NCES Releases Its Annual Report on the Condition of Education

Author: Patsy Crawford | Posted: 24. May 2012 23:14

 On May 24, 2012 the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released online its Condition of Education 2012 report.  The report presents 49 indicators of the status and condition of education and provides a closer look at how U.S. high school education has changed over the past 20 years.  The report reflects an overall increase in student enrollment between 1980 and 2010; full-day preschool enrollment increased by 26 percent and, while enrollment for students ages 5 through 15 remained mostly stable, enrollment for 16 and 17 year-olds increased by nearly 10 percent.  Between 1999 and 2010, the number of students enrolled in charter schools increased by more than 400 percent.  Between 2000 and 2010, postsecondary enrollment increased by 37 percent.

The report reflects some significant changes in student demographics.  Between 1990 and 2010, the number of public schools students who were White decreased by 13 percent, while the number of Hispanic students increased by 11 percent.  The number of English language learners was 3.7 million in 2000-01 compared to 4.7 million in 2009-10.  In 2011, 37 percent of Black students and 33 percent of Hispanic students were living below the federal poverty level compared to 12 percent of White students.

 The Condition of Education 2010 cites decreases in serious violent crimes at school, high school drop-out rates, and in the percentage of high school students who were employed.  Increases were cited in high school students taking more rigorous classes and in college enrollment immediately after high school. The full NCES report is available at http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/.