This report on science and mathematics indicators is intended to assist state, national, and local policymakers and educators in making informed decisions. This report focuses on science and mathematics indicators at state and national levels. The indicators are intended for use by policymakers and educators to assess progress in improving mathematics and science education in the schools. The 1997 report presents new state indicators from the 1995-96 school year and examines trends by state from 1990 to 1996 on indicators of student achievement, content and instruction, and context and conditions for teaching. Indicators were selected through consultation with state education leaders, science and mathematics educators, representatives of national professional organizations, and education researchers. (Contains 61 references, 32 tables, and 14 figures.) (ASK)

Since the late 1960s, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)â€"the nation's report cardâ€"has been the only continuing measure of student achievement in key subject areas. Increasingly, educators and policymakers have expected NAEP to serve as a lever for education reform and many other purposes beyond its original role. Grading the Nation's Report Card examines ways NAEP can be strengthened to provide more informative portrayals of student achievement and the school and system factors that influence it. The committee offers specific recommendations and strategies for improving NAEP's effectiveness and utility, including: Linking achievement data to other education indicators. Streamlining data collection and other aspects of its design. Including students with disabilities and English-language learners. Revamping the process by which achievement levels are set. The book explores how to improve NAEP framework documentsâ€"which identify knowledge and skills to be assessedâ€"with a clearer eye toward the inferences that will be drawn from the results. What should the nation expect from NAEP? What should NAEP do to meet these expectations? This book provides a blueprint for a new paradigm, important to education policymakers, professors, and students, as well as school administrators and teachers, and education advocates.

Contains information on a variety of subjects within the field of education statistics, including the number of schools and colleges, enrollments, teachers, graduates, educational attainment, finances, Federal funds for education, libraries, international education, and research and development.

This 1997 edition of the "Digest of Education Statistics" is the 32nd in a series of publications initiated in 1962. Its primary purpose is to provide a compilation of statistical information covering the broad field of American education from kindergarten through graduate school. The digest includes data from many government and private sources, and draws especially on the results of surveys and activities carried out by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The publication contains information on a variety of topics, including the number of schools and colleges, teachers, enrollments, graduates, educational attainment, finances, federal funds for education, employment and income of graduates, libraries, and international education. Supplemental information is provided on population trends, attitudes on education comparisons, education characteristics of the labor force, government finances, and economic trends. The digest is divided into seven chapters: "All Levels of Education,""Elementary and Secondary Education,""Postsecondary Education,""Federal Programs for Education and Related Activities,""Outcomes of Education,""International Comparisons of Education," and "Learning Resources and Technology." The introduction includes a brief overview of current trends in American education. The data show that in the fall of 1997, about 75 million people were involved, directly or indirectly, in providing or receiving formal education. Assessment data indicate that there have been improvements in mathematics and science performance between 1986 and 1996. A higher proportion of high school graduates are going on to college. Yet, wide variations in student proficiency from state to state and mediocre mathematics scores of American students in international assessments pose challenges. The appendix contains a guide to tabular presentation, a guide to sources, definitions, 12 tables, and an index. Thirty-three figures and 422 tables comprise the bulk of the document. (AA)