PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Annual Mandatory Collection of Elementary and Secondary

Education Data through EDFacts

December 2012

Attachment B-1

Revised based on 60-day public comments. 

Overview of EDFacts Data Set

for School Years 2013-14, 

2014-15, and 2015-16
Attachment B1

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INTRODUCTION

This clearance submission is for the data set to be collected through EDFacts for school years 

2013-14, 2014-15, and 2015-16. 

Attachment B contains the data set that is being proposed for collection and is organized into 

eight parts:

 Attachment B-1 – Overview of the collection, including directory information

 Attachment B-2 – Information about the EDFacts data set to assist reviewers

 Attachment B-3 – Data groups collected from state educational agencies (SEAs)

 Attachment B-4 – Categories used in data groups

 Attachment B-5 – IDEA Tables in EMAPS

NEW! Please note that the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will assume responsibility for clearing

the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) as a separate collection from EDFacts. EDFacts data 

providers are SEAs; data providers for the CRDC are local educational agencies (LEAs). 

This part of Attachment B is the overview of the collection. It is organized as follows:

 Summary of EDFacts – This section provides background information on EDFacts and the 

scope of the data set.

 Legacy collections – This section explains how EDFacts relates to other pre-kindergarten 

through grade 12 (PK-12) data collections within the U.S. Department of Education (ED). 

 Standard definitions – This section provides definitions for terms that are used throughout the 

data set.

 Reporting periods – This section explains the reporting periods used in the data set.

 Directory records – This section explains the directory or universe of education entities. All 

data collected through EDFacts are linked to education entities in the directory.

 NEW! Charter authorizer roster – This section explains the collection of directory records on 

charter school authorizers.

 Metadata – This section explains the metadata collected to interpret the data submitted

through EDFacts. 
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SUMMARY OF EDFACTS

EDFacts is an ED initiative to govern, acquire, validate, and use high-quality PK-12 

performance data in education planning, policymaking, and management decision making to 

improve outcomes for students. EDFacts centralizes data provided by SEAs at the SEA, LEA, 

and school levels, and provides ED with the ability to easily analyze and report the data. Since its 

inception in 2004, this initiative has reduced reporting burden for SEAs and local data producers, 

and has streamlined PK-12 data collection, analysis, and reporting functions at the federal, state,

and local levels.

The following are key points about this collection.

 EDFacts does not collect individual student or staff-level information. All information 

provided to EDFacts is aggregated – often by categories such as grade level. Although some 

of the data files may contain small numbers, none of the information is linked to specific 

students or staff members. In submitting data to EDFacts, SEAs and other data suppliers 

cannot suppress the data in small data cells.

 Data are collected from multiple sources. Most data are collected through the EDFacts 

Submission System (ESS). The ESS collects batch files submitted electronically by SEAs. 

Most metadata (e.g., state submission plans and metadata on state proficiency levels) are 

collected through the EDFacts Metadata and Process System (EMAPS). EMAPS is a webbased survey system. 

 Data are reported for a specific period of time. For example, the membership table (DG39) is 

reported for October 1, while other data groups are reported for a school year. 

 Data are associated with the school year of performance. The membership table (DG39) data 

for October 1, 2013, are associated with SY 2013-14 since the membership table data 

represent the beginning counts of students for the school year. 

The table below summarizes the EDFacts data set proposed for collection.

Component of the 

EDFacts Data Set

Description Explained in

Directory records EDFacts collects data from SEAs and obtains 

data from Census to build an official roster of 

SEAs, LEAs, and schools.

NEW! EDFacts collects data from SEAs to 

build an official roster of charter school 

authorizers.

Attachment B-1
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Component of the 

EDFacts Data Set

Description Explained in

Data groups (DGs)

and Categories 

collected from SEAs

SEAs submit files to ED via the ESS. Attachments B3 (DGs) and B4 (Categories)

Metadata SEAs respond to surveys through EMAPS to 

provide metadata necessary to interpret the 

data submitted through the ESS.

Attachment B-1

IDEA Tables 

collected in EMAPS

SEAs provide data on the Part B Dispute 

Resolutions and Maintenance of Effort 

Reduction/Continuation of Early Intervening 

Services under the Individuals with 

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Attachment B-5
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LEGACY COLLECTIONS

EDFacts was instituted at ED to centralize and consolidate PK-12 data collections. Prior to 

EDFacts, SEAs submitted data mostly through paper-based collections, referred to as “legacy

collections.” As a result of EDFacts, some legacy collections have been discontinued or retired 

while others are moving towards retirement or will be transformed to integrate EDFacts data. 

The summary of the legacy collections below is organized as follows:

 Discontinued or retired

 Burden reduced

 Moving towards retirement

 Being transformed

LEGACY COLLECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCONTINUED OR RETIRED

The following collections have been discontinued or retired completely as separate collections 

because of EDFacts.

Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Title I, Part C Migrant Child Count 

Report 

This collection was first consolidated in the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR) 

because the CSPR included programmatic questions. Now, as part of the transformation of the 

CSPR, many of the numerical data are populated through files submitted to the ESS. The data 

groups used to provide the data formerly collected through this collection are in the “Migrant 

Education Program” section of Attachment B-3.

General Education Provisions Act (GEPA), Section 424

GEPA section 424 mandates the reporting on the distribution of federal education funds to school 

districts and other entities, such as libraries, colleges and universities, state agencies, individual 

schools, and private recipients. Data collected through files submitted by SEAs to the ESS are 

combined with data from ED’s grant systems. The data group used to provide the data formerly 

collected from SEAs through this collection is in the “General Education Provisions Act” section 

of Attachment B-3.

State Data Collection for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

This collection was consolidated into the CSPR to benefit from the less burdensome web-based 

collection method used for the CSPR. As part of the transformation of the CSPR, most of the 

numerical data are now populated through files submitted to the ESS. The data groups used to 

provide the data formerly collected through this collection are in the “McKinney-Vento 

Homeless Program” section of Attachment B-3.
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Title III Biennial Evaluation Report 

This collection was first consolidated into the CSPR because the CSPR included similar 

questions. Now, as part of the transformation of the CSPR, the numerical data are populated 

through files submitted to the ESS. The data groups used to provide the data formerly collected 

through this collection are in the “Limited English Proficient Students and Title III of ESEA” 

section of Attachment B-3.

LEGACY COLLECTIONS WHERE BURDEN HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED

The following collection has had a significant reduction in burden.

Common Core of Data – Non Fiscal

Beginning with SY 2008-09, the non-fiscal portion of the Common Core of Data (CCD) was 

collected through ESS for the 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto Rico (PR) and the 

U.S. Virgin Islands (VI). (The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and the Department of Defense 

Education Activity (DoDEA) also report CCD data through EDFacts.) The remaining outlying 

areas and freely associated states (e.g. Guam and others) will be added when capacity allows 

them to submit electronically using the ESS. The data groups used to provide the data formerly 

collected through this collection are in the section “Non-Fiscal Common Core of Data” in 

Attachment B-3.

Gun-Free Schools Act Report 

The numerical data are collected through files submitted to the ESS. The narrative data are 

collected through EMAPS. The data groups used to provide the data formerly collected through 

this collection are in the “Safe, Drug-Free and Gun-Free Schools” section of Attachment B-3.

Section 618 of IDEA Part B

With the movement of Table 8 (shown in Attachment B-5) into EDFacts, all of the IDEA Section 

618 data are now collected through EDFacts.

The data groups used to provide the data formerly collected through the IDEA Section 618 tables 

are in the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” section of Attachment B-3, as well as in 

Attachment B-5.

LEGACY COLLECTIONS BEING TRANSFORMED

Some collections will not be discontinued or retired because the collection includes data such as 

text that are not suitable for collection through EDFacts. Instead, these collections will be 

transformed to take full advantage of EDFacts data.

Consolidated State Performance Report

ED converted the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR) from a paper to web-based 

collection for SY 2004-05. The CSPR includes both numerical and text data. Since SY 2004-
Attachment B1

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05, ED has transitioned a majority of the numerical data from manual collection to population 

through ESS files. The data groups used to provide the data formerly collected through this 

collection are in the following sections of Attachment B-3:

 Limited English Proficient Students and Title III of ESEA

 Accountability and Reporting Provisions of ESEA

 Neglected or Delinquent Program

 Migrant Education Program

 Title I Program (Non-Accountability Provisions)

 Public School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services

 Safe and Drug-Free Schools

ED will continue to transform this collection to take full advantage of ESS files.

Charter School Program (CSP) Grant Award Database 

Data collection has been on-going since the creation of the CSP under approved OMB clearance 

packages, including the Annual Performance Report documents and Charter Schools Program 

Data Templates. In order to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the charter schools data in 

the CSP grant award database, EDFacts data were added and reconciled with the other collected 

charter schools data. The EDFacts data collection provides not only a list of charter schools and 

other detailed data on those charter schools that received funding under the CSP for a specific 

year, but also provides that same detailed data on all of the charter schools in existence that may

not be receiving funds during that data collection year. 

 

The demographic and performance data of charter schools pulled from the data submitted by

SEAs as part of the EDFacts collection is integrated into the CSP database. Once a year, SEAs 

receive a report on the reconciliation between the list of charter schools submitted through this 

collection and the schools identified as charter in the EDFacts directory.

Consolidated Annual Report (CAR) for the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education 

Act of 2006

This collection includes both numerical and text data. The report also includes data from both 

secondary and post-secondary education. In SY 2008-09, ED began to transition the collection 

of data for the secondary education performance indicators. As of SY 2010-11, all states are 

required to submit their secondary Perkins data exclusively via EDFacts. The data groups used 

to provide the data formerly collected through this collection are in the “Career and Technical 

Education” section of Attachment B-3.
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STANDARD DEFINITIONS

In order to consolidate and centralize PK-12 data collections, definitions need to be standardized. 

The same term cannot have multiple definitions. This section contains the standard definitions 

used in the EDFacts data set:

 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Concentrator

 Career and Technical Education (CTE) Participant

 Children with Disabilities (IDEA)

 Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students

 Eligible Migrant Children

 Participating Migrant Children

These standard definitions are used whenever possible. The standard definition for LEP students 

cannot be used for the data groups under the topic “Career and Technical Education” in 

Attachment B-3 because LEP students are defined in the Carl D Perkins Career and Technical 

Education Act of 2006 (Perkins IV) differently than in ESEA. In the EDFacts data set, when 

referring to limited English proficient students as defined for Perkins IV the term will be 

followed by “(Perkins)”.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Concentrator – A secondary student who has earned 

three (3) or more credits in a single CTE program area (e.g., health care or business services), or 

two (2) credits in a single CTE program area, but only in those program areas where two (2)

credit sequences at the secondary level are recognized by the state and/or its local eligible 

recipients. (If a state has a negotiated definition that is different, the state should use that 

definition.)

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Participant – A secondary student who was enrolled 

in a vocational education course. The threshold level to be a participant is defined by the state, 

with most states defining a CTE participant as a student who has completed at least one course 

(or a substantial portion of it), and may be enrolled in another course. This definition includes 

students who have reached the threshold level of concentrator. (If a state has a negotiated 

definition that is different, the state should use that definition.)

Children with Disabilities (IDEA) (also referred to as Students with Disabilities (IDEA)) –

Children having intellectual disabilities; hearing impairment, including deafness; speech or 

language impairment; visual impairment, including blindness; serious emotional disturbance 

(hereafter referred to as emotional disturbance); orthopedic impairment; autism; traumatic brain 

injury; developmental delay; other health impairment; a specific learning disability; deafblindness; or multiple disabilities and who, by reason thereof, receive special education and 
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Page	B1-9

related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) according to an 

Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP), or services

plan.1

Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students – In coordination with the state’s definition based 

on Title 9 of ESEA, students:

(A) who are ages 3 through 21;

(B) who are enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or a secondary school;

(C ) (who are i, ii, or iii) 

(i) who were not born in the United States or whose native languages are languages other 

than English;

(ii) (who are I and II)

(I) who are a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the 

outlying areas; and 

(II) who come from an environment where languages other than English have a 

significant impact on their level of language proficiency; or

(iii) who are migratory, whose native languages are languages other than English, and 

who come from an environment where languages other than English are dominant; and

(D) whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language 

may be sufficient to deny the individuals (who are denied i or ii or iii)2

(i) the ability to meet the state’s proficient level of achievement on state assessments 

described in section 1111(b)(3);

(ii) the ability to successfully achieve in classrooms where the language of instruction is 

English; or

(iii) the opportunity to participate fully in society.

Note - To be classified as limited English proficient, an individual must be A, B, C, and D. 

For C, an individual can be i, ii, or iii. If C-ii, the individual must be I and II. For D, an 

individual must be denied i or ii or iii.3

Eligible Migrant Children4(also referred to as Eligible Migrant Students) – Children who are, 

or whose parents or spouses are, migratory agricultural workers, including migratory dairy

workers, or migratory fishers, and who, in the preceding 36 months, in order to obtain, or 

accompany such parents or spouses, in order to obtain, temporary or seasonal employment in 

agricultural or fishing work (A) have moved from one LEA to another; (B) in a state that 

comprises a single LEA, have moved from one administrative area to another within such LEA; 

or (C) reside in an LEA of more than 15,000 square miles, and migrate a distance of 20 miles or 

more to a temporary residence to engage in a fishing activity.

																																																												

1

Statutory reference – Section 602(3) of IDEA

2 Must be determined by a valid assessment

3

Statutory reference – Section 9101(25) of ESEA

4

Statutory reference – 34 CFR 200.81
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Participating Migrant Children (also referred to as Participating Migrant Students) – Children 

who participate in Migrant Education Programs (MEP) under Title I, Part C, including those 

served under continuation of services authority. 
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REPORTING PERIODS

Data groups that are counts of students or staff are assigned to a reporting period. The reporting 

period is the period of time for the count. Counts can be either cumulative over a period of time 

or snapshot of a specific day. The following reporting periods are used for cumulative counts: 

 School year (state) – Any 12-month period defined by the state. The state determines 

whether summer is included in the preceding or following school year

 School year (CCD) – The 12-month period beginning on October 1 and ending the 

following September 30. The summer follows the regular school year

 Regular school year – The instructional period not including intersession or summer 

sessions

 Summer – The instructional period in the months of May through September

 Intersession – Instructional periods between sessions during the regular school year

 Testing window – The period when the state administers state-wide academic 

assessments (or the annual state English language proficiency assessment) as described 

by ESEA

 Program year (IDEA-Exit) – The 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 

as defined for reporting the exiting from special education by students with disabilities 

(IDEA)

 Revised! Performance Period (MEP) – The 12-month period beginning September 1 and 

ending August 31 as described for the Migrant Education Program (MEP)

 Program year (N or D) – The 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 as 

described for the Prevention and Intervention Programs for the Education of Children and 

Youth Who Are Neglected, Delinquent or At-Risk Program (N or D)

 Program year (Perkins) – The 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30 as 

described for programs under Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 

2006, (unless the state has approval from the Department for a different 12-month period)

The following reporting periods are generally used for counts that are snapshots:

 October 1 (or the closest school day to October 1)

 IDEA child count (The date designated by the state that is between October 1 and 

December 1.)
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DIRECTORY RECORDS

EDFacts maintains a three-tier directory of education units in each of the 50 states, District of 

Columbia, Puerto Rico, the outlying areas and freely associated states (i.e., American Samoa, 

Guam, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau, and 

the U.S. Virgin Islands), Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), and Bureau of 

Indian Education (BIE). The three tiers are the SEA, the LEA, and school. For each education 

unit, a Directory Record is maintained that includes unique identifiers (e.g., name, identification 

numbers, location), contact information (e.g., addresses, phone numbers, Web sites), and 

descriptive information (e.g., type, operational status).

The state and NCES identification numbers are used to link the education units to each other in 

the hierarchy. For example, the record for a school includes the state and NCES identification 

numbers of the LEA to which the school belongs.

Data in the Directory are generally obtained from SEAs. However, ED may obtain some data, 

for example, County code (DG12), from other federal sources instead of SEAs.

DEFINITIONS OF SEA, LEA, AND SCHOOL

The following are definitions of SEA, LEA, and school.

SEA. A state educational agency (SEA) is the agency of the state charged with primary

responsibility for coordinating and supervising public elementary and secondary instruction, 

including the setting of standards for instructional programs. The SEA is the state agency that 

administers federal grant programs under the ESEA.

The directory data for the SEA is the directory data for the state agency that administers the 

ESEA programs. Other state agencies may be involved in “coordinating and supervising public 

elementary and secondary instruction.” For example, a different state agency may administer the 

programs under Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006. In this case, the 

directory data is still the directory data of the SEA even though the files submitted that contain 

data for programs under Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 are 

provided by the other state agency.

LEA. A local educational agency (LEA) or educational agency is a governmental administrative 

unit at the local level which exists primarily to operate schools or to contract for educational 

services. These units may or may not be coterminous with county, city, or town boundaries.

School. A school is an institution that provides educational services and

 has one or more grade groups (PK through 12 grade) or is ungraded,

 has one or more teachers,

 is located in one or more buildings,

 has assigned administrator(s),
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 receives public funds as its primary support, and

 is operated by an educational agency.

Note - For purposes of this definition, "public funds" includes federal, state, and local 

public funds. “Located in a building" does not preclude virtual schools since the 

administrators and teachers are located in a building somewhere. An “education 

agency" is not limited to the state or local educational agency, but can include other 

agencies (e.g., corrections or health and human services) charged with providing public 

education services.

SUMMARY OF DIRECTORY DATA GROUPS BY TIER

The following table displays which directory data groups are collected for each tier in the 

hierarchy of education units in the states. Following this summary, there is a detailed description 

of each of these data groups.

By

Tier

SEA LEA School

DG Name DG Name DG Name

U

niq

ue Identifiers

559 State code 559 State code 559 State code

7 Education entity name 7 Education entity name 7 Education entity name

6 DUNS number* 6 DUNS number*

570 State agency number

551 Supervisory union 

identification number 

4 LEA identifier (State) 4 LEA identifier (State)

5 School identifier (State)

1 LEA identifier (NCES) 1 LEA identifier (NCES)

529 School identifier (NCES)

Contact Information

9 Address location 9 Address location 9 Address location

8 Address mailing 8 Address mailing 8 Address mailing

10 Telephone - education 

entity 

10 Telephone - education 

entity

10 Telephone - education 

entity

11 Web site address 11 Web site address 11 Web site address

458 Chief state school officer 

contact information 

Descriptive

Information

12 County code* 12 County code*

572 County name* 572 County name*

16 LEA operational status 531 School operational status

743 Reconstituted status

453 Education agency type 21 School type
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By

Tier

SEA LEA School

DG Name DG Name DG Name

17 Locale* 17 Locale*

18 Grades offered 18 Grades offered

14 Geographic location* 14 Geographic location*

13 Congressional district 

number*

13 Congressional district 

number*

653 Revised! Charter status 27 Charter status

TBD NEW! Charter authorizer 

identifier#

582 Title 1 district status*

TBD NEW! Virtual school status

571 Effective date 571 Effective date 571 Effective date

669 Out of state indicator 669 Out of state indicator

* ED plans to obtain these data groups from sources other than the SEA.

# Reported only if the school has a charter status of “yes.” See “charter authorizer roster” for more information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DIRECTORY DATA GROUPS

Below are detailed descriptions of directory data groups. For each data group, there is a header 

box showing the name of the data group, the data group number, the data provider (SEA vs. 

another source), and the levels for which the data group is collected. That box is followed by the 

definition and, as appropriate, the code set or permitted values.

UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

State code 559 SEA State, LEA, School

Definition: The two digit American National Standards Institute (ANSI) code for the state, 

District of Columbia, and the outlying areas and freely associated areas of the United States.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Education entity name 7 SEA State, LEA, School

Definition: The full legally accepted name of the school, LEA, SEA, or other entity reporting 

education data.
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Name DG ID Source Level(s)

DUNS number 6 Outside SEA State, LEA

Definition: DUNS (Data Universal Numbering System) is the unique nine-digit identification 

number assigned to a business entity by Dunn and Bradstreet. 

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

State agency number 570 SEA State

Definition: A number used to uniquely identify state agencies. SEAs are 01.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Supervisory union identification number 551 SEA LEA

Definition: The three-digit unique identifier assigned to the supervisory union by the state.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

LEA identifier (state) 4 SEA LEA, School

Definition: The identifier assigned to an LEA by the SEA. Also known as State LEA 

Identification Number (ID).

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

School identifier (state) 5 SEA School

Definition: The identifier assigned to a school by the SEA. Also known as State School 

Identification Number (ID).

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

LEA identifier (NCES) 1 SEA LEA, School

Definition: The seven-digit unique identifier assigned to the LEA by the NCES. Also known as 

NCES Education Agency ID. 

Format: The LEA identification number is made up of a two-digit state code followed by a 

five-digit LEA code.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

School identifier (NCES) 529 SEA School

Definition: The twelve-digit unique identifier assigned to the school by the NCES. Also known 

as NCES School ID.

Format: The school identification number is made up of a two-digit state code followed by a 

five-digit LEA code which is followed by a five-digit school code.
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CONTACT INFORMATION

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Address location 9 SEA SEA, LEA, School

Definition: The set of elements that describes the physical location of the education entity, 

including the street address, city, state, ZIP Code and ZIP Code + 4.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Address mailing 8 SEA SEA, LEA, School

Definition: The set of elements that describes the mailing address of the education entity, 

including the mailing address, city, state, ZIP Code and ZIP Code + 4.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Telephone – education entity 10 SEA SEA, LEA, School

Definition: The 10-digit telephone number, including the area code, for the education entity.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Web site address 11 SEA SEA, LEA, School

Definition: The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) for the unique address of a Web page of an 

education entity.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Chief state school officer contact information 458 SEA SEA

Definition: The contact information of the chief state school officer, including first and last 

name, official title, phone number and email address.

DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

County code 12 Outside SEA LEA, School

Definition: The County code of the county, parish, borough, or comparable unit (within a state) 

in which an address is located. 
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Name DG ID Source Level(s)

County name 572 Outside SEA LEA, School

Definition: The name of a county, parish, borough, or comparable unit (within a state) in which 

an education unit is located. 

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

LEA operational status 16 SEA LEA

Definition: The classification of the operational condition of a local educational agency (LEA).

Code Set:

 1 – Open

No significant boundary change for this agency since the last report

 2 – Closed

Agency closed with no effect on another agency's boundaries

 3 – New

New agency formed with no effect on another agency's boundaries 

 4 – Added

Agency is being added to the report for the first time, but has been in existence

 5 – Changed

Agency has undergone a significant change in geographical boundaries 

 6 – Inactive

Agency is temporarily closed and may reopen within 3 years

 7 – Future

Agency is scheduled to be operational within 2 years 

 8 – Reopened

Agency was reported as closed in the previous year but has since reopened.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

School operational status 531 SEA School

Definition: The classification of the operational condition of a school.

Code Set:

 1 – Open

Listed in previous year’s directory

 2 – Closed

Listed in previous year’s directory, but is currently not in operation and not expected to 

operate in the future

 3 – New

Not listed in previous year’s directory or listed as future

 4 – Added

Operational in previous year but reported for the first time this year

 5 – Changed
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Currently operational, listed in previous year’s directory, but affiliated with a different LEA

 6 – Inactive

School is temporarily closed and may reopen within 3 years

 7 – Future

School is scheduled to be operational within 2 years 

 8 – Reopened

School was reported as closed in the previous year but has since reopened

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Reconstituted status 743 SEA School

Definition: An indication that the school was restructured, transformed or otherwise changed as 

a consequence of the state’s accountability system under ESEA or as a result of School 

Improvement Grants (SIG), but is not recognized as a new school for CCD purposes.

Comment: While a school may be reconstituted for purposes of SIG or ESEA accountability

provisions, for purposes of CCD, the school may not be recognized as a new school and thus 

does not receive a new NCES ID. This data group provides a record that an existing school has 

undergone a school restructuring or transformation when it closes and reopens but does not meet 

the CCD criteria for being recognized as a new school. This indicator is used in the school year 

that the school implements the restructuring or transformation change.

Permitted Values: 

 Yes

 No

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Education agency type 453 SEA LEA

Definition: The classification of the education agency within the geographic boundaries of a 

state according to the level of administrative and operational control granted by the state.

Code Set: 

 1 - Regular local school district that is NOT a component of a supervisory union

Includes both independent school districts and those that are a dependent segment of a 

local government, such as a city or county. Agencies that do not operate schools (nonops) but have primary responsibility to provide free public elementary and/or secondary

education to school-age children within their jurisdictions should be included.

 2 - Local school district that is a component of a supervisory union

A superintendent and administrative services are shared with other local school districts. 

Each agency given this code should have an entry in the Supervisory Union Identification 

Number data field corresponding to the appropriate type 2 or type 3 agency. Non-ops in 

supervisory unions should be included in this category.

 3 - Supervisory union administrative center, (or county superintendent’s office serving the 

same purpose)
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Each agency given this code should have an entry in the Supervisory Union Identification 

Number data field. Student and staff data reported elsewhere should NOT be duplicated 

in records carrying this code.

 4 - Regional education service agency

Agencies created for the purposes of providing specialized educational services to other 

education agencies. Student and staff data reported elsewhere should NOT be duplicated 

in records carrying this code.

 5 - State agency providing elementary and/or secondary level instruction to school-age 

children in a specified population, e.g., agency responsible for state schools for the blind 

or deaf students, correctional facilities, and state hospitals.

 6 - Federal agency providing elementary- and/or secondary-level instruction to school-age 

children in a specified population. EXCLUDE Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) and 

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).

 7– Independent charter district

Agencies that administer charter schools that are not under the administrative control of 

local school districts (i.e., types 1, 2, or 3). 

 8 – Other education agencies

Includes four categories of other education agencies:

 Intermediate levels of public agencies that provide education but are not school 

districts, such as county juvenile detention centers, sheriff’s offices, or university

lab schools;

 Non-governmental organizations that provide education such as hospitals, 

residential treatment centers, YMCA, or Easter Seal Society; 

 Postsecondary schools or agencies reported in order to include a postsecondary

‘shared time’ school, such as community colleges or technical institutes; and

 Other agencies that do not meet the criteria for other agency types 1 through 7.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

School type 21 SEA School

Definition: The type of education institution as classified by its primary focus. School type is a 

classification of schools conducting elementary and/or secondary instruction or programs 

according to the ordinary or special instructional needs of students.

Code Set:

 1 - Regular School 

A public elementary/secondary school that does NOT focus primarily on vocational, 

special, or alternative education, although it may provide these programs in addition to a 

regular curriculum.

 2 - Special Education School

A public elementary/secondary school that focuses primarily on serving the needs of 

students with disabilities.
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 3 - Vocational Education School

A school that focuses primarily on providing secondary students with an occupationally

relevant or career-related curriculum, including formal preparation for vocational, 

technical, or professional occupations.

 4 - Alternative Education School

A public elementary/secondary school that addresses the needs of students that typically

cannot be met in a regular school program. The school provides nontraditional education; 

serves as an adjunct to a regular school; and falls outside the categories of regular, special 

education, or vocational education.

 5 - Reportable Program

Program that does not meet the definition of a school but that enrolls public school 

students or otherwise provides education services on a regular basis. (This may include 

magnet programs operated within public schools when these programs must be reported 

separate from the schools and postsecondary institutions that are the school of record for 

students in any grade PK-13 or ungraded classes. Exclude postsecondary institutions that 

offer programs for students enrolled in elementary or secondary schools, for example, 

community colleges that provide a limited number of dual enrollment courses for 

students enrolled in a public high school.)

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Locale 17 Outside SEA LEA, School

Definition: The designation of a school's or district's degree of urbanization based on its 

geographic location and population attributes such as density. May also be known as 

“urbanicity.” 

Permitted Values:

 City, Large: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with population of 

250,000 or more. 

 City, Midsize: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with population 

less than 250,000 and greater than or equal to 100,000. 

 City, Small: Territory inside an urbanized area and inside a principal city with population 

less than 100,000. 

 Suburb, Large: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with population 

of 250,000 or more. 

 Suburb, Midsize: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with 

population less than 250,000 and greater than or equal to 100,000. 

 Suburb, Small: Territory outside a principal city and inside an urbanized area with population 

less than 100,000. 

 Town, Fringe: Territory inside an urban cluster that is less than or equal to 10 miles from an 

urbanized area. 

 Town, Distant: Territory inside an urban cluster that is more than 10 miles and less than or 

equal to 35 miles from an urbanized area. 
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 Town, Remote: Territory inside an urban cluster that is more than 35 miles from an 

urbanized area. 

 Rural, Fringe: Census-defined rural territory that is less than or equal to 5 miles from an 

urbanized area, as well as rural territory that is less than or equal to 2.5 miles from an urban 

cluster. 

 Rural, Distant: Census-defined rural territory that is more than 5 miles but less than or equal 

to 25 miles from an urbanized area, as well as rural territory that is more than 2.5 miles but 

less than or equal to 10 miles from an urban cluster. 

 Rural, Remote: Census-defined rural territory that is more than 25 miles from an urbanized 

area and is also more than 10 miles from an urban cluster.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Grades offered 18 SEA LEA, School

Definition: The grade level(s) offered by the school or district.

Permitted Values: 

 Ungraded  Grade 7

 Prekindergarten  Grade 8

 Kindergarten  Grade 9

 Grade 1  Grade 10

 Grade 2  Grade 11

 Grade 3  Grade 12

 Grade 4  Grade 13 Revised!

 Grade 5  Adult Education

 Grade 6  No Grades

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Geographic location 14 Outside SEA LEA, School

Definition: The latitude and longitude where the education entity is physically located. 

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Congressional district number 13 Outside SEA LEA, School

Definition: The legally accepted number of an area established by law for the election of 

representatives to the United States Congress where the school or district is located.

Name DG ID Source Revised! Level(s)

Charter status 27 SEA School

Revised! Definition: An indication of whether the school provides free public elementary

and/or secondary education to eligible students under a specific charter granted by the state 

legislature or other appropriate authority and designated by such authority to be a charter school.
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Permitted Values: 

 Yes

 No

 NA

Note: The following data group was first collected in file specification 168 (FS168) for SY 

2012-13. It is being moved to the directory file FS029. 

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Revised! Charter LEA status 653 SEA LEA

Definition: The status of a charter district as an LEA for purposes of federal programs.

Permitted Values: 

 NA – State does not have charters or state does not permit charter LEAs

 Not a charter district – State has charter LEAs but this LEA is not a charter LEA.

 Charter district which is an LEA for programs authorized under IDEA, ESEA and Perkins 

 Charter district which is an LEA for programs authorized under ESEA and Perkins but

not under IDEA

 Charter district which is an LEA for programs authorized under IDEA but not under 

ESEA and Perkins

 Charter district which is not an LEA for any federal program

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Title I district status 582 Outside SEA LEA

Definition: An indication that a district is designated under state and federal regulations as 

receiving Title I funds. 

Permitted Values: 

 Yes

 No

 NA

NEW!

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Virtual school status TBD SEA School

Definition: A public school that offers only instruction in which students and teachers are 

separated by time and/or location, and interaction occurs via computers and/or 

telecommunications technologies. A virtual school generally does not have a physical facility

that allows students to attend classes on site.

Permitted Values:

 Yes

 No
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Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Effective date 571 SEA SEA, LEA, School

Definition: The date a change in a directory data element takes place.

Name DG ID Source Level(s)

Out of state indicator 669 SEA LEA, School

Definition: An indication that the mailing or location address of the LEA or school is outside of 

the state.

Permitted Values:

 Yes

 No
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NEW! CHARTER AUTHORIZER ROSTER

To ensure completeness of data on charter schools and authorizers, EDFacts will collect a roster 

of charter authorizers. The charter schools will be linked to the charter authorizers.

Charter Authorizer: A charter authorizer is an Authorized Public Chartering Agency that 

currently oversees the charter school.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ROSTER

Below are detailed descriptions of data groups used for the roster of charter authorizers.

UNIQUE IDENTIFIERS

NEW!

Name DG Definition

Charter authorizer name TBD

The full legally accepted name of the authorized public 

chartering agency that currently oversees the charter 

school.

In addition to the name, the file will include the following standard identifiers:

Name DG Definition

State code 559

The two digit American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 

code for the state, District of Columbia, and the possessions 

(outlying areas) and freely associated areas of the United States.

NEW! 

Name DG Definition

Charter school 

authorizer identifier 

(state)

TBD

The identifier assigned to a authorized public chartering 

agency by the SEA.
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CONTACT INFORMATION

The roster will include the standard contact information.

Name DG Definition

Authorizer address 

location TBD

The set of elements that describes the physical location of the 

authorized public chartering agency, including the street address, 

city, state, ZIP Code and ZIP Code + 4.

Name DG Definition

Authorizer address 

mailing TBD

The set of elements that describes the mailing address of the 

authorized public chartering agency, including the mailing address, 

city, state, ZIP Code and ZIP Code + 4.

DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION

The roster will include information about the type of authorizer.

NEW! 

Name DG Definition

Charter school 

authorizer type

TBD

The type of charter authorizer organization, as classified by its 

primary focus. 

Permitted Values:

 State department of education

 State board of education

 Public charter school board

 Local educational agency

 University

 Community college

 Other

LINKING CHARTER SCHOOLS TO AUTHORIZERS

Charter schools will be linked to the authorized public chartering agency using a unique charter 

school authorizer identifier (DGTBD). The identifier associated with the authorized public 

chartering agency will be collected and reported in the aforementioned authorizer roster 

(FSTBD). The identifier associated with the charter school will also be reported in the school 

level directory.
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METADATA

Metadata are information to explain other data. Like all data collections, the EDFacts collection 

requires metadata. Metadata collected from an SEA aids the analysis and appropriate use of 

data. The metadata to be collected ranges from information to support data submissions (e.g.,

completeness) to capturing state policies surrounding data collection (e.g., student count dates). 

EDFacts minimizes the burden on SEAs to report metadata by rigorously evaluating the need for 

the information prior to surveying SEAs, and prioritizing metadata that pertains to critical data 

items. 

Metadata may be collected through a variety of modes, depending on ED’s information needs 

and expectations for its use. While ED has used paper surveys to collect metadata in the past, 

under EDFacts these surveys are increasingly being converted into electronic collection 

methods, such as web-based surveys using the EMAPS tool.

For example, under the previous clearance EDFacts began collecting the following metadata 

items through EMAPS:

 State Submission Plan –SEAs are responsible for maintaining a submission plan that 

provides details regarding its plans for reporting data via EDFacts. The plans indicate 

whether SEAs will submit files on time, the estimated number of educational units that 

will be submitted for each file level, and a status flag to indicate when the submission of 

data for each reporting level is complete and ready for ED’s review. This information is 

necessary in order to monitor state progress on file submissions, evaluate timeliness of 

submissions, and to provide a mechanism for SEAs to communicate to ED the 

completeness of the data they submitted. The EMAPS data are integrated into EDFacts, 

so SEAs can access reports on the status of their submissions in relation to their plans.

 The IDEA State Supplemental Survey – The IDEA State Supplemental Survey is 

completed by each state’s Part B Data Manager annually. This survey collects metadata 

related to the current school year IDEA data collection. The responses are shared with the 

OSEP data contactors and responses are compared to the data submitted. State IDEA Part 

B data managers are authorized to provide the metadata for this survey.