U.S. Department of Education

Institute of Education SciencesNCES 2003–068

The Conditionof Education 2003in BriefJune 2003EditorsAndrea LivingstonMPR Associates, Inc.John WirtNational Center forEducation Statistics
U.S. Department of Education

Rod PaigeSecretaryInstitute of Education SciencesGrover J. WhitehurstDirectorNational Center for Education StatisticsVal PliskoAssociate CommissionerThe National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data related to educatioStates and other nations. It fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report full and complete statistics on the condition othe United States; conduct and publish reports and specialized analyses of the meaning and significance of such statistics; assist state and local agencies in improving their statistical systems; and review and report on education activities in other countries.NCES activities are designed to address high priority education data needs; provide consistent, reliable, complete, and accurate indicators of edand trends; and report timely, useful, and high quality data to the U.S. Department of Education, the Congress, the states, other education policym

practitioners, data users, and the general public.We strive to make our products available in a variety of formats and in language that is appropriate to a variety of audiences. You, as our custom

judge of our success in communicating information effectively. If you have any comments or suggestions about this or any other U.S. Departme

National Center for Education Statistics product or report, we would like to hear from you. Please direct your comments to:

National Center for Education StatisticsInstitute of Education SciencesU.S. Department of Education1990 K Street, NWWashington, DC 20006–5651

June 2003The NCES World Wide Web Home Page is: http://nces.ed.govThe NCES World Wide Web Electronic Catalog is: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearchSuggested Citation:U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief, NCES 2003–068, by Andrea LivingWirt. Washington, DC: 2003.For additional information, contact John Wirt, National Center for Education Statistics (phone: 202-502-7478; e-mail: john.wirt@ed.gov).To order this publication or the complete volume, write:U.S. Department of Education, ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794–1398or call toll free 1–877–4ED–PUBS.The complete volume also appears on the NCES web site (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe).
What’s Inside

This publication contains a sample of the 44 indicators in The Condition of Education 2003. To order the entire printed edCondition, complete and return the enclosed card or call ED PUBS (1-877-4ED-PUBS).

The indicators in this publication are numbered sequentially, rather than according to their numbers in the complete editi

Contents page offers a cross reference between the two publications.Since 1870, the federal government has gathered data about students, teachers, schools, and education funding. As mandCongress, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) annually publishes a statistica

the status and progress of education in the United States. The Condition of Education includes data and analysis on a widissues. The indicators in the 2003 edition are in six sections:

● Participation in Education● Learner Outcomes● Student Effort and Educational Progress● Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education● Contexts of Postsecondary Education● Societal Support for Learning

The indicators in The Condition of Education use data from government and private sources. The complete publication in

special analysis on children’s reading achievement and classroom experiences in kindergarten and 1st grade. It also conta

tional tables and notes related to each indicator.The Condition of Education in Brief and the complete edition are available on the NCES web site (http://nces.ed.gov).
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK
Contents

Indicator 1 Past and Projected Elementary and Secondary School Enrollments (Indicator 1) ......................Indicator 2 Family Characteristics of 5- to 17-Year-Olds (Indicator 2) ....................................................................Indicator 3 Concentration of Poverty by School District Urbanicity (Indicator 3) .............................................Indicator 4 Language Minority Students (Indicator 4) .................................................................................................Indicator 5 Past and Projected Undergraduate Enrollments (Indicator 5) ...........................................................Indicator 6 International Comparisons of Reading Literacy in Grade 4 (Indicator 10) .....................................Indicator 7 Mathematics Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 (Indicator 11) ................................Indicator 8 Geography Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 (Indicator 13) ....................................Indicator 9 U.S. History Performance of Students in Grades 4, 8, and 12 (Indicator 14) ....................................

Indicator 10 Transfers From Community Colleges to 4-Year Institutions (Indicator 19) ....................................Indicator 11 Institutional Retention and Student Persistence at 4-Year Institutions (Indicator 20) ............

Indicator 12 Time to Bachelor’s Degree Completion (Indicator 21) ..........................................................................

Indicator 13 Persistence and Attainment of Students With Pell Grants (Indicator 23) ......................................Indicator 14 Trends in English and Foreign Language Coursetaking (Indicator 24) .............................................

Indicator 15 Instructional Activities for 8th-Grade Mathematics (Indicator 26) ...................................................Indicator 16 Out-of-Field Teaching in Middle and High School Grades (Indicator 28) ........................................

Indicator 17 Undergraduate Diversity (Indicator 32) ......................................................................................................

Indicator 18 Services and Accommodations for Students With Disabilities (Indicator 34) ...............................

Indicator 19 Changes in Faculty Tenure Policy and Hiring (Indicator 35) ................................................................

Indicator 20 Home Literacy Environment and Kindergartners’ Reading Achievement (Indicator 36) ........Indicator 21 General and Categorical Funding in Elementary and Secondary Education (Indicator 41) .....

Participationin EducationLearner OutcomesStudent Effort andEducational ProgressContexts of Elementaryand Secondary EducationContexts ofPostsecondary EducationSocietal Supportfor Learning
Indicator 1

Page 2 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief

Past and ProjectedElementary andSecondary SchoolEnrollments

SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: Public elementary and secondary school enrollment in prekindergarten throuthousands), by grade level, with projections: Fall 1965–2012

NOTE: Includes kindergarten and most prekindergartenenrollment.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES. (2002). Projections of Education Statistics to 2012 (NCES 2002–030),table 1 and Digest of Education Statistics 2001 (NCES 2002–130), table 37. Data from U.S. Department of Education,NCES, Common Core of Data (CCD), “State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education,” 1987–2000 and Statistics of Public Elementary and SecondarySchool Systems, various years.

Participation in 

As a result of the “baby boom echo” and rising immigration, public elementary and secondary ment increased in the latter part of the 1980s and in the 1990s, reaching an estimated 47.6 mThrough the first half of this decade, public enrollment for prekindergarten through grade 12 continue increasing to 47.9 million in 2005, decrease to 47.6 million in 2010, and then increase in 2012. Public enrollment in prekindergarten through grade 8 is projected to decrease from 2002 and then to increase, whereas public enrollment in grades 9–12 is projected to increase through to decrease.Public elementary and secondary enrollment is projected to reach 47.9 million in 2005, bdecreasing slowly to 47.6 million in 2010.

0

10,00020,00030,00040,00050,000

Number (in thousands)

Fall of year

1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 20

Projected

Grades 9–12

Grades preK–

Total
FAMILY CHARACTERISTICS: Percentage of 5- to 17-year-olds whose parents had at least completed high school or attained

a bachelor’s degree or higher, by race/ethnicity: Selected years 1979–2001

From 1979 to 2001, the percentage of 5- to 17-year-olds whose parents had at least completed high schoolincreased from 76 to 88 percent, and the percentage whose parents had a bachelor’s degree or higher increasedfrom 19 to 31 percent. The parents of Black children had the largest increase in the percentage completing highschool or higher, and the parents of White children had the largest increase in the percentage attaining abachelor’s degree or higher. In 2001, the parents of White children were more likely to have completed highschool or higher than their Black and Hispanic peers, and the parents of Black children were more likely to havedone so than their Hispanic peers.

Family Characteof 5- to 17-Year-

NOTE: The Current Population Survey to obtain educational attainment we1994, the survey methodology for the weights were adjusted. Information oattainment is available only for thosthe same household with their child. American and Hispanic includes Latinclude Hispanic origin unless specifiedare included in the total but are not SOURCE: U.S. Department of ComCensus, Current Population Survey ment, various years, previously un(January 2003).

Participation in Education

The level of parental education has increased for children in the past 20 years, though the parents ofBlack and Hispanic children continue to have less education than their White peers.

Percent

Year

408020

0

60

100

White

Black

HispanicTotal 

1979 1984 1989 1992 1995 1999 2001

High school completion or higherBachelor’s degree or higher

The Condition of Education 2003 in B
In 1999, 16 percent of all children ages 5–17 lived in poverty. The concentration of poverty am

aged children varied appreciably by the urbanicity of school districts in which they lived. Twenof school-age children in school districts in central cities of large metropolitan areas lived in poby 20 percent of children living in school districts in central cities within midsize metropolitan awith the lowest concentration of school-age children in poverty (10 percent) were rural areas witan areas and urban fringes of large metropolitan areas. More school-age children were in pareas outside metropolitan areas and in large and small towns than in the urban fringe.

Concentration of Poverty

by School District

Urbanicity

ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION: Percentage of related children ages 5–17 in poverty, by urba

NOTE: MSAs denote metropolitan statistical areas and aregeographic areas containing a large population nucleustogether with adjacent communities having a high degreeof social and economic integration. To define poverty, theBureau of the Census uses a set of money income thresholds,updated annually, that vary by family size and composition todetermine who is poor. If a family’s income is less than thefamily’s threshold, then that family, and every individual in it,is considered poor.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES, Common Coreof Data (CCD), “Local Education Agency (School District)Universe Survey,” 2000–01 and U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Current Population Survey (CPS),Small Area Income and Poverty estimates, Title I EligibilityDatabase, 1999.

Participation in 

Comparing students by urbanicity, students in central cities are more likely to be poor, in urban fringe or rural areas within metropolitan areas are less likely to be poor.

0 10 20 30 40 

Percent

Rural within MSA

Rural outside MSA

Small town

Large town

Urban fringe of midsize MSA 

Urban fringe of large MSA

Central city of midsize MSA

Central city of large MSA

Total

Urbanicity

16

24

20

13

10

19

1818

10

Indicator 3

Page 4 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Participation in Education 

Language 

LANGUAGE MINORITY: Percentage of 5- to 24-year-olds who spoke a language other than English at home and who spokeEnglish with difficulty: Selected years 1979–99

NOTE: Respondents were asked if the hold spoke a language other than Enanswered “yes,” they were asked how English. Categories used for reporting w“not well,” and “not at all.” All those English less than “very well” were coculty speaking English.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commersus, Current Population Survey (CPS)October 1992, 1995, and 1999, previolation (December 2002).

In the past 20 years, the percentage of 5- to 24-year-olds who were reported to speak a language other thanEnglish at home has grown. In 1979, 8 percent of all 5- to 24-year-olds spoke a language other than English athome versus 17 percent in 1999. Three percent spoke a language other than English at home and were reportedto speak English with difficulty (i.e., less than “very well”) in 1979 versus 6 percent in 1999. While thepopulation of 5- to 24-year-olds increased by 6 percent during this period, the percentage speaking a languageother than English at home increased by 118 percent, and the percentage speaking a language other thanEnglish and speaking English with difficulty increased by 110 percent.The percentage of 5- to 24-year-olds who spoke a language other than English at home more thandoubled between 1979 and 1999.

Percent

Year

1020

50

1525

Total who spoke  English with  difficulty

Total who spoke  language other  than English  at home

1979 1992 1995 1999

8

5

6 6

15 15

17

3

The Condition of Education 2003 in B
Past and Projected

UndergraduateEnrollments

UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT: Total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting 2- and 4-year institutions (in thousands), by sex, attendance status, and type of institution, with projections: Fall 197

NOTE: Projections are based on the middle alternative assumptions concerning the economy. Data for 1999 wereimputed using alternative procedures.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES. (2002).Digest of Education Statistics 2001 (NCES 2002–130), table188, and Projections of Education Statistics to 2012 (NCES

2002–030), tables 16, 18, and 19. Data from U.S. Depart- . ment of Education, NCES, 1969–1986 Higher EducationGeneral Information Survey (HEGIS), “Fall Enrollment inColleges and Universities,” and 1987–2000 IntegratedPostsecondary Education Data System, “Fall EnrollmentSurvey” (IPEDS-EF:87–00).

In the past three decades, total undergraduate enrollment in degree-granting postsecondary institually increased and is projected to continue doing so in the next 10 years. These increases have been achanges in students’ attendance status, the type of institution attended, and the proportion of stwomen. Four-year undergraduate enrollment has also increased over the past three decades and increase at a faster rate than undergraduate enrollment in 2-year institutions in the next 10 yundergraduate enrollment is expected to increase at a faster rate than part-time enrollment in the 

and women’s enrollment, now exceeding that of men, is projected to continue growing at a faster r

Undergraduate enrollment in 4-year institutions is projected to increase faster than enrollmeinstitutions in the next 10 years. Women’s enrollment is expected to continue increasing faste

Indicator 5 Participation in 

0

1,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,000

10,00011,00012,000

Enrollment (in thousands)

1970–2000: Actual 2001–2012: Projected

Female

Male

Full-time

Part-time

Year

Projected

1970 1980 1990 2000 2012

Projected

1970 1980 1990 2000 2012

Projec

1970 1980 1990 2000 20

Page 6 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Inte

Comparisons o

Literacy i

INTERNATIONAL READING PERFORMANCE: Average combined reading literacy scale score of 4th-graders, by country: 2001

1Country did not meet the internationaguidelines.2Canada is represented by the pro

Quebec only.

3Hong Kong SAR is a Special Administhe People’s Republic of China.NOTE: The target population was the upgrades with the most 9-year-olds. In m4th grade. The international average average of the national averages of tstandard deviation of 100.SOURCE: Mullis, I.V.S., Martin, M.O., GonA.M. (2003). PIRLS 2001 InternationaReading Literacy Achievement in Primatries, exhibit 1.1. Data from the Internthe Evaluation of Educational Achievin International Reading Literacy Stu

The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) assessed the reading literacy of 4th-graders in 35countries in 2001. The average U.S. 4th-grade combined reading literacy scale score of 542 was above theinternational average of the 35 countries. England, the Netherlands, and Sweden had a higher combined readingliteracy scale score, and 23 countries had a lower average score than the U.S. average. There were no detectabledifferences between the U.S. average scale score and the average score in 8 countries. For the PIRLS assessment,combined reading literacy was divided into two subscales: reading for literary purposes and for informationalpurposes. U.S. 4th-graders had a higher average scale score than the international average on both subscales.U.S. 4th-graders performed above the international average of 35 countries in reading literacy in 2001.Learner Outcomes 

The Condition of Education 2003 in B

Significantly lower

Not significantly

different

Significantly higher

Average score relative

to the United States Country and score

Sweden 561 Netherlands1 554 England1 553New Zealand 529 Iceland 512 Turkey 449Hong Kong SAR3 528 Romania 512 Macedonia, Republic of 442Russian Federation1 528 Israel1 509 Colombia 422Scotland1 528 Slovenia 502 Argentina 420Singapore 528 International average 500 Iran, Islamic Republic of 414France 525 Norway 499 Kuwait 396Greece1 524 Cyprus 494 Morocco1 350Slovak Republic 518 Moldova, Republic of 492 Belize 327Bulgaria 550 Hungary 543 Italy 541Latvia 545 Lithuania1 543 Germany 539Canada2 544 United States 542 Czech Republic 537
Indicator 7 Learne

MathematicsPerformance of Studentsin Grades 4, 8, and 12*Significantly different from 2000.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES. (2001). TheNation’s Report Card: Mathematics 2000 (NCES 2001–517),figure 2.1 and table B.1. Data from U.S. Department of Education, NCES, National Assessment of Educational Progress(NAEP), 1990, 1992, 1996, and 2000 Mathematics Assessment.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) has assessed mathematics performan8, and 12 since 1990. Fourth- and 8th-graders showed steady growth in mathematics achievemto 2000. In contrast, 12th-graders in 2000 scored higher than in 1990, but lower than in 19average, scored higher than females in grades 8 and 12 in 2000, but no difference was found in states and other jurisdictions participating in NAEP in 4th grade, 26 had a higher average scolower score in 2000 than in 1992. Of 31 states and other jurisdictions participating in grade 8, 2score, and none had a lower score in 2000 than in 1990.The mathematics performance of 4th- and 8th-graders increased steadily from 1990 to 12th-graders’ performance increased from 1990 to 1996 but then declined between 1996 

MATHEMATICS PERFORMANCE: Average mathematics scale scores for 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-graders: 1990, 1992, 

Scale score

Year

200250300175

0

225275325

1990 1992 1996 2000

294* 299

304*272* 268*

263*

213*

220* 224* 228

275301

Page 8 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Geography Per

of Students 

4, 

GEOGRAPHY PERFORMANCE: Percentage distribution of students performing at each geography achievement level, by grade:1994 and 2001

*Significantly different from 2001.NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals SOURCE: U.S. Department of EducatNation’s Report Card: Geography 200table B.3. Data from U.S. DepartmeNational Assessment of Educational and 2001 Geography Assessments.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessed 4th-, 8th-, and 12th-grade student performance in geography in 1994 and 2001. The average scale scores of 4th- and 8th-graders increased between thetwo years, while there was no significant change in the scale score at grade 12. In 2001, 21 percent of 4thgraders, 30 percent of 8th-graders, and 25 percent of 12th-graders were at or above the Proficient level,defined as “solid academic performance for each grade assessed.” At grades 4 and 8, the percentage of studentsbelow the Basic level decreased from 1994 to 2001; however, at grade 12, no significant differences were

detected in the percentages of students performing at any of the achievement levels.

The performance of 4th- and 8th-graders in geography increased from 1994 to 2001, while nodifferences were detected in the performance of 12th-graders.Learner Outcomes 

0

20406080

100

Percent

AdvancedProficientBasicBelow Basic

1994 2001 1994 2001 1994 2001

Grade 4

30*48*

19

3

29*

4324

4

264426

4

30

43*

25

2

294723

1

265319

2

Grade 8 Grade 12

The Condition of Education 2003 in B
Indicator 9

U.S. History Performanceof Students in Grades4, 8, and 12*Significantly different from 2001.NOTE: Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES. (2002). TheNation’s Report Card: U.S. History 2001 (NCES 2002–483),table B.3. Data from U.S. Department of Education, NCES,National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 1994and 2001 U.S. History Assessments.

Learne

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessed the performance of 4th-, graders in U.S. history in 1994 and 2001. Average scale scores increased for 4th- and 8th-gradetwo years, but there was no significant change for 12th-graders. In 2001, 18 percent of 4th-gradof 8th-graders, and 11 percent of 12th-graders performed at or above the Proficient level, deacademic performance for each grade assessed.” The percentage of 4th-graders at or above the higher in 2001 than 1994. At grade 8, the percentages of students at or above the Basic and P

and at the Advanced level were also higher in 2001.

The performance of 4th- and 8th-graders in U.S. history improved from 1994 to 2001.

U.S. HISTORY PERFORMANCE: Percentage distribution of students performing at each U.S. history achievgrade: 1994 and 2001

0

20406080

100

Percent

1994 2001 1994 2001 1994 2001

Grade 4

2 2 11 2 1*

Grade 8 Grade 12

36*

4715

334916

39*

48

13*

364815

573210

573210

Page 10 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRANSFERS: Percentage of students beginning at public 2-year institutions in 1995–96 who transferredto a 4-year institution by initial degree goal, and percentage of transfers and students who began at 4-year institutions whopersisted through June 2001

Trans

Community C

4-Year In

1Enrolled at a 4-year institution withoin June 2001.NOTE: Excludes the 11 percent of begcertificate goal and 16 percent with no fers” include those who transferred tstitution before transferring to a 4-yeSOURCE: U.S. Department of EducaBeginning Postsecondary Student(BPS:96/01).

Student Effort and Educational ProgressThe transfer rates of community college students are related to their initial degree goals. Fifty-one percent ofbachelor’s degree seekers transferred to a 4-year college versus 26 percent of associate’s degree seekers. Amongthose who entered a community college in 1995–96 and then transferred, about 80 percent had completed abachelor’s degree or were still enrolled at a 4-year institution about 6 years later. They were more likely tocomplete a bachelor’s degree in 6 years if they had a bachelor’s versus an associate’s degree goal. Studentsseeking a bachelor’s degree who started at 4-year institutions were more likely than transfers from public 2-year institutions to complete a bachelor’s degree in 6 years and less likely to be still enrolled.Half of the undergraduates who start at a public 2-year institution with a bachelor’s degree goal andabout one-fourth with an associate’s degree goal transfer to a 4-year institution within 6 years.

0

20406080

100

Completed  bachelor’s degree

Still enrolled at  4-year institution  in June 20011

Initial goal at public 

2-year institution

Transfer rates Persistence rates

Transfers

75

26

51

79 82

Percent

Bachelor’s 

degree goal —

began at 4-year 

institutions

Bachelor’s 

degree goal

Associate’s 

degree goal

Bachelor’s 

degree 

Associate’s 

degree 

5029

3844

1263

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
Indicator 11

Institutional Retentionand Student Persistenceat 4-Year Institutions

RETENTION AND PERSISTENCE: Percentage distribution of 1995–96 first-time beginning students at 4-yaccording to their enrollment status or degree attainment at the first and at all institutions attended a

1ACT reports are available at http://www.act.org/news/releases/2001/update.html; the NCAA reports are availableat http://www.ncaa.org/.NOTE: Only those students with a bachelor’s degree goalwere included. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Students who attained a degree and then transferred orremained enrolled are included only in the attainment categories.SOURCE: Berkner, L., He, S., and Forrest Cataldi, E. (2002). Descriptive Summary of 1995–96 Beginning Postsecondary Students: Six Years Later (NCES 2003–151), figure 5. Data from U.S.Department of Education, NCES, 1996/01 BeginningPostsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:96/01).

Student Effort and Education

Calculating graduation rates from the institutional perspective provides only a partial picture of studentsinstitutions can rarely track students who leave their institution. However, calculating graduation rates fperspective results in higher graduation rates because some students who begin at one institution earn a dAmong students who sought a bachelor’s degree and began their postsecondary education at a 4-year inst96, 55 percent had earned a bachelor’s degree at that institution within 6 years. However, about one-quardegree seekers transferred from their first institution and continued their education elsewhere. When the outransfer students are considered, the cohort’s overall bachelor’s degree attainment rate increases to 63 per

Among bachelor’s degree seekers beginning at a 4-year institution in 1995–96, 55 percefrom that institution and 63 percent from that or another 4-year institution within 6 yea

0

20406080

100

Percent

Enrolled at les 4-year instituEnrolled at 4-y institutionAttained asso degree or cerAttained bach degree

Left postseco education

As of June 2001

Student persistence 

at any institution 

after 6 years

Institutional retention 

at first institution 

after 6 years

2

2

13

7

55

1812

5

63

(6)(2)(5)(3)(7)

Transfers

23

Page 12 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
NOTE: Sixty-nine percent of first-time 

degrees had not stopped out of comore. Included in the total but not those who graduated from private foSOURCE: U.S. Department of Educatiocalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal 

COMPLETION OF BACHELOR’S DEGREE: Average number of months between postsecondary entry and degree completion among1999–2000 first-time recipients of bachelor’s degrees who did not stop out of college for 6 months or more, by control of degreegranting institution and number of institutions attended

Time to B

Degree Co

Student Effort and Educational ProgressOn average, first-time graduates who received a bachelor’s degree in 1999–2000 who had not stopped out of collegefor 6 months or more completed the degree in about 55 months. Graduates who attended only one institution

averaged 51 months between postsecondary entry and completion of a bachelor’s degree, compared with 59 months forthose attending two institutions and 67 months for those attending three or more institutions. This was found amonggraduates of both public and private not-for-profit institutions. The type of institution from which graduates received

a degree was also related to time to degree: graduates of public institutions averaged about 6 months longer to completea degree than graduates of private not-for-profit institutions.First-time recipients of bachelor’s degrees in 1999–2000 who had not stopped out of college tookabout 55 months from first enrollment to degree completion.

12243648728460

Months

0

Total One institution Two institutions Three or more institutions

55

51

59

67

57

53

60

68

47

57

62

Total Public Private not-for-profit

51

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
Persistence and

Attainment of StudentsWith Pell Grants

PERSISTENCE IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: Percentage of 1995–96 low- and middle-income beginning postsewho attained a certificate or degree or were still enrolled in 2001, by receipt of Pell Grant and type of institutio

1Percentage with bachelor’s degree rounds to zero.NOTE: Low- and middle-income students include all dependent students whose parents had an annual income ofless than $70,000 in 1994 and all independent studentswho, combined with their spouse’s earnings, had an annual income of less than $25,000 in 1994. The 3-year persistence rates discussed in indicator 24 of The Condition of

Education 2002 are lower than the persistence rates shownhere. Students who stopped out for 3 or more months ormade a downward transfer (e.g., from a 4-year to a lessthan-4-year institution) were excluded from the percentage of those who persisted in the earlier analysis but notfrom this one. Detail may not sum to totals because ofrounding.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES, 1996/01Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study(BPS:96/01).Indicator 13 Student Effort and Education

Even though Pell Grant recipients are more likely than nonrecipients to face obstacles related to their acand personal circumstances, no statistically significant differences were found in the overall persistence groups of students who began postsecondary education in 1995–96 across all institution types. About tstudents persisted at 4-year institutions regardless of Pell Grant status, but rates were lower at less-thations. Although no differences were found in overall persistence at 4-year institutions, Pell Grant recipienthan nonrecipients to attain a bachelor’s degree within 6 years. No statistically significant differences wattainment of recipients and nonrecipients who began at public 2-year or private for-profit less-than-4-yPell Grant recipients tend to start with more disadvantages than low- and middle-income nbut no statistically significant differences are found in their overall persistence after 6 years

0 20 40 60 80 

Percent

Nonrecipient

Pell Grant recipient

Nonrecipient

Pell Grant recipient

Nonrecipient1

Pell Grant recipient

Nonrecipient

Pell Grant recipient

Bachelor’s degree Associate’s degree or certificate No degree or certificate, still 

9 32 15

9 26

56

53

62

66

75

76

77

81

19

1

58 3

63 3

46 8 21

51 8 17

56 8 13

68 4 9

Public 2-yearPublic 4-year

Private for-profit less-than-4-year

Private not-for-profit 4-year

Page 14 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education 

Trends in En

Foreign 

Cou

COURSE-TAKING LEVELS: Percentage of high school graduates who completed regular and advanced levels of English andlow level and advanced foreign language courses, by highest level of coursetaking completed: Selected years 1982–2000

NOTE: Not displayed are the percentcompleted no or low academic levethe percentage who completed coursework.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educatiand Beyond Longitudinal Study of 19Follow-up” (HS&B-So:80/82); Natiotudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88/92High School Transcript Survey, 1992”ment of Educational Progress (NAE1998, and 2000 High School Transc

Since the 1980s, when states began to increase the number of required courses to receive a high school diploma,the percentage of high school graduates completing some advanced English courses (i.e., classified as “honors”)and advanced foreign language courses (year 3 and higher) has increased. In 1982, 13 percent of high schoolgraduates had completed some advanced English coursework; by 2000, this percentage had risen to 34 percent.Moreover, the percentage who had completed 75–100 percent of their English courses at the honors level morethan tripled. Between 1982 and 2000, the percentage of graduates who had completed advanced foreign language courses doubled, while the percentage completing no foreign language study decreased markedly.The percentages of high school graduates who had completed advanced academic levels of Englishand foreign language study doubled between 1982 and 2000.

0

20406080

100

Percent English Foreign languages

Year

1982 1987 199019921994 19982000 1982 1987 199019921994 19982000

APYear 4Year 3Year 2 or lower75–100 percent  honors courses

AdvancedAdvancedRegularLow level

50–74 percent  honors courses

Less than 50  percent honors coursesAll regular  (no low level  or honors) courses

Foreign languages

English

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
Instructional Activities

for 8th-GradeMathematics

MATHEMATICS LESSON ACTIVITY: Average percentage of 8th-grade mathematics lessons spent studying nreviewing previously studied content, by country: 1999

1Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of thePeople’s Republic of China and not a distinct country. However, this indicator refers to it as one of the study’s “countries”for ease of reading and because this region was treatedanalytically the same as the countries in the study.NOTE: Japanese mathematics data were collected in 1995.Detail may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding andthe possibility of coding portions of lessons as “not able tomake a judgment about the purpose.”SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES. (2003). Teaching Mathematics in Seven Countries: Results from the TIMSS1999 Video Study (NCES 2003–013), figure 3.8. Data fromU.S. Department of Education, NCES, Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) Video Study, 1999.Indicator 15 Contexts of Elementary and Secondary 

The 1999 Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) looked at the percentag8th-grade mathematics teachers in seven countries1 devoted on average to reviewing previously 

compared with introducing and practicing new content. In the United States, no difference was the average percentage of lesson time devoted to studying new content and the percentage devoteBy contrast, classes in Australia, Hong Kong SAR, Japan, the Netherlands, and Switzerland spenaverage, studying new content than reviewing. The opposite was true in the Czech Republic, wwas spent reviewing previously studied content than in all other countries except the United Sta

In 8th-grade mathematics lessons in the United States, students spend 53 percent of the reviewing previously studied content and 48 percent of the time studying new content.

0

20406080

100

Introd new c

Review previo studie

Practic new c

Studying  new con

Percent

66

United 

States

Hong Japan Netherlands Switzerland

Kong SAR

Czech 

Republic

Australia

363026

582220

243937

246016

373225

343924

532325

Page 16 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Contexts of Elementary and Secondary Education 

Out-of-Field Te

Middle and Hi

OUT-OF-FIELD TEACHERS: Percentage of public school students in middle and high school grades taught by teacherswithout a major or certification in the field they teach, by subject area: 1999–2000

1The data from the Schools and Staffifor this analysis are from a representapart-time teachers rather than a represtudents. Thus, technically this indiccentage of these sampled teachersclasses with a teacher teaching outsiof presentation, however, this percentas the percentage of students who out-of-field teacher.NOTE: Major refers only to a teacher’s for a bachelor’s degree.SOURCE: Seastrom, M.M., Gruber, K.J.D.J., and Cohen, B.A. (2002). QualiSchool Teacher Workforce: Prevalence ing 1987–88 to 1999–2000 (NCES 8 and B-9. Data from U.S. DepartmeSchools and Staffing Survey (SASS), tionnaire,” 1999–2000 and “Chartnaire,” 1999–2000.

In academic classes, out-of-field teachers (i.e., teachers who lack a major and certification in the subject theyteach) generally taught a larger percentage of students in the middle grades than in high school in 1999–2000.They taught 19 percent of English students in the middle grades, compared with 7 percent in high school. Thesame was true for mathematics (23 vs. 10 percent), science (17 vs. 7 percent), and social science classes (15 vs.7 percent), but no statistical differences were found in the proportions of students in the middle and high schoolgrades who were taught by out-of-field teachers in foreign language. In nonacademic classes like art, music,and physical education, the patterns were different, however.Students in middle grades are more likely than students in high schools to have out-of-fieldteachers.1

05

1015202530

Middle school High school

Percent

Physical 

education

Arts and 

music

Social 

science

Foreign Mathematics Science

language

English

19 19

7

15

23

3

10

17

7

15

7

55 5

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
Undergraduate Diversity

UNDERGRADUATE DIVERSITY: Percentage of undergraduates with selected student characteristics: 1999

NOTE: American Indian includes Alaska Native, Pacific Islander includes Native Hawaiian, Black includes AfricanAmerican, and Hispanic includes Latino. Race categoriesexclude Hispanic origin unless specified.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES, 1999–2000National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:2000).Indicator 17 Contexts of Postsecondary 

Undergraduates who attend our nation’s colleges and universities are not a homogeneous grohalf of undergraduates were women in 1999–2000 (56 percent). Combined, minority studennearly a third of all undergraduates that year. Traditional college-aged students (23 years ocounted for 57 percent of all undergraduates, and 43 percent were age 24 or older. More thapercent) of undergraduates had dependents, 13 percent were single parents, and 80 percent wincluding 39 percent who were employed full time. Also, 9 percent reported having some typcausing them difficulties as a student.Undergraduates display considerable diversity in their demographic, enrollment, and echaracteristics.

0 20 40 60 80 

Percent

12

14

17

48

9

56

44

 40 and above

 30–39 24–29 19–23

 18 and under

 American Indian 1

 Asian/Pacific Islander 6

 Hispanic 12

 Black 13

 White 68

 Female

 Male

Page 18 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Contexts of Postsecondary Education 

Ser

Accommod

Stud

D

DISABILITY-RELATED SERVICES: Percentage and percentage distribution of students reporting disabilities, and amongstudents reporting disabilities, their service receipt status, by type of institution: 1999–2000

1Students were asked several questioity status. Eleven percent reported hacent reported having a disability that them as a student, and 4 percent cobe disabled (NPSAS 2000: Previousltions [March 2002]).2Percentages are based on students wof institutions, including others not cinstitution.SOURCE: U.S. Department of EducatiNational Postsecondary Student Aid 

In 1999–2000, 9 percent of all undergraduate students in degree-granting institutions reported having a disability thatcreated difficulties for them as a student.1 About half of these students were enrolled at public 2-year institutions, and

another 26 percent were enrolled at public 4-year institutions. The percentage of students with disabilities was higherat public 2-year and private for-profit institutions than at public and private not-for-profit 4-year institutions. Amongstudents with disabilities, 26 percent reported receiving disability-related services or accommodations, but 22 percentreported not receiving the ones they needed. At private for-profit institutions, 11 percent reported not receiving the

services they needed, compared with 21 to 24 percent of those at other types of institutions.

About 9 percent of undergraduates reported having disabilities in 1999–2000, and 22 percent ofthese students reported not receiving the services or accommodations they needed.

Private notPublic for-profit Public Private

Students reporting disabilities Total2 4-year 4-year 2-year for-profitPercentage of students with disabilities 9.3 7.8 7.5 10.8 12.0Among students with disabilities, percentage who

Received services 26.0 29.2 26.3 25.2 18.0Needed services, but did not receive them 22.0 21.2 24.0 23.2 10.6

Percentage distribution of students with disabilities 100.0 26.4 11.4 48.6 6.3Percentage distribution of all students 100.0 31.3 14.0 42.1 4.9

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
Changes in Faculty

Tenure Policy and Hiring

CHANGES IN TENURE POLICY: Percentage of research and doctoral institutions that had taken actions reduring the previous 5 years, by type and control of institution: Fall 1998

1Includes other possible actions not shown.2Downsizing includes dismissing tenured faculty, replacingdeparting tenured faculty with nontenure-track faculty, or nothiring replacements for departing tenured faculty.3Includes specialized medical schools and medical centers.NOTE: Includes public and private not-for-profit Title IV degree-granting institutions in the 50 states and the District ofColumbia. Institutions were asked to report policies affectingfull-time faculty and instructional staff.SOURCE: Berger, A., Kirshstein, R., and Rowe, E. InstitutionalPolicies and Practices: Results From the 1999 National Studyof Postsecondary Faculty, Institution Survey (NCES 2001–201),tables 5.1 and 5.6. Data from 1999 National Study ofPostsecondary Faculty (NSOPF:99).Indicator 19 Contexts of Postsecondary 

Over the past decade, postsecondary institutions have reevaluated longstanding policies affecting fachiring. As of 1998, 63 percent of postsecondary institutions had taken at least one action related to tenfaculty and instructional staff during the previous 5 years. They reported offering early or phased retime tenured faculty more often than instituting more stringent standards for granting tenure or dowfaculty. The likelihood of enacting changes differed somewhat by institution type. Research institutlikely than doctoral institutions to have taken actions related to tenure for full-time faculty. Public rtions were also more likely than other doctoral and research institutions to have downsized tenured The majority of postsecondary institutions had recently taken actions affecting tenure aand the proportion of recently hired faculty not on a tenure track increased from 1992 to 

0

204060

81

75

64

56

60

69

44 45

14 13 12 11 15

6

1

9

80

100

Percent

Downsized 

tenured faculty2

Made standards 

more stringent 

for granting tenure

Offered early or 

phased retirement 

to tenured faculty

Took at least 

one action related 

to tenure1

Private not-for-profit doct

Public doctoral3 Public research Private not-for-profit research

Page 20 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Societal Support for Learning 

Hom

Environ

Kindergartners

Ach

KINDERGARTNERS’ READING ACHIEVEMENT: Mean fall kindergarten reading scale score according to home literacy index,by children’s poverty status: 1998–99

NOTE: The home literacy index is basof home educational activities anChildren’s reading skills and knowledga one-on-one, two-stage adaptive dincludes items on basic skills (such as print familiarity), beginning and enwords, word recognition, and vocabsion.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Educatihood Longitudinal Study, Kindergar(ECLS–K), Base Year Public-Use Datruary 2001.

Data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998–99 (ECLS–K) and a 5-pointhome literacy index are used in this indicator to explore the relationship of home educational activities andliteracy resources to children’s reading skills and knowledge at kindergarten entry. In 1998–99, the homeliteracy environment of entering kindergartners varied by their poverty level, with poor children scoring lowerthan nonpoor children on the home literacy index. That same year, children with higher values on the indexscored higher on the ECLS–K reading scale than children with lower values on the index. This positiverelationship existed for both poor and nonpoor children, with a stronger relationship for nonpoor children.Children with richer home literacy environments demonstrate higher levels of reading skills andknowledge when they enter kindergarten than do children with less rich literacy environments.

0

21

17 17

1822

25

26

19

18

1015202530

Reading scale score

Home literacy index

Nonpoor

Poor

>

<

0 1 2 3 4 5

21

19

23

The Condition of Education 2003 in Br
General and Categorical

Funding in Elementaryand Secondary Education

REVENUE PER STUDENT: Revenues per student for public school districts according to the percentage of school district below poverty level, by source of revenues: 1999–2000

NOTE: Only regular school districts are included, whilevocational, special education, nonoperating districts, andeducational service agencies are excluded.SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, NCES, CommonCore of Data (CCD), “Local Education Agency (School District) Universe Sur vey,” 1999–2000, U.S. Department of

Commerce, Bureau of the Census, “Elementary and Secondary School District Finance Data Files,” 1999–2000,and U.S. Department of Education, NCES, “Cost of Educational Inputs Data Set,” 1993–94.Indicator 21 Societal Support f

Funds for school expenditures are grouped as “general revenue” (for any educational purpose) or “categ(for specific educational purposes). Generally, local general revenue per student was lower for schohigher poverty levels in 1999–2000. For example, districts with the lowest poverty level received threlocal general revenue per student than districts with the highest poverty level. In contrast, state gestudent were generally higher for districts with higher poverty levels. Also, categorical funding per stunoncompensatory and compensatory sources was higher in districts with higher poverty levels. State gand categorical funds offset much, but not all, of the differential in local general funding across distrThe highest poverty districts received less local general revenues per student than the lowest poin 1999–2000. State general revenues and categorical funds tend to compensate for these low

0

2,0004,0006,0008,000

$10,000

Revenue per student

15.0–24.9 25.0–34.9 35.0 or more

Percentage of students in school district below poverty level

Less than 5.0 5.0–14.9 

Oth revCo revSta revLoc rev

$847 29

107

200

335 382

$1,062

$1,459

$1,666 $2,239 

3,825 3,079 2,820

2,739

2,180

3,940

5,938

2,076 

2,886 3,062

Page 22 | The Condition of Education 2003 in Brief
Postage and Fees Paid

U.S. Department of Education

Permit No. G–17

tates

ent of Education

Sandy Court

MD 20794–1398

Business

or Private Use, $300