![](media/image1.png){width="3.5in" height="3.5in"}

**U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION**

**Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN)**

**N094 -- Firearm Incidents File Specifications**

**Version 3.1**

**SY 2006-07**

**October 2007**

This technical guide was produced under U.S. Department of Education
Contract No. GS00F0049M--ED05P01299 with Perot Systems Government
Services, Inc. Brandon Scott served as the contracting officer's
representative. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of
Education of any product, commodity, service or enterprise mentioned in
this publication is intended or should be inferred.

**U.S. Department of Education**

Margaret Spellings

*Secretary*

**Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development**

Doug Mesecar

*Acting Assistant Secretary*

![](media/image2.wmf){width="0.6507874015748032in"
height="9.803149606299212e-2in"}

October 2007

This technical guide is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce
it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this
publication is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of
Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, *N094
-- Firearm Incidents File Specifications*, Washington, D.C., 2007.

This technical guide is also available on the Department's Web site at:
<http://www.ed.gov/edfacts>.

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as
Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please
contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at (202) 260--0852 or
(202) 260--0818.

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc178660569 .anchor}DOCUMENT CONTROL

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

  --------------- ---------------------------------------------------------
  **Title:**      N094 -- Firearm Incidents File Specifications

  **Revision:**   Version 3.1

  **Issue Date:** October 2007

  **Security      Unclassified -- For Official Use Only
  Level:**        

  **Filename:**   371832.doc1.doc
  --------------- ---------------------------------------------------------

DOCUMENT HISTORY

+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+
| **Ve  | **Date**   | **Summary of Change**                          |
| rsion |            |                                                |
| Num   |            |                                                |
| ber** |            |                                                |
+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 1.0   |            | This file specification was not used for SYs   |
|       |            | 2003-04 and 2004-05.                           |
+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 2.0   |            | Version 2.0 or subsequent updates (i.e. 2.1,   |
|       |            | 2.2, etc) of this file specification is used   |
|       |            | to build files for SY 2005-06.                 |
+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 3.0   | May 2007   | Updated for SY 2006-07                         |
|       |            |                                                |
|       |            | -   1.2: Removed the LEA level from this       |
|       |            |     collection.                                |
+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+
| 3.1   | October    | -   3.0: Added to Guidance clarification of    |
|       | 2007       |     other firearm                              |
+-------+------------+------------------------------------------------+

RELEASE AUTHORIZATION

  ----------------------- -----------------------------------------------
  **Name**                **Signature / Date**

  Author                  

  QA                      

  Release Authority       
  ----------------------- -----------------------------------------------

[]{#__RefHeading___Toc178660570 .anchor}PREFACE

This document provides technical instructions for building files that
can be submitted through the Education Data Exchange Network (EDEN).
This document is used in coordination with the ED*Facts* Workbook and
the EDEN Submission System User Guide.

EDEN is a centralized, coordinated repository of state reported, K
through 12, educational data residing at the U.S. Department of
Education. The EDEN Submission System is an electronic system that
facilitates the efficient and timely transmission of data from SEAs to
the U.S. Department of Education.

Contents

[DOCUMENT CONTROL ii](#__RefHeading___Toc178660569)

[PREFACE iii](#__RefHeading___Toc178660570)

[1.0 PURPOSE 1](#purpose)

[1.1 Changes from the SY 2005--06 File Specifications
1](#changes-from-the-sy-200506-file-specifications)

[1.2 Requirements for Submitting this Data Group
1](#requirements-for-submitting-this-data-group)

[2.0 FILE NAMING CONVENTION 2](#file-naming-convention)

[3.0 GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE
3](#guidance-for-submitting-this-file)

[3.1 Population Status 4](#population-status)

[4.0 SEA FIREARM INCIDENTS FILE 5](#sea-firearm-incidents-file)

[4.1 Header Record Definition 5](#header-record-definition)

[4.2 Data Record Definition 6](#data-record-definition)

[4.3 SEA Firearm Incidents File Examples
8](#sea-firearm-incidents-file-examples)

[4.3.1 Partial Record Sample for Fixed Format SEA Firearm Incidents File
8](#partial-record-sample-for-fixed-format-sea-firearm-incidents-file)

[4.3.2 Partial Record Sample for Comma--Delimited File Format SEA
Firearm Incidents File
9](#partial-record-sample-for-commadelimited-file-format-sea-firearm-incidents-file)

[4.3.3 Partial Record Sample for Tab--Delimited File Format SEA Firearm
Incidents File
10](#partial-record-sample-for-tabdelimited-file-format-sea-firearm-incidents-file)

# PURPOSE

This document contains instructions for building fixed and delimited
files to submit ED*Facts* Data Group: Firearm Incidents Table, ID #601.
The definition for this data group is in the row "Table Name" in Table
4.2-1.

A separate document contains the XML file formats. General guidance for
constructing all EDEN file types may be found in the ED*Facts*
Workbook*.*

This data group is collected for the Gun--Free Schools Act (GFSA) Report
as required by Part A, Subpart 3, under Title IV of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. 7151).

## Changes from the SY 2005--06 File Specifications

There have been significant changes to this file specification:

-   Removed the LEA level from this collection.

## Requirements for Submitting this Data Group

The data group is submitted at the following levels:

-   SEA

The following table indicates the valid combinations of categories and
the sub--totals and/or totals needed for this file. An "X" in the column
indicates that the column must be populated when reporting that
particular category. The total indicator must be "N" (No) because no
subtotals or grand totals are required for this file.

**Table 1.2--1: Firearm Incidents Table, Required Categories, and
Applicable Totals**

  ----------------------- ----------- ------------- -----------------------
  **Table Name**          **Weapon    **Total       **Comments**
                          Type**      Indicator**   

  **FIREARMINCDNT**       X           N             
  ----------------------- ----------- ------------- -----------------------

# FILE NAMING CONVENTION

Being able to readily identify any particular file transmission is an
important consideration for users of the EDEN Data Submission System.
Being able to identify a particular file can greatly facilitate any
technical assistance that may be requested by the State. A maximum of 25
characters (including the file extension) is allowed for the file name.
The following is the naming convention for Firearm Incidents file
submissions:

sslev**FRAMNCDNT**vvvvvvv.ext

Where:

> **ss** -- Two--character USPS State Abbreviation for the submitting
> SEA.
>
> **lev** -- Three--character abbreviation for the level submitted. Use:
>
> SEA for a State Education Agency Firearm Incidents submission
>
> **Filename** -- **FRAMNCDNT** (no more than nine digits)
>
> **vvvvvvv** -- Up to seven--character alphanumeric string designated
> by the SEA to uniquely identify the individual submission (e.g.,
> ver0001, v010803)
>
> **.ext** -- Three--character file extension identifying the file
> format as follows:

.txt -- fixed format

.csv -- comma--delimited format

.tab -- tab--delimited format

# GUIDANCE FOR SUBMITTING THIS FILE

This file specification collects firearms incidents that occurred during
the school year, not the number of students involved with firearms
incidents. The number of students involved with firearms is reported in
the related file N086 -- Children Involved with Firearms.

Any incident in which a student was found to have brought a firearm to
school or possessed a firearm at school should be reported, even if the
expulsion is shortened or no penalty is imposed. Any incidents in which
a student covered by the provisions of IDEA brought a firearm to school
or possessed a firearm at school should also be included, even if it is
determined that the incident is a manifestation of the student's
disability.

Incidents are reported based on the firearm involved. Firearms are
classified as:

-   Handguns **(HANDGUNS)**

-   Rifles and/or Shotguns **(RIFLESHOTGUN)**

-   More than one type of weapon or firearm **(MULTIPLE)**.

-   Other **(OTHER)**

Other is defined in 18 USC 921, as including any weapon (including a
starter gun) which will, or is designed to, or may readily be converted
to, expel a projectile by the action of any explosive; the frame or
receiver of handguns and rifles/shotguns; any firearm muffler or firearm
silencer; any destructive device, which includes:

> \(a\) any explosive, incendiary or poison gas,
>
> \(1\) bomb,
>
> \(2\) grenade,
>
> \(3\) rocket having a propellant charge of more than four ounces,
>
> \(4\) missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than
> one--quarter ounce,
>
> \(5\) mine, or
>
> \(6\) similar device;
>
> \(b\) any weapon which will, or which may readily be converted to,
> expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant,
> and which has any barrel with a bore of more than one--half inch in
> diameter;
>
> \(c\) any combination or parts either designed or intended for use in
> converting any device into any destructive device, and from which a
> destructive device may be readily assembled.

"Other firearms\" does not include to items such as toy guns, cap guns,
bb guns, and pellet guns.

Fields that are defined as "Number" can contain values with leading
zeros or without leading zeros. Additionally, when submitting fixed
format files, "Number" fields can be either right or left justified.
This applies to the following fields:

-   "Total Records in File" in the Header

-   "File Record Number" in the Data Record

-   "Count" fields in the Data Record, i.e., Teacher Count, Incident
    Count

## Population Status

The "Pop" column in the header and data records is coded as follows:

> M - Mandatory, this field must always be populated
>
> A - This field is populated in accordance with table 1.2-1
>
> O - Optional, data in this field is optional

# SEA FIREARM INCIDENTS FILE

This section describes the fixed file and delimited file specifications
used to transmit information pertaining to the SEA Firearm Incidents
File. The file type is specified in the header record.

## Header Record Definition

The header record is required and is the first record in every file
submitted to the EDEN Submission System. The purpose of the header
record is to provide information as to the file type, number of Data
Records in the file, file name, file identifier, and file reporting
period.

Section 4.3 contains examples of the header record.

**Table 4.1--**1: Firearm Incidents, SEA Header Record

  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  **Data       **Start\     **Length**   **Type**   **Pop**   **Definition / Comments**         **Permitted
  Element      Position**                                                                       Values**
  Name**                                                                                        
  ------------ ------------ ------------ ---------- --------- --------------------------------- -------------
  File Type    1            50           String     M         Identifies the type of file being **SEA FIREARM
                                                              submitted.                        INCIDENTS**

  Total        51           10           Number     M         The total number of Data Records   
  Records In                                                  contained in the file. The header 
  File                                                        record is NOT included in this    
                                                              count.                            

  File Name    61           25           String     M         File Name and extension are        
  (Including                                                  provided by the SEA. The file     
  file                                                        name should be the same as the    
  extension)                                                  external file name. (Please see   
                                                              *File Naming Convention* in       
                                                              Section 2.0 of this document.)    

  File         86           32           String     M         Any combination of standard        
  Identifier                                                  characters to further identify    
                                                              the file as specified by the SEA, 
                                                              e.g., a date, person's name,      
                                                              version number.                   

  File         118          9            String     M         Enter the Academic School Year     
  Reporting                                                   for which data is being reported. 
  Period                                                      The required format for entering  
                                                              the File Reporting Period is      
                                                              \"CCYY--CCYY\" or \"CCYY CCYY\",  
                                                              where either a hyphen or a space  
                                                              must separate the beginning and   
                                                              ending years, e.g., 2006--2007 or 
                                                              2006 2007.                        

  Filler       127          264          String     M         Leave filler field blank.          

  Carriage     391          1                       M                                           
  Return /                                                                                      
  Line Feed                                                                                     
  (CRLF)                                                                                        
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

## Data Record Definition

Data Records are required and immediately follow the header record in
every file submitted to the EDEN Submission System. Data Records provide
counts for the specified categories as well as sub--totals and grand
totals.

Section 4.3 contains examples of Data Records.

**Table 4.2--**1: Firearm Incidents, SEA Data Record

+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| **D   | ** | * | ** | * | **Definition /        | **Permitted      |
| ata** | St | * | Ty | * | Comments**            | Values**         |
|       | ar | L | pe | P |                       |                  |
| *     | t\ | e | ** | o |                       |                  |
| *Elem | Po | n |    | p |                       |                  |
| ent** | si | g |    | * |                       |                  |
|       | ti | t |    | * |                       |                  |
| **N   | on | h |    |   |                       |                  |
| ame** | ** | * |    |   |                       |                  |
|       |    | * |    |   |                       |                  |
+=======+====+===+====+===+=======================+==================+
| File  | 1  | 6 | Nu | M | A sequential number   |                  |
| R     |    |   | mb |   | assigned by the State |                  |
| ecord |    |   | er |   | that is unique to     |                  |
| N     |    |   |    |   | each row entry within |                  |
| umber |    |   |    |   | the file.             |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| **ID  | 7  | 2 | St | M | The two--digit        | For a list of    |
| 559\  |    |   | ri |   | Federal Information   | valid FIPS State |
| *     |    |   | ng |   | Processing Standards  | Codes, refer to  |
| *FIPS |    |   |    |   | (FIPS) for the state, | the ED*Facts*    |
| State |    |   |    |   | District of Columbia, | Workbook.        |
| Code  |    |   |    |   | and the possessions   |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | and freely associated |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | areas of the United   |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | States (e.g., Puerto  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | Rico).                |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| **ID  | 9  | 2 | St | M | A number used in EDEN | **01** -- State  |
| 570\  |    |   | ri |   | to uniquely identify  | Education        |
| **    |    |   | ng |   | state agencies. This  | Agency           |
| State |    |   |    |   | ID cannot be updated  |                  |
| A     |    |   |    |   | through this file.    |                  |
| gency |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| N     |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| umber |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| F     | 11 | 1 | St | M | Leave filler field    |                  |
| iller |    | 4 | ri |   | blank.                |                  |
|       |    |   | ng |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| F     | 25 | 2 | St | M | Leave filler field    |                  |
| iller |    | 0 | ri |   | blank.                |                  |
|       |    |   | ng |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| Table | 45 | 2 | St | M | The number of         | *                |
| Name  |    | 0 | ri |   | incidents involving a | *FIREARMINCDNT** |
|       |    |   | ng |   | firearm.              |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| W     | 65 | 5 | St | A | The type of weapon.   | **HANDGUNS** --  |
| eapon |    | 0 | ri |   |                       | Handguns         |
| Type  |    |   | ng |   |                       |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | **RIFLESHOTGUN** |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | -- Rifles /      |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | Shotguns         |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | **MULTIPLE** --  |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | More than one    |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | type of weapon   |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | or firearm.      |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | **OTHER** -- See |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | guidance 3.0\    |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | **MISSING**\     |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | **NOTCOLLECT**   |
|       |    |   |    |   |                       | -- Not Collected |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| F     | 1  | 5 | St | M | Leave filler field    |                  |
| iller | 15 | 0 | ri |   | blank.                |                  |
|       |    |   | ng |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| F     | 1  | 1 | St | M | Leave filler field    |                  |
| iller | 65 | 5 | ri |   | blank.                |                  |
|       |    |   | ng |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| Total | 1  | 1 | St | M | An indicator that     | **N** --         |
| Indi  | 80 |   | ri |   | defines the count     | specifies detail |
| cator |    |   | ng |   | level (i.e., detail   | level            |
|       |    |   |    |   | level, subtotal level |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | or grand total        |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | level).               |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| E     | 1  | 2 | St | O | Submitted files will  |                  |
| xplan | 81 | 0 | ri |   | be processed through  |                  |
| ation |    | 0 | ng |   | various edit checks.  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | When unusual          |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | conditions are        |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | detected, warning     |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | errors may be issued, |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | even though the data  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | may be valid. When    |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | this occurs, an       |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | explanation           |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | responding to the     |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | warning may be        |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | submitted with the    |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | data, or after files  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | have been processed.  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | The U.S. Department   |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | of Education will     |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | verify explanations,  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | and after             |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | verification, accept  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | the data.             |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| Inc   | 3  | 1 | Nu | M | If the count provided |                  |
| ident | 81 | 0 | mb |   | is either a subtotal  |                  |
| Count |    |   | er |   | or grand total, it    |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | must be equal to or   |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | greater than the sum  |                  |
|       |    |   |    |   | of its parts.         |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+
| Car   | 3  | 1 |    | M |                       |                  |
| riage | 91 |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| R     |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| eturn |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| /     |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| Line  |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| Feed  |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| (     |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
| CRLF) |    |   |    |   |                       |                  |
+-------+----+---+----+---+-----------------------+------------------+

## SEA Firearm Incidents File Examples

### Partial Record Sample for Fixed Format SEA Firearm Incidents File

The following text shows a portion of the header row and data rows. The
highlighted ruler line is provided to help the reader visually identify
the column placement of the data. The ruler line should not be included
in submitted files.

### Partial Record Sample for Comma--Delimited File Format SEA Firearm Incidents File

The following text shows a portion of the header row and data rows.[^1]

### Partial Record Sample for Tab--Delimited File Format SEA Firearm Incidents File

The following text below shows a portion of the header row and data
rows.[^2]

![](media/image1.png){width="1.5in" height="1.5in"}

Our mission is to ensure equal access to education and to promote
educational excellence throughout the nation.

www.ed.gov

[^1]: ^\*^ Using EXCEL will produce extraneous delimiters at the end of
    the header record. They will be disregarded during file processing
    and so will not generate a file format error.

[^2]: ^\*^ Using EXCEL will produce extraneous delimiters at the end of
    the header record. They will be disregarded during file processing
    and so will not generate a file format error.