This page contains important information about the data on this site for new and current users. Please read the content below.
ED Data Express is a Web site designed to improve the public's ability to access and explore high-value state-level education data collected by the U.S. Department of Education. The site is designed to be interactive and to present the data in a clear, easy-to-use manner, with options to download information into Excel or manipulate the data within the Web site. The site currently includes data from EDFacts, Consolidated State Performance Reports (CSPR), State Accountability Workbooks, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP), the College Board, and the Department's Budget Service office. For more information about these topics, please see the following: CSPR; EDFacts; Accountability Workbooks; NCES/CCD; NAEP; College Board; Budget Services
ED Data Express includes three sections that allow users to access and view the data: a State Snapshots page, a Data Element Explorer, and a Build a State Table page. The State Snapshot pages include charts and tables with key data for each state. The Data Element Explorer includes several tools that allow users to interact with all data elements on the site: graphs, tables, maps, trend lines, and conditional analysis. The Build a State Table page allows users to build customized tables by selecting specific data elements and specific states. Clicking on the number, letter or question mark symbol next to a data element in any of these tools will open a footnote for that data element. In addition to the data viewing tools, the Web site includes links to additional resources, data definitions, and frequently asked questions, all of which provide important context for users. For more detail about how to use each tool, please see the following: State Snapshots; Data Element Explorer — Graphs and Tables; Data Element Explorer — Mapping; Data Element Explorer — Trend Lines; Data Element Explorer — Conditional Analysis; State Tables; Footnotes; State Specific Data Notes; Other Site Contents
Current content on the site includes data elements in the form of counts, percentages, and text. The majority of the data are focused on student achievement, demographics, accountability, and performance data from grant programs administered in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. There is also additional documentation to help users understand how states define certain aspects of their data systems. Depending on the source, the site may include multiple years of data on one topic or may only include the most recent data available. Data will be updated as new data become available. The schedule will vary depending on the source of data. Please see the following for additional detail: Current Data; Years of Data; School Year of CSPR Data; Frequency of Updates
All CSPR and Accountability Workbook data are self-reported by each state. The U.S. Department of Education conducts a review of the data and provides feedback to states, but it is ultimately states’ responsibility to verify and certify that their data are correct. NCES collects data from the states based on specific definitions and norms. They conduct an extensive review of these data and apply statistical techniques to their data in order to ensure that it can be published and used in statistical analyses.
All data published by the Department of Education are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which is a federal law protecting the privacy of student educational records. Any data that are determined to be potentially personally identifiable information (PII) will not be released by the ED. On ED Data Express, potential PII is suppressed. Suppressed cells are easily identifiable, because they contain symbols instead of values. Please see the following: CSPR Review Process ; NAEP/CCD Review Process; FERPA; Suppression; Symbols
Although the goal of ED Data Express is to allow users to easily access data and customize tables to meet a wide range of needs, it is important to note that there are limitations to state-reported data. Most importantly, there is variation in how states define and measure certain data elements. Student achievement data and graduation rate data are defined differently in each state, and, therefore, should not be compared across states. Users who want to compare student achievement or graduation rates across states should use NAEP scores and the average freshman graduation rate (AFGR), which are standardized statistics created by NCES.
The data for some data elements is not complete, particularly in earlier school years. Due to missing data, national level data may not accurately represent national trends. For more information, please see the following: Comparing State Data; Comparing Years of Data; National Data