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August 2007


From the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)

The Nation's Report Card: U.S. Economics 2006—National Assessment of Educational Progress
at Grade 12

Released August 8, this is the first NAEP assessment of students' knowledge of economics. In 2006, a nationally representative sample of more than 11,500 students in grade 12 from 590 schools participated in the NAEP economics assessment. About 4 of 10 U.S. 12th-graders — 42 percent — reached the Proficient level and were able to identify and apply key economic concepts and relationships dealing with national and international economic issues and important aspects of personal finance.

To Teach or Not to Teach? Teaching Experience and Preparation Among 1992-93 Bachelor's Degree Recipients 10 Years After College.

Released July 31, this report profiles 1992-93 bachelor's degree recipients' experience with K-12 teaching in the subsequent 10 years, as well as their preparation for teaching. The report provides an overview of teachers' job satisfaction and, for those not teaching in 2002-03, the main reason for not teaching. The report's second section looks at graduates' preparation for teaching, including the key steps of completing a teacher education program, serving as a student teacher, and earning certification. Finally, the report examines the main reasons graduates who never taught gave for deciding against teaching.

Digest of Education Statistics, 2006

Released July 26, this edition of the Digest — the 42nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962 — provides a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from pre-kindergarten through graduate school.

Status of Education in Rural America

Released on July 25, this report presents a series of indicators on the status of education in rural America in 2003-04. It applies a new classification system, developed by NCES and the Census Bureau, that classifies the locale of school districts and schools based on their actual geographic coordinates. The new system has 12 locale categories and distinguishes between rural areas that are on the fringe of an urban area, rural areas that are at some distance, and rural areas that are remote. Findings indicate that in 2003-04, over half of all operating school districts and 1/3 of all public schools in the United States were in rural areas, yet only 1/5 of all public school students were enrolled in rural areas.

Dropout Rates in the United States: 2005 Compendium Report

Released June 28, this report builds upon a series of NCES reports on high school dropout and completion rates that began in 1988. It presents estimates of rates for 2005, and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three decades, including characteristics of dropouts and completers in these years.

Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards Onto the NAEP Scales

This report, released June 7, employs a statistical method that places each state's Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) standard on the NAEP scale. The methodology is applied to reading and mathematics data for grades 4 and 8, academic year 2004-05. An analysis of the results suggests that there is wide variation in the stringency of states' AYP standards.

The Condition of Education 2007

was released on May 31 at a media and association briefing in Washington attended by more than 100. This report presents 48 indicators of the status and condition of education and a special analysis of high school coursetaking.