and Hispanicstudents were higher than their scores in 2007. Te

White-Black achievement gap was 26 points andthe White-Hispanic gap was 24 points; neither gap

was measurably dierent rom the correspondinggaps in 2007 or 1992 (indicator 10).

From 1990 to 2009, average mathematics scoresassessed by NAEP increased by 27 points or4th-graders (rom 213 to 240) and by 20 points or8th-graders (263 to 283). At grade 4, the averagemathematics scale score on the 2009 assessment

was unchanged rom the score in 2007, but washigher than scores on all o the previous assessmentssince 1990. Te percentages o 4th-grade students

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vi Te Condition o Education 2010

perorming at or above the Basic, at or above theProfcient, and at theAdvancedachievement levelsshowed no measurable change rom 2007 to 2009.Te average mathematics score or 8th-graders washigher in 2009 than in any previous assessmentyear. Te percentages o 8th-grade students

perorming at or above the Basic, at or above theProfcient, and at theAdvancedachievement levelsall showed increases o 1 to 2 percentage pointsrom 2007 to 2009 (indicator 11).

From 2007 to 2009, there were no measurablechanges in average NAEP mathematics scores or

White, Black, or Hispanic 4th-grade students,but the 2009 scores were higher than thoserom the assessment years prior to 2007. Temathematics achievement gap between Whiteand Black 4th-graders was 26 points, which wasnot measurably dierent rom the gap in 2007

but smaller than the gap in 1990 (32 points). Te4th-grade White-Hispanic gap (21 points) in 2009was not measurably dierent rom the gap in 2007or 1990. At grade 8, average mathematics scoresin 2009 or White, Black, and Hispanic students

were higher than scores on any o the previousassessments. Te White-Black achievement gap

was 32 points in 2009 and the White-Hispanicachievement gap was 26 points; neither gap wasmeasurably dierent rom the corresponding gapsin 2007 or 1990 (indicator 12).

Long-term trend results rom NAEP indicatethat the achievement o 9- and 13-year-olds inreading and mathematics improved between theearly 1970s and 2008; however, the 2008 readingand mathematics scores o 17-year-olds were notmeasurably dierent rom their scores in the early1970s. In reading, 9-year-olds scored higher in2008 than in any previous assessment, with anincrease o 4 points since 2004 and 12 pointssince 1971. In mathematics, the average scores o9- and 13-year-olds in 2008 were the highest o anyassessment year (indicator 13).

On the 2008 NAEP Arts Assessment, which wasgiven to a sample o 8th-grade public and private

school students, 8th-graders in high-poverty schoolshad responding scores that were 45 points lowerin music and 43 points lower in visual arts thanthe scores or 8th-graders in low-poverty schools.Females scored 10 points higher on average thanmales in music and 11 points higher in visual arts.

White and Asian/Pacic Islander students scoredhigher than Black and Hispanic students in bothmusic and visual arts (indicator 14).

Te 2007 rends in International Mathematics andScience Study (IMSS) measured three content

domains at grade 4 (number, geometric shapes andmeasures, and data display) and our at grade 8(number, algebra, geometry, and data and chance).In 2007, U.S. 4th-graders scored between 22 and43 points higher than the IMSS scale average o500 across the content domains. Tey outperormed

students in more countries in data displaythan theydid in the other content domains. U.S. 8th-gradersoutperormed peers in the most countries in dataand chanceand in the ewest countries ingeometry.

While their average scores in numberand data andchancewere 10 and 31 points above the IMSS scaleaverages o 500, their average score ingeometrywas20 points lower than the IMSS scale average; theiraverage score in algebra was not measurably dierentrom the IMSS scale average (indicator 15).

Te 2007 rends in International Mathematics andScience Study (IMSS) measured three content

domains at grade 4 (lie science, physical science, andearth science) and our at grade 8 (biology, chemistry,physics, and earth science). In 2007, U.S. 4th-gradersscored between 33 and 40 points higher than theIMSS scale average o 500 across the contentdomains. Tey outperormed students in morecountries in lie scienceandphysical sciencethan theydid in earth science. U.S. 8th-graders outperormedstudents in more countries in biologyand earthsciencethan they did in chemistryandphysics. Whiletheir average scores in biology, chemistry, and earthsciencewere 10 to 30 points above the IMSSscale average, their average score inphysicswas not

measurably dierent rom the IMSS scale average(indicator 16).

In 2008, among young adults ages 2534 whoworked ull time throughout a ull year, those witha bachelors degree earned 28 percent more thanyoung adults with an associates degree, 53 percentmore than young adult high school completers,and 96 percent more than young adults who didnot earn a high school diploma. Te median othe earnings or young adults with a bachelorsdegree was $46,000; or those with an associatesdegree, $36,000; or high school completers,$30,000; and or those who did not earn a highschool diploma or equivalent certicate, $23,500.In 2008, at every educational level, the median othe earnings or young adult males was higher thanthe median earnings or young adult emales; orexample, young adult males with a bachelors degreeearned $53,000, on average, while their emalecounterparts earned $42,000. In the same year, themedian o White young adults earnings was higherthan that o Black and Hispanic young adultsearnings at each educational level, except the levelo masters degree or higher, where there were nomeasurable dierences (indicator 17).



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Commissioner's Statement vii

Section 3: Student Eort andEducational ProgressMany actors are associated with a students persistenceand progress toward a high school diploma, collegedegree, or other credential. Factors such as the studentseort and expectations, parents educational attainment,and amily income are associated with various measureso educational attainment, including graduation anddropout rates, immediate college enrollment rates, andhigh school and postsecondary degree attainment.Monitoring these actors and tracking educationalattainment provide key indicators or describing theprogress o students and schooling in the United States.

In 200607, about three-quarters o the 200304reshman class (2.9 million students) graduatedrom high school on time with a regular diploma.Tis estimate o the percentage o an incomingreshman class that graduates 4 years later is the

averaged reshman graduation rate. Vermont hadthe highest averaged reshman graduation rate, at88.6 percent, and Nevada had the lowest, at 52.0percent. Fiteen other states had rates o 80 percentor more, and 11 other states and the District oColumbia had rates below 70 percent. Te overallaveraged reshman graduation rate increasedrom 71.7 percent in 200001 to 73.9 percent in200607, but between 200405 and 200506 itdecreased rom 74.7 to 73.4 percent (indicator 18).

Te status dropout raterepresents the percentageo 16- through 24-year-olds who are not enrolled

in school and have not earned a high schooldiploma or equivalent credential, such as a GeneralEducational Development (GED) certicate. In2008, the status dropout rate was 8 percent, downrom 14 percent in 1980. In general, dropout ratesor Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics each declinedbetween 1980 and 2008, although in each year othat period the status dropout rate was lower or

Whites and Blacks than or Hispanics. In 2008,oreign-born Hispanics and Asians dropped outat a higher rate than native-born Hispanics and

Asians. For example, the status dropout rate ororeign-born Hispanics was 35 percent, which was

higher than the rate o 11 percent or native-bornHispanics. In contrast, oreign-born Whites, Blacks,and persons o two or more races dropped out ata lower rate than their native-born counterparts(indicator 19).

Te rate o college enrollment immediately aterhigh school completion increased rom 49 percentin 1972 to 67 percent in 1997 and uctuatedbetween 62 and 69 percent through 2008. Tedierence between enrollment rates o high schoolcompleters rom low- and high-income amiliesuctuated between 1972 and 2008, but in each year

o this period the rates o high school completersrom low-income amilies trailed those rom high-income amilies by at least 20 percentage points. In2008, the immediate enrollment rate gap betweenstudents rom low- and high-income amilies was25 percentage points. Dierences in the immediatecollege enrollment rate by race/ethnicity have alsopersisted over time. For example, enrollment rateso Black and Hispanic high school completershave been lower than the rates o their White peersalmost every year since 1985 (indicator 20).

About 57 percent o rst-time students seeking abachelors degree or its equivalent and attending a4-year institution ull time in 200102 completed abachelors degree or its equivalent at that institution

within 6 years. Six-year graduation rates werehighest at private not-or-prot 4-year institutions(64 percent), ollowed by public 4-year institutions(55 percent) and private or-prot 4-year institutions

(25 percent). Asian/Pacic Islander students hadthe highest 6-year graduation rate (67 percent),compared with Whites (60 percent), Hispanics(48 percent), Blacks (42 percent), and AmericanIndians/Alaska Natives (40 percent) (indicator 21).

In 2009, some 89 percent o 25- to 29-year-oldshad received at least a high school diploma orequivalency certicate, 31 percent had attainedat least a bachelors degree, and 7 percent hadcompleted a masters degree or higher. Between1971 and 2009, the high school completion rateincreased rom 59 to 89 percent or Blacks and rom

48 to 69 percent or Hispanics. Te White-Blackgap in high school attainment decreased rom 23to 6 percentage points, and the White-Hispanicgap decreased rom 33 to 26 percentage points.

Although the percentage o young adults with abachelors degree increased or all racial/ethnicgroups between 1971 and 2009, the White-Blackgap in bachelors degree attainment increased rom12 to 18 percentage points, and the White-Hispanicgap increased rom 14 to 25 percentage points(indicator 22).

Between 199798 and 200708, the number

o degrees earned increased by 34 percent orassociates degrees, by 32 percent or bachelorsdegrees, and by 45 percent or masters degrees. Tenumber o degrees earned increased or all racial/ethnic groups or each type o degree, but at varyingrates. For example, the number o bachelors degreesawarded to White students increased by 25 percent,

while the number awarded to Hispanic studentsincreased by 86 percent and the number awarded toBlack students increased by 55 percent. In 200708, emales o each racial/ethnic group generallyearned more degrees than their male counterpartsor each type o degree; or example, Black emales

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viii Te Condition o Education 2010

earned 69 percent o associates, 66 percent obachelors, 72 percent o masters, 63 percent orst-proessional, and 66 percent o doctoral degreesawarded to Black students (indicator 23).

Section 4: Contexts o Elementaryand Secondary EducationTe school environment is described by a numbero eatures, including the characteristics o teachers,principals, and sta; student/teacher ratios; the racial/ethnic distribution o students; the poverty level ostudents; and the climate or learning. Variations incurrent expenditures and dierences in how unds arespent are also important eatures to consider. Monitoringthese and other actors provides a more complete pictureo the conditions in schools that can inuence education.Society also inuences and supports education throughmeans such as learning activities that take place outside oschool and nancial support.

Regular public schools comprised 92 percent opublic schools in 200708; alternative schoolsor students at risk o school ailure (6 percent opublic schools), special education (2 percent), andvocational schools (less than 1 percent) made up theremainder. Te distribution o school size dieredby school level: only 4 percent o elementaryschools had enrollments o 1,000 students or more,compared with 26 percent o secondary schools.Te percentage o public schools that were high-poverty increased rom 12 percent in 19992000

to 17 percent in 200708. About 20 percent oelementary and 9 percent o secondary schools werehigh-poverty schools in 200708 (indicator 24).

In 200708, greater percentages o Black,Hispanic, and American Indian/Alaska Nativestudents attended high-poverty schools than did

White or Asian/Pacic Islander students. Withinhigh-poverty schools, Hispanics and Blacksrepresented the greatest shares o enrollment atboth the elementary and secondary level. Hispanicsrepresented the highest percentage o students athigh-poverty elementary and secondary schools in

suburban areas and cities, as well as at high-povertyelementary schools in towns. A greater percentageo Black and White students (31 percent each)attended high-poverty elementary schools in ruralareas than did students o all other racial/ethnicgroups. Black students also represented the greatestpercentage o student enrollment at high-povertysecondary schools located in towns and rural areas(44 and 34 percent, respectively) (indicator 25).

During the 200708 school year, 75 percento public schools recorded one or more violent

incidents o crime, 17 percent o schools recordedat least one serious violent incident, 47 percentrecorded one or more thets, and 67 percentrecorded one or more other incidents. Tere wasvariation in the number o incidents o violent andserious violent crimes among schools. For example,

24 percent o schools recorded 20 or more violentincidents, compared with 11 percent that recorded12 violent incidents. However, the percentagerecording 20 or more violent incidents was notmeasurably dierent rom the percentage recordingno violent incidents (indicator 26).

In the 200708 school year, there were 3.5 millionull-time teachers, including 2.1 million elementaryschool teachers and 1.1 million secondary schoolteachers. Te majority o teachers were emale: atthe elementary level, 84 percent o public schooland 87 percent o private school teachers wereemale. Te percentage o ull-time public schoolteachers who held a degree higher than a bachelorsdegree was larger in 200708 than in 19992000.For example, 49 percent o elementary public schoolteachers held a degree higher than a bachelorsdegree in 200708, compared with 43 percentin 19992000. In general, public elementaryand secondary school teachers had more years oteaching experience in 19992000 than they had in200708 (indicator 27).

In the 200708 school year there wereapproximately 3.7 million teachers, o whichclose to 3.2 million were continuing teachers and

516,500 were newly hired teachers. Tese newlyhired teachers made up 14 percent o all teachersin the 200708 school year. Over hal (277,300)o newly hired teachers were teachers who hadtranserred rom another school system; 97,500teachers came directly into teaching ater nishingtraining; 66,500 teachers had delayed their entryinto teaching ater completing training; and75,200 had taught in the past and were reenteringthe proession. In 200708, a higher percentageo continuing teachers held a regular teachingcerticate (86 percent) than did newly hiredteachers in each o the our career paths described

above (indicator 28).

From 19992000 to 200708, the percentage opublic school principals who were emale increasedrom 52 to 59 percent at elementary schools androm 22 to 29 percent at secondary schools; thepercentage o private school principals who wereemale did not measurably change at the elementaryor secondary level. Te percentage o principalsunder 40 years old and the percentage 55 yearsand older each increased at public elementary andsecondary schools between 19992000 and 2007



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Commissioner's Statement ix

08, while the percentage o principals between 45and 54 years old decreased. For example, 10 percento elementary school principals were under 40years old in 19992000, compared with 19 percentin 200708. Principals were also less experiencedin 200708 than in 19992000: 10 percent o

principals had 20 or more years o experience in19992000, compared with 5 percent in 200708(indicator 29).

In 200708, public schools employed approximately5.8 million sta: 3.7 million were in elementaryschools and close to 1.8 million were in secondaryschools. Proessional instructional staprincipals,teachers, instructional coordinators and supervisors,librarians/library media specialists, and schoolcounselorsaccounted or 63 percent o publicelementary school sta, with teachers making up56 percent o all elementary school sta. Greaterpercentages o sta at public secondary schools

were proessional instructional sta than at publicelementary schools. In terms o school enrollmentsize, in 200708, the percentages o sta that wereproessional instructional sta were consistentlyhigher or larger elementary schools than or smallerelementary schools (indicator 30).

Te ratio o students to teachers, which issometimes used as a proxy measure or class size,declined between 199091 and 200708, rom17.6 to 15.8 students per teacher or all regularpublic schools. In every year during this period, thestudent/teacher ratios tended to be higher in public

schools with larger enrollments than in those withsmaller enrollments. For example, in 200708,regular public secondary schools with 1,500 or morestudents enrolled, on average, 6.1 more students perteacher than regular public secondary schools withenrollments under 300 students (indicator 31).

Te number o charter schools in the United Statesincreased rom 1,500 in 19992000 to 4,400 in200708. In 200708, about 54 percent o charterschools were elementary schools, and secondary andcombined schools accounted or 27 and 19 percento charter schools. More than hal o charter schools

(55 percent) were located in cities in 200708, with22 percent in suburban areas, 8 percent in towns,and 15 percent in rural areas. Tis distributiondiered rom that o al l public schools: 26 percento all public schools were located in cities; 28percent, in suburban areas; 14 percent, in towns;and 31 percent, in rural areas. From 19992000to 200708, the number o students enrolled incharter schools in the United States more thantripled, increasing rom 340,000 to 1.3 millionstudents (indicator 32).

From 198990 to 200607, total elementaryand secondary public school revenue increasedrom $353 to $584 billion (a 66 percent increasein 200809 constant dollars). Federal revenueincreased by 130 percent, state revenue increasedby 67 percent, and local revenue increased by 56

percent. During this period, the percentage ototal revenue or public elementary and secondaryeducation that came rom local sources declined(rom 47 to 44 percent), while the percentageo total revenue owing to public schools romederal sources increased (rom 6 to 8 percent). Tepercentage rom state sources was 47 percent in198990 and 48 percent in 200607 (indicator 33).

From 198990 to 200607, total expendituresper student in public elementary and secondaryschools rose rom $8,748 to $11,839 (a 35 percentincrease in 200809 constant dollars), with most othe increase occurring ater 199798. Te variouscomponents o expenditures increased at dierentrates during this time period. Spending on intereston school debt per student increased the most, ata rate o 100 percent, ollowed by capital outlay(81 percent) and current expenditures (30 percent)(indicator 34).

Across U.S. districts, the total variation ininstruction expenditures per student decreasedbetween school years 198990 and 199798, butincreased each year rom 199798 through 200607. In 200607, it was greater than it was in theearly 1990s. Variations in instruction expenditures

due to both between- and within-state dierencesincreased rom 199798 through 200607(indicator 35).

Between 199596 and 200607, currentexpenditures per student in public elementaryand secondary schools increased by 29 percent in200809 constant dollars. Current expendituresper student, which include instructional,administrative, and operation and maintenanceexpenditures, were $9,991. Tey were highest inhigh-poverty districts ($10,978) and low-povertydistricts ($10,850) and lowest in middle-poverty

districts ($9,181). Expenditures increased the mostor high-poverty and middle high-poverty districts(35 and 32 percent, respectively) and the least orlow-poverty districts (26 percent) (indicator 36).

In 200708, some 61 percent o teachers workedin districts where at least one pay incentive, suchas a cash bonus or a salary increase, was oered.Forty-six percent o teachers worked in districts

where a pay incentive was oered or obtainingNational Board or Proessional eaching Standards

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x Te Condition o Education 2010

Certication (NBPS); 30 percent worked indistricts where a pay incentive was oered as a

way to recruit or retain teachers or positions inelds with teacher shortages; 15 percent workedin districts where a pay incentive was oered orexcellence in teaching; and another 15 percent

o teachers worked in districts where a payincentive was oered or recruiting or retainingteachers to teach in less desirable locations. Agreater percentage o teachers in city schoolsthan in suburban, town, and rural schools wereoered a pay incentive. For example, 28 percento teachers in city schools were oered incentivesor demonstrating excellence, which was higherthan the 6 to 13 percent o teachers employed inother locale types who were oered that incentive(indicator 37).

In 2006, U.S. expenditures per student at thepostsecondary level were $25,109, more than twiceas high as the average o $12,336 or the membercountries o the Organization or EconomicCooperation and Development (OECD) whoreported data. At the combined elementary andsecondary level, the United States spent $10,267per student, which was 41 percent higher than theOECD average o $7,283. In 2006, the OECDcountries that spent the highest percentage otheir gross domestic product (GDP) on totaleducation expenditures were Iceland, the UnitedStates, Denmark, and Republic o Korea. At thepostsecondary level, the United States spent 2.9percent o its GDP on education, the highest

percentage o all the OECD countries reportingdata (indicator 38).

Section 5: Contexts oPostsecondary EducationTe postsecondary education system encompassesvarious types o institutions under public, privatenot-or-prot, and private or-prot control. Indicatorsin this section include the racial/ethnic distributiono college students, student elds o study and degreeattainment by institution type, trends in studying abroad,

aculty compensation and benets, and the total cost opostbaccalaureate education.

In 2008, some 63 percent o college students wereWhite, 14 percent were Black, 12 percent wereHispanic, 7 percent were Asian/Pacic Islander,1 percent were American Indian/Alaska Native,and 3 percent were students rom other countries.Compared with Hispanic, Asian/Pacic Islander,and American Indian/Alaska Native students, arelatively high percentage o Black students (12percent) attended colleges where Blacks constituted

75 percent or more o the enrollment. A smallerpercentage o Hispanic students (6 percent)attended colleges where their racial/ethnic groupconstituted 75 percent or more o the enrollment.(indicator 39).

From 198788 to 200708, the number o U.S.students studying abroad rose steadily, rom 62,300to 262,400 students. In 200708, an estimated15 out o every 100 students in a bachelors degreeprogram studied abroad during their undergraduatecareers. Some 56 percent o all U.S. students whostudied abroad studied in Europe in 200708,compared with 64 percent who did so in 199798and 75 percent in 198788. Ater Europe,Latin America hosted the greatest percentageo American students (15 percent) in 200708,ollowed by Asia (11 percent) and Oceania and

Arica (5 percent each). Among U.S. study abroadstudents in 200708, social sciences, business andmanagement, and humanities were the top threeelds o study (indicator 40).

O the 1.6 million bachelors degrees awarded in200708, over 50 percent were concentrated inve elds: business (21 percent), social sciences andhistory (11 percent), education (7 percent), healthproessions and related clinical sciences (7 percent),and psychology (6 percent). Overall, rom 199798to 200708 there was a 32 percent increase in thenumber o bachelors degrees conerred. In addition,in 200708, about 57 percent o all bachelorsdegrees conerred were awarded to emales;

emales also earned between 49 and 85 percento all degrees awarded in the ve most prevalentbachelors degree elds (indicator 41).

In 200708, o the 625,000 masters degreesawarded, over 50 percent were concentrated intwo elds: education (28 percent) and business(25 percent). Women earned 77 and 45 percent,respectively, o all degrees awarded in those twoelds. Overall, 194,900 more masters degrees

were awarded in 200708 than in 199798 (a 45percent increase). During this period, the numbero doctoral degrees awarded increased by 38 percent

and the number awarded to women increasedby 68 percent. Between 199798 and 200708,there was a 16 percent increase in the number orst-proessional degrees awarded and a 35 percentincrease in the number awarded to women. Teeld o pharmacy saw the greatest percent increase(199 percent) in the number o degrees awarded(indicator 42).

Between 199798 and 200708, the number odegrees conerred by private or-prot institutionsincreased by a larger percentage than the number



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Commissioner's Statement xi

conerred by public and private not-or-protinstitutions; this was true or all types o degrees. Forexample, during this period the number o bachelorsdegrees conerred by public and private not-or-protinstitutions increased by 27 percent or both types oinstitutions, while the number conerred by private

or-prot institutions quadrupled. In addition, thenumber o masters degrees conerred by privateor-prot institutions increased eight-old, resultingin an increase in their share o total masters degreesconerred (indicator 43).

Average ination-adjusted salaries or ull-timeinstructional aculty with academic ranks incolleges and universities were 24 percent higherin 200809 than in 197980. Te increase wasgreatest or instructors, whose average salaryincreased by 46 percent, ollowed by proessors,

whose average salary increased by 30 percent.Te average aculty salary was higher in 200809than in 197980 at most types o institutions,

with increases ranging rom 9 percent at public2-year colleges to 41 percent at private doctoraluniversities. In the more recent period rom 19992000 to 200809, average aculty salaries increasedby 4 percent. In 200809, the average aculty salary

was $73,600, with institutional averages rangingrom $43,500 at private 2-year colleges to $97,700at private doctoral universities (indicator 44).

Te percentage o ull-time college students ages1624 who were employed increased rom 34 to52 percent between 1970 and 2000, decreased to

47 percent in 2001, but did not change measurablyrom 2001 through 2008. In addition, the numbero hours these students worked per week hasincreased since 1970. In 1970, about 4 percent oull-time students worked 35 or more hours per

week, but between 2000 and 2007 that percentageuctuated between 8 and 9 percent. In contrastto the increase among ull-time college students,there was no measurable change in the percentageo part-time college students who were employedbetween 1970 and 2008. Part-time college students

worked ewer hours in 2008 than they did in 1970(indicator 45).

From 19992000 to 200708, the percentage oull-time, ull-year undergraduates who receivedederal grants, available to those who qualiy byincome, increased rom 31 to 33 percent, whilethe percentage with ederal loans increased rom44 to 50 percent. In 200708, about 80 percento low-income dependent undergraduates receivedederal grants, compared with 15 percent o middle-income and less than 1 percent o high-incomeundergraduates. Te percentage o middle-incomeundergraduates who took out loans in 200708(49 percent) was not measurably dierent rom

that o low-income undergraduates (51 percent),but higher percentages o low- and middle-incomeundergraduates took out loans than did high-income undergraduates (35 percent) (indicator 46).

For ull-time, ull-year, dependent undergraduates,

the total price o education was higher in 200708than in 19992000 at all institutions. Manystudents and amilies receive nancial aid to helpcover their expenses, usually in the orm o grantsand loans. Te net price o education is calculatedas the total price o attendance (the cash outlay,including loans, that is needed to cover educationalexpenses) minus grants. Ater adjusting orination, the net price o attendance was higher in200708 than in 200304 or students at public 2-and 4-year institutions and at private not-or-prot4-year institutions. For low-income students at allinstitutions, however, the net price o attendance

was not signicantly higher in 200708 than in200304 (indicator 47).

In 200708, the average total price or 1 year oull-time graduate education ranged rom $31,300or a masters degree program at a public institutionto $58,000 or a rst-proessional degree programat a private not-or-prot institution. For all degreeprograms, the average total price o attending agraduate program was greater in 200708 than in200304. Most ull-time graduate students receivesome type o nancial aid, such as grants andassistantships (awarded on a discretionary basis);subsidized, unsubsidized, or private loans; or tuitionassistance rom their employer. Some 85 percent oull-time students at the masters level, 88 percentat the rst-proessional level, and 93 percent at thedoctoral level received some type o aid in 200708(indicator 48).

In 200708, student tuition accounted or 18percent o the total revenue or public institutions,36 percent or private not-or-prot institutions, and87 percent or private or-prot institutions. Stateappropriations (25 percent) were the largest sourceo revenue or public institutions, while tuition andees (18 percent) were the second largest source. In

200708, instruction was the largest expenditurecategory or both public and private not-or-protinstitutions. At private or-prot institutions, thelargest single expenditure category was a groupmade up o student services and academic andinstitutional support (indicator 49).

ConclusionOverall, progress on national assessments in reading andmathematics has been made among 4th- and 8th-graderssince the early 1990s. On both mathematics and reading

continued


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xii Te Condition o Education 2010

assessments, signicant achievement gaps among racial/ethnic groups remain, though the mathematics andreading gaps between White and Black 4th-graders havenarrowed since the assessments were rst given. Othermeasures o progress showing improvement are the statusdropout rate, which has declined among students in all

racial/ethnic groups, and rates o postsecondary degreeattainment, which have increased or Black, Hispanic,Asian/Pacic Islander, and American Indian/AlaskaNative students.

It is important to examine how outcomes on measureso progress dier among students o varying povertylevels. On the 2009 national reading and mathematicsassessments, the percentages o 4th- and 8th-gradersrom high-poverty schools perorming at or above theBasic, at or above the Profcient, and at theAdvancedachievement levels were lower than the respectivepercentages o 4th- and 8th-graders rom low-povertyschools. In 200708, 12-graders attending high-povertyschools were less likely than those attending low-povertyschools to graduate with a diploma during the previousyear, and graduates rom high-poverty schools were lesslikely than graduates rom low-poverty schools to attenda 4-year college.

Enrollment in U.S. schools is expected to continuegrowing in the coming years. From 2007 through 2019,public elementary and secondary education enrollmentis projected to increase to 52 million students; the Southis expected to experience the largest increase in thenumber o students enrolled. Undergraduate enrollmentis expected to increase rom 16.4 million students in 2008

to 19.0 million in 2019. Enrollment in postbaccalaureateprograms is projected to increase through 2019 to 3.4million students.

Tese increases in enrollment have been accompanied bya growing diversity o students. Between 1988 and 2008,the percentage o public school students who were Whitedecreased rom 68 to 55 percent, while the percentage opublic school students who were Hispanic doubled rom11 percent to 22 percent. In 200708, greater percentages

o Hispanic, Black, and American Indian/Alaska Nativestudents attended high-poverty elementary and secondaryschools than did White or Asian/Pacic Islander students.

NCES produces an array o reports each year that presentndings about the U.S. education system. Te Conditiono Education 2010is the culmination o a yearlongproject. It includes data that were available by April2010. In the coming months, other reports and surveysinorming the nation about education will be released.

Along with the indicators in this volume, NCES intendsthese surveys and reports to help inorm policymakersand the American public about trends and conditions inU.S. education.

Stuart KerachskyDeputy CommissionerNational Center or Education Statistics



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Reader's Guide xiii

Te Condition o Education is available in two orms: thisprint volume or 2010 and a Web version on the NationalCenter or Education Statistics (NCES) website (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe). Te Web version includesthe ollowing: the 2010 Commissioners statement, ausers guide, special analyses rom 2000 through 2010,

all indicators rom this edition, and selected indicatorsrom earlier editions oTe Condition o Education. (Seepage xxix or a list o all the indicators that appear on TeCondition o Education website.)

Te print volume oTe Condition o Education 2010consists o ve sections o indicators, as well as anadditional special section that examines high-povertyschools using data drawn rom various indicators in thevolume.Each section begins with a summary o thegeneral topic areas covered by the indicators in the section.Each indicator consists o a page with key ndings andtechnical notes, one or two gures and/or tables on theadjacent page, and one or more supplemental tables,ound in appendix A. Te supplemental tables eaturethe estimates used in the indicator discussion as wellas additional estimates related to the indicator. Whereapplicable, tables o standard errors or estimate tablesare available on the Web (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe). Additional inormation on data sources, analysesconducted, and denitions o variables and measures canbe ound in the supplemental notes in appendix B. Finally,a glossary o key terms, a bibliography, and an index areeatured in appendices CE.

Tis icon on the main indicator page lists reerencesor related indicators, supplemental tables, glossary

terms, and other sources that provide more inormationrelating to the indicator. Indicators use the most recentnational and international data avai lable rom eitherNCES or other sources that are relevant to the indicator.

When the source is an NCES publication, such as theDigest o Education Statistics 2009(NCES 2010-013), thepublication can be viewed on the NCES website (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch).

Data Sources and EstimatesTe data in this report were obtained rom many dierent

sourcesincluding students and teachers, state educationagencies, local schools, and colleges and universitiesusing surveys and compilations o administrative records.Users oTe Condition o Education should be cautious

when comparing data rom dierent sources. Dierencesin aspects such as procedures, timing, question phrasing,and interviewer training can aect the comparability oresults across data sources.

Most indicators in Te Condition o Education summarizedata rom surveys conducted by NCES or by the CensusBureau with support rom NCES. Brie explanationso the major NCES surveys used in this edition oTe

Condition o Education can be ound in supplemental notes3 and 4o this volume. More detailed explanations can beobtained on the NCES website (http://nces.ed.gov) underSurveys and Programs. Inormation about the CurrentPopulation Survey (CPS), another requent source osurvey data used in Te Condition o Education, can be

ound in supplemental note 2and at http://www.census.gov/cps/.

Data or indicators reported in this volume are obtainedprimarily rom two types o surveys: universe surveys andsample surveys. Some indicators report data taken romentire populations (universe surveys), such as indicator 36(Public School Expenditures by District Poverty). Withthis type o survey, inormation is collected rom everymember o the population. For example, data or indicator36were obtained rom each school district in the UnitedStates. When data rom an entire population are available,estimates o the total population or a subpopulation aremade by simply summing the units in the populationor subpopulation. A universe survey is usually expensiveand time consuming, so researchers oten opt to collectdata rom a sample o the population o interest (samplesurvey). Other indicators report data rom samplesurveys, such as indicator 9(Reading Perormance).Indicator 9reports inormation rom the National

Assessment o Educational Progress (NAEP), whichassesses a representative sample o students rather thanthe entire population o students. When a sample surveyis used, statistical uncertainty is introduced because datacome rom only a portion o the entire population. Tisstatistical uncertainty must be considered when reportingestimates and making comparisons.

Various types o estimates derived rom universeand sample surveys are reported in Te Conditiono Education. Many indicators report the size o apopulation or a subpopulation, and oten the size o asubpopulation is expressed as a percentage o the totalpopulation. In addition, the average (or mean) values osome characteristic o the population or subpopulationmay be reported. Te average is obtained by summingthe values or all members o the population and dividingthe sum by the size o the population. An example is theannual average salaries o ull-time instructional acultyat degree-granting institutions (indicator 44). Another

population measure that is sometimes used is the median.Te median is the value o a population characteristic ator above which 50 percent o the population is estimatedto all and at or below which 50 percent o the populationis estimated to all. An example is the median annualearnings o young adults who are ull-time, ull-year wageand salary workers (indicator 17).

Estimates based on universe and sample survey data maybe aected by a wide range o potential data collectionerrors, such as coverage errors, response errors, datacoding errors, and data entry errors. Estimates o the sizeo these types o errors are typically not available.

Readers Guide
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xiv Te Condition o Education 2010

Using estimates calculated rom data based on a sampleo the population requires consideration o several actorsbeore the estimates become meaningul. Howeverconscientious an organization may be in collectingdata rom a sample o a population, some margin oerror will always be present in estimations o the size o

the actual total population or subpopulation becausethe data are available rom only a portion o the totalpopulation. Consequently, data rom samples can provideonly an approximation o the true or actual value. Temargin o error, or the range, o an estimate depends onseveral actors, including the amount o variation in theresponses, the size and representativeness o the sample,and the size o the subgroup or which the estimate iscomputed. Te magnitude o this margin o error ismeasured by what statisticians call the standard erroro an estimate.

Standard ErrorsWhen data rom sample surveys are reported, as isthe case with most o the indicators in Te Conditiono Education, the standard error is calculated oreach estimate. Te standard errors or all estimatedtotals, means, medians, or percentages reported in thesupplemental tables oTe Condition o Education canbe viewed on the NCES website (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe).

Te standard errors o the estimates or dierentsubpopulations in an indicator can vary. As anillustration, indicator 13 reports the average mathematics

scores o 13-year-old students between 1973 and 2008.In both 1994 and 1996, the average mathematics scoreor 13-year-olds was 274 (see table A-13-2). In contrast tothe similarity o these scores, the standard errors or theseestimates were 0.9 and 1.0, respectively (see table S-13-2).Te average score with the smaller standard error providesa more reliable approximation o the true value than theaverage score with a higher standard error. In addition,standard errors tend to diminish in size as the size o thesample (or subsample) increases.

For indicator 17, which reports median annual earnings,special procedures are ollowed or computing the

standard errors or these medians. See appendix Go thesource and accuracy statement or the Current PopulationStudy (CPS) 2009 Annual Social and Economicsupplement (ASEC) or inormation on how to calculatethe standard errors (http://www.census.gov/apsd/techdoc/cps/cpsmar09.pd).

Data Analysis and InterpretationWhen estimates are rom a sample, caution is warrantedwhen drawing conclusions about the size o onepopulation estimate in comparison to another, orabout whether a time series o population estimatesis increasing, decreasing, or staying about the same.

Although one estimate may be larger than another,a statistical test may nd that there is no measurabledierence between the two estimates because o thestandard error associated with one or both o theestimates. Whether dierences in means or percentagesare statistically signicant can be determined using thestandard errors o the estimates.

Readers who wish to compare two sample estimates tosee i there is a statistical dierence will need to estimatethe precision o the dierence between the two sampleestimates. Tis would be necessary i one wanted tocompare, or example, the mean prociency scores

between groups assessed in the National Assessment oEducational Progress. o estimate the precision o thedierence between two sample estimates, one must ndthe standard error o the dierence between the twosample estimates (E

Aand E

B). Expressed mathematically,

the dierence between the two is EAE

B. Te standard

error o the dierence (seAB

) can be calculated by takingthe square root o the sum o the two standard errorsassociated with each o the two sample estimates (se

Aand

seB) ater each has been squared. Tis relationship can be

expressed as

Ater nding the standard error o the dierence, onedivides the dierence between the two sample estimatesby this standard error to determine the tvalue ortstatistic o the dierence between the two estimates.Tis tstatistic measures the precision o the dierencebetween two independent sample estimates. Te ormulaor calculating this ratio is expressed mathematically as

Assuming a normal distribution, the next step isto compare this tstatistic to 1.96, the statisticallydetermined value or making a decision at a 95 percentcondence level as to whether there is a statisticaldierence between two estimates. A 95 percentcondence level means that i a test is conducted 100times, only 5 times out o 100 would it be expected thatthe dierence between the two sample estimates (E

Aand

seAB

=seA + seB2 2

t =E

AE

B

seAB

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Reader's Guide xv

EB) is due to chance alone. Tereore, i the tstatistic is

greater than 1.96, then there is evidence that a dierenceexists between the two populations. I the tstatistic isequal to or less than 1.96, then there is less certaintythat the observed dierence is a real dierence and is notsimply due to sampling error. Tis level o certitude, or

signicance, is commonly reerred to as the .05 level o(statistical) signicance.

As an example o a comparison made between two sampleestimates to determine whether there is a statisticallysignicant dierence between the estimates, considerthe data on the perormance o 4th-grade students inthe 1992 and 2009 NAEP reading assessments (see table

A-9-1). Te average scale score in 1992 was 217 and theaverage scale score in 2009 was 221. Is the dierenceo 4 scale points between these two dierent samplesstatistically signicant? Te standard errors o theseestimates are 0.9 and 0.3, respectively (see table S-9-1).Using the ormula above, the standard error o thedierence is 0.97. Te tstatistic o the dierence betweenthe two sample estimates (the estimated dierenceo 4 scale points divided by the standard error o thedierence) is 4.32. Tis value is greater than 1.96thecritical value o the tdistribution or a .05 level osignicance with a large sample. Tus, one can concludethat there was a statistically signicant dierence in thereading perormance o 4th-graders between 1992 and2009 and that the reading score or 4th-graders in 2009

was higher than the reading score or 4th-graders in 1992.

For all indicators in Te Condition o Education thatreport estimates based on samples, dierences between

estimates (including increases or decreases) are statedonly when they are statistically signicant. o determine

whether dierences reported are statistically signicant,two-tailed ttests at the .05 level are typically used. Tet test ormula or determining statistical signicanceis adjusted when the samples being compared aredependent. Te ttest ormula is not adjusted whenperorming multiple comparisons. When the dierencebetween estimates is not statistically signicant, testso equivalence are oten used. An equivalence testdetermines the probability (generally at the .15 level)that the estimates are statistically equivalent, that is,

within the margin o error that the two estimates are not

substantively dierent. When the estimates are ound tobe equivalent, language such as x and y were similaror about the same has been used; otherwise, the data

will be described as having no measurable dierence.When the variables to be tested are postulated to orma trend, the relationship may be tested using linearregression, logistic regression, or ANOVA trend analysisinstead o a series ottests. Tese alternate methodso analysis test or specic relationships (e.g., linear,quadratic, or cubic) among variables.

A number o considerations inuence the ultimateselection o the data years that are eatured in TeCondition o Education. o make analyses as timely aspossible, the latest year o data is shown i it is availableduring report production. Te choice o comparisonyears is oten also based on the need to show the earliest

available survey year, as in the case o the NAEP andthe international assessment surveys. In the case osurveys with long time rames, such as surveys measuringenrollment, the decades beginning year (e.g., 1980 or1990) oten starts the trend line. In the gures andtables o the indicators, intervening years are selectedin increments in order to show the general trend. Tenarrative or the indicators typically compares the mostcurrent years data with those rom the initial year andthen with those rom a more recent period. Whereapplicable, the narrative may also note years in which thedata begin to diverge rom previous trends.

Variations in PopulationIn considering the estimates shown in the tables andgures in this volume and on the NCES website, it isimportant to keep in mind that there may be considerablevariation among the members o a population in thecharacteristic or variable represented by the populationestimate. For example, the estimated average mathematicsscore o U.S. 4th-graders in 2009 was 240 (see table

A-11-1). In reality, many U.S. students scored above 240points, and many scored below 240 points. Likewise,not all aculty salaries, benets, and total compensationat postsecondary institutions were the same at each type

o institution in 200809 (indicator 44). Because o thisvariation, there may be considerable overlap among themembers o the two populations that are being compared.

Although the dierence in the estimated means o thetwo populations may be statistically signicant, manymembers o the population with the lower estimatedmean may actually be above the estimated mean othe other population, and vice versa. For example,there may be a percentage o young adults with a highschool diploma or equivalent that have higher earningsthan young adults with a bachelors degree or higher(indicator 17). Te extent o such overlap is not generallyconsidered in the indicators in this volume. Estimates o

the extent o variation in such population characteristicscan be computed rom the NCES survey datasets or areavailable in published reports. For example, estimates othe variation in students assessment scores can be oundusing the NAEP Data Explorer at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/ or in the appendices to mostNAEP reports.

continued
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xvi Te Condition o Education 2010

Readers Guide

Rounding and OtherConsiderations

All calculations within Te Condition o Education arebased on unrounded estimates. Tereore, the reader maynd that a calculation, such as a dierence or a percentage

change, cited in the text or gure may not be identicalto the calculation obtained by using the rounded valuesshown in the accompanying tables. Although valuesreported in the supplemental tables are generally roundedto one decimal place (e.g., 76.5 percent), values reportedin each indicator are generally rounded to whole numbers(with any value o 0.50 or above rounded to the nexthighest whole number). Due to rounding, cumulativepercentages may sometimes equal 99 or 101 percentrather than 100 percent.

Indicators in this volume that use the Consumer PriceIndex (CPI) use a base academic year o 200809and a base calendar year o 2008 or constant dollarcalculations. For more inormation on the CPI, seesupplemental note 10.

Race and ethnicityTe categories denoting race and ethnicity in TeCondition o Education are in accordance with the 1997Ofce o Management and Budget (OMB) standardclassication scheme. Tese classications are basedprimarily on the respondents sel-identication, as isthe case with data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau,or, in rare instances, on observer identication. Underthe OMB standards, race and ethnicity are considered

separate concepts. Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicitycategory, not a racial category. Race categories presentedin Te Condition o Education 2010exclude persons oHispanic ethnicity; thus, the race/ethnicity categories aremutually exclusive.

Ethnicity is categorized as ollows:

Hispanic or Latino:A person o Cuban, Mexican,Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or otherSpanish culture or origin, regardless o race.

Racial groupings are as ollows:

American Indian or Alaska Native: A person havingorigins in any o the original peoples o Northand South America (including Central America)

who maintains tribal afliation or communityattachment.

Asian: A person having origins in any o the originalpeoples o the Far East, Southeast Asia, and theIndian subcontinent: or example, Cambodia,China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, thePhilippines, Tailand, and Vietnam.

Black: A person having origins in any o the Blackracial groups o Arica.

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacifc Islander: A personhaving origins in any o the original peoples oHawaii, Guam, Samoa, or other Pacic Islands.

White: A person having origins in any o theoriginal peoples o Europe, North Arica, or theMiddle East.

wo or more races: A person who selected twoor more o the ollowing racial categories whenoered the option o selecting one or more racialdesignations: White, Black, Asian, Native Hawaiianor Other Pacic Islander, or American Indian or

Alaska Native.

In Te Condition o Education, the ollowing terms are

typically used to represent the above categories: White,Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacic Islander, AmericanIndian/Alaska Native, and wo or more races. Notall categories are shown in all indicators. For moreinormation on race/ethnicity, see supplemental note 1.

SymbolsIn accordance with the NCES Statistical Standards, manytables in this volume use a series o symbols to alert thereader to special statistical notes. Tese symbols, and theirmeanings, are as ollows:

Not available. Data were not collected or not

reported. Not applicable. Category does not exist.# Rounds to zero. Te estimate rounds to zero.! Interpret data with caution. Estimates are

unstable. Reporting standards not met. Did not meet

reporting standards.* p < .05 Signicance level.1

Notes1 Tis level o signicance means that the chance is less than 5 outo 100 that a dierence was ound between two estimates when noreal dierence exists.


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Contents xvii

Contents

Commissioners Statement............................................................................................................................................... iii

Readers Guide ...............................................................................................................................................................xiii

List o ables ...................................................................................................................................................................xx

List o Figures ................................................................................................................................................................ xxv

Te List o Indicators on Te Condition o EducationWebsite (20032010) ................................................................. xxixSpecial SectionHigh-Poverty Schools ..................................................................... 1

Section 1Participation in Education .................................................................... 21

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 23

All Ages

1 Enrollment rends by Age................................................................................................................................ 24

Elementary/Secondary Education

2 Public School Enrollment ................................................................................................................................ 26

3 Private School Enrollment ............................................................................................................................... 28

4 Racial/Ethnic Enrollment in Public Schools ..................................................................................................... 30

5 Language Minority School-Age Children ......................................................................................................... 32

6 Children and Youth With Disabilities .............................................................................................................. 34

Undergraduate Education

7 Undergraduate Enrollment .............................................................................................................................. 36

Graduate and Proessional Education

8 Postbaccalaureate Enrollment........................................................................................................................... 38

Section 2Learner Outcomes ................................................................................. 41

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 43

Academic Outcomes

9 Reading Perormance ....................................................................................................................................... 44

10 Reading Achievement Gaps ............................................................................................................................. 46

11 Mathematics Perormance ................................................................................................................................ 48

12 Mathematics Achievement Gaps ...................................................................................................................... 50

13 Reading and Mathematics Score rends ........................................................................................................... 52

14 Achievement in the Arts ................................................................................................................................... 54

15 International Mathematics Content ................................................................................................................. 56

16 International Science Content ......................................................................................................................... 58

Economic Outcomes

17 Annual Earnings o Young Adults .................................................................................................................... 60

Page


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xviii Te Condition o Education 2010

Section 3Student Eort and Educational Progress .............................................. 63

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 65

Elementary/Secondary Persistence and Progress

18 Public High School Graduation Rates .............................................................................................................. 66

19 Status Dropout Rates ....................................................................................................................................... 68

Transition to College

20 Immediate ransition to College ...................................................................................................................... 70

Completions

21 Postsecondary Graduation Rates ...................................................................................................................... 72

22 Educational Attainment ................................................................................................................................... 74

23 Degrees Earned ................................................................................................................................................ 76

Section 4Contexts o Elementary and Secondary Education ............................. 79Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................... 81

School Characteristics and Climate

24 Characteristics o Public Schools ...................................................................................................................... 82

25 Poverty Concentration in Public Schools ......................................................................................................... 84

26 School Crime and Saety .................................................................................................................................. 86

Teachers and Sta

27 Characteristics o Full-ime eachers ............................................................................................................... 88

28 Newly Hired eachers ...................................................................................................................................... 9029 Characteristics o School Principals .................................................................................................................. 92

30 Public School Sta ........................................................................................................................................... 94

Learning Opportunities

31 Student/eacher Ratios in Public Schools ........................................................................................................ 96

School Choice

32 Characteristics o Public Charter Schools ......................................................................................................... 98

Finance

33 Public School Revenue Sources ...................................................................................................................... 100

34 Public School Expenditures ............................................................................................................................ 102

35 Variations in Instruction Expenditures ........................................................................................................... 104

36 Public School Expenditures by District Poverty.............................................................................................. 106

37 Pay Incentives or eachers ............................................................................................................................. 108

38 Education Expenditures by Country .............................................................................................................. 110

Page

Contents


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Contents xix

Section 5Contexts o Postsecondary Education ............................................... 113

Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................. 115

Characteristics o Postsecondary Students

39 Racial/Ethnic Concentration in Higher Education ........................................................................................ 116

40 U.S. Students Studying Abroad ...................................................................................................................... 118

Programs and Courses

41 Undergraduate Fields o Study ....................................................................................................................... 120

42 Graduate and First-Proessional Fields o Study ............................................................................................. 122

43 Degrees Conerred by Public and Private Institutions .................................................................................... 124

Faculty and Sta

44 Faculty Salaries, Benets, and otal Compensation ........................................................................................ 126

Finance

45 College Student Employment ........................................................................................................................ 128

46 Federal Grants and Loans to Undergraduates ................................................................................................. 130

47 Price o Attending an Undergraduate Institution ........................................................................................... 132

48 Price o Graduate and First-Proessional Attendance ...................................................................................... 134

49 Postsecondary Revenues and Expenses ........................................................................................................... 136

Appendix ASupplemental Tables ....................................................................... 139

Te supplemental tables are listed in the List o ables on the ollowing pages.

Appendix BSupplemental Notes ........................................................................ 319Note 1: Commonly Used Variables. ............................................................................................................................. 321

Note 2: Te Current Population Survey (CPS) ............................................................................................................. 328

Note 3: Other Surveys .................................................................................................................................................. 333

Note 4: National Assessment o Educational Progress ................................................................................................... 338

Note 5: International Assessments ................................................................................................................................ 342

Note 6: Measures o Student Persistence and Progress .................................................................................................. 344

Note 7: Student Disabilities.......................................................................................................................................... 346

Note 8: Classication o Postsecondary Education Institutions..................................................................................... 348

Note 9: Fields o Study or Postsecondary Degrees ....................................................................................................... 350

Note 10: Finance .......................................................................................................................................................... 351

Appendix CGlossary .......................................................................................... 355

Appendix DBibliography .................................................................................... 365

Appendix EIndex ................................................................................................ 369

Page

continued


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xx Te Condition o Education 2010

Section 4Contexts o Elementary and Secondary Education

36-1. Current expenditures per student in all enrollment in public school districts, by locale and district povertycategory: School year 200607 ...................................................................................................................... 107

Section 5Contexts o Postsecondary Education43-1. Number o degrees conerred by degree-granting institutions and percent change, by control o institution and

type o degree: Academic years 199798 and 200708 .................................................................................. 125

Appendix ASupplemental Tables

A-1-1. Percentage o the population ages 334 enrolled in school, by age group: October 19702008 ..................... 140

A-1-2. Age range or compulsory school attendance and kindergarten programs, by state: Selected years,20002008 .................................................................................................................................................... 142

A-2-1. Actual and projected public school enrollment in grades prekindergarten (preK) through 12, by gradelevel and region: Selected school years, 197071 through 201920 ............................................................... 144

A-2-2. Projected percent change in public school enrollment in grades prekindergarten (preK) through 12,by grade level, region, and state: School years 200708 and 201920 ............................................................ 146

A-3-1. otal enrollment and percentage distribution o students enrolled in private elementary and secondaryschools, by school type and grade level: Various school years, 199596 through 200708 ............................. 148

A-3-2. Private elementary and secondary school enrollment and private enrollment as a percentage o totalenrollment in public and private schools, by region and grade level: Various school years, 199596through 200708 ........................................................................................................................................... 149

A-3-3. Percentage distribution o students in private schools, by selected school characteristics and race/ethnicity:School year 200708 ..................................................................................................................................... 150

A-4-1. Number and percentage distribution o the race/ethnicity o public school students enrolled inkindergarten through 12th grade: October 1988October

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Condition of Education 2010