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June 28, 2007
NEW NCES REPORT! - Dropout Rates in the United States: 2005
This report builds upon a series of National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports on high school dropout and completion rates that began in 1988. It presents estimates of rates for 2005, and provides data about trends in dropout and completion rates over the last three decades (1972-2005), including characteristics of dropouts and completers in these years. Among other findings, the report shows that in students living in low-income families were approximately six times more likely to drop out of high school between 2004 and 2005 than of their peers from high-income families.
To browse this report, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2007/dropout05/
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007059
Posted by ronbo at 07:31 PM
June 27, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT - Part-Time Undergraduates in Postsecondary Education: 2003–04
This report uses data from the 2003–04 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:2004) to profile part-time undergraduates enrolled in U.S. postsecondary institutions in 2003–04. About 49 percent of undergraduates were enrolled exclusively full time in the 2003–04 academic year, 35 percent were enrolled exclusively part time, and 16 percent had mixed enrollment intensity. Part-time undergraduates, especially exclusively part-time students, were at a distinct disadvantage relative to those who were enrolled full time: they came from minority and low-income family backgrounds; they were not as well-prepared for college as their full-time peers; they were highly concentrated in 2-year colleges and nondegree/certificate programs; and many of them worked full time while enrolled and were not enrolled continuously. Using longitudinal data from the 1996/01 Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS:96/01), the report also found that part-time enrollment was negatively associated with persistence and degree completion six years after beginning postsecondary education even after controlling for a wide range of factors related to these outcomes. This was the case even for the group of students with characteristics that fit the typical profile of a full-time student (i.e., age 23 or younger, financially dependent on parents, graduated from high school with a regular diploma, and received financial help from parents to pay for postsecondary education). Regardless of whether they resembled full-time students, part-time students (especially exclusively part-time students) lagged behind their full-time peers in terms of their postsecondary outcomes even after controlling for a variety of related factors.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007165
Posted by ronbo at 04:02 PM
SPSS Proactive Notification - Deleting variables from dataset may generate subsequent incorrect results with SPSS 15.0.1 dated November 22, 2006
NOTE: If you are not running SPSS 15.0.1 dated November 22, 2006 - please disregard this email.
SPSS Technical Support recently detected a problem with SPSS 15.0.1 dated November 22, 2006. Deleting variables in a dataset may cause data to be incorrect upon subsequent transformations. This only occurs when variables are deleted interactively from the user interface or invoking the DELETE VARIABLES syntax command. This would be apparent when a new variable is generated in the active dataset.
SPSS is evaluating the most appropriate solution but until it is available, the workaround would be to cache your dataset after deleting a variable. From the data editor go to File->Cache Data and choose Cache Now. Via command syntax, please add the CACHE command following every DELETE VARIABLES command.
If you have any questions or problems, please contact your local SPSS support team (http://support.spss.com/contactus.asp ).
SPSS apologizes for any inconvenience this has caused. We are continually striving to provide more proactive communication to our clients.
Thank you,
SPSS Technical Support
Posted by ronbo at 03:59 PM
From MEPS list: MEPS (Medical Expenditure Panel Study) and the APHA (American Public Health Association) Learning Institute Workshop Set for November 3, 2007
AHRQ's Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and the American Public Health Association Learning Institute Workshop Set for November 3, 2007
The MEPS workshop scheduled for November 3 at the annual APHA meeting to be held in Washington, D.C. is now only $50.
If you have an interest in attending a MEPS workshop and earn CE credits, this is for you. AHRQ has scheduled a MEPS session at APHA annual meeting in Washington, D.C. on November 3, 2007. The format will be lecture (no SAS experience required) and will last 1-day. If you have any questions, please contact workshopinfo@ahrq.hhs.gov
The Continuing Education Institute (CEI) on the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS HC) is sponsoring a 1-day workshop on November 3 in Washington, D.C. to provide an in-depth learning experience concerning MEPS. The purpose of this workshop is to facilitate the use of the MEPS HC public use data files by the health services research community. To attend the MEPS session at APHA LI, a registration is required. The MEPS workshop is approved for CME, CHES, and nursing contact hours credits. See http://www.apha.org/programs/education/APHA-Learning+Institute.htm for registration materials and more information.
Posted by ronbo at 03:56 PM
CSES Announcement: CSES (Comparative Study of Electoral Systems) Module 2 dataset release
Dear CSES User Community,
We are very pleased to announce that the CSES Module 2 Full Release dataset is now available for download from the Data Center on the CSES website (www.cses.org).
The title "Full Release" indicates that all election studies from CSES Module 2 are now included in the file. Ten new election studies have been added, bringing the final total to 41 election studies in all.
Preparation of the release included extensive review of the individual election studies, the merged cross-national dataset, and the documentation. Numerous improvements, updates, and additions were made as a result of this review. For details about some of the changes, please reference the Errata page for CSES Module 2 in the Data Center.
After you have downloaded the Full Release, you may also be interested in downloading a new Researcher Contribution from the Data Center. The contribution was prepared by Matias Bargsted and is titled "Complementary Macro Level Data for CSES Modules 1 and 2". Included in the contribution are 43 variables on a wide range of topics not already covered by CSES macro data.
If you have any questions, please contact us by e-mail to "cses@umich.edu" and we would be glad to help.
Best regards,
-Dave
David Howell
Director of Studies
Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES)
Posted by ronbo at 03:45 PM
SPSS 15.0.1 bug: Deleting variables from dataset may generate subsequent incorrect results
We've just received the following email from SPSS tech support:
NOTE: If you are not running SPSS 15.0.1 dated November 22, 2006 - please disregard this email.SPSS Technical Support recently detected a problem with SPSS 15.0.1 dated November 22, 2006. Deleting variables in a dataset may cause data to be incorrect upon subsequent transformations. This only occurs when variables are deleted interactively from the user interface or invoking the DELETE VARIABLES syntax command. This would be apparent when a new variable is generated in the active dataset.
SPSS is evaluating the most appropriate solution but until it is available, the workaround would be to cache your dataset after
deleting a variable. From the data editor go to File->Cache Data and choose Cache Now. Via command syntax, please add the CACHE command following every DELETE VARIABLES command.If you have any questions or problems, please contact your local SPSS support team (http://support.spss.com/contactus.asp ).
SPSS apologizes for any inconvenience this has caused. We are continually striving to provide more proactive communication to our clients. However, if you do not wish to receive further proactive e-mails from SPSS Support, just reply to this message with REMOVE on the subject line.
Thank you,
SPSS Technical Support
Posted by yan at 11:43 AM
June 26, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Description and Employment Criteria of Instructional Paraprofessionals
This Issue Brief (1) offers a descriptive portrait of the distribution of instructional paraprofessionals in all public elementary and secondary schools by instructional responsibility and selected school characteristics and (2) examines the educational attainment criteria used by school districts in hiring these paraprofessionals. Data for this analysis were drawn from the 2003–04 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS). The findings from this analysis indicate that 91 percent of public elementary and secondary schools in the United States had at least one instructional paraprofessional on staff in 2003–04. A greater percentage of traditional public schools than charter schools had instructional paraprofessionals and a greater percentage of elementary schools than secondary schools report having instructional paraprofessionals. Overall, 93 percent of schools were in districts that required paraprofessionals to have a high school diploma or the equivalent. The results also indicate that a greater percentage of Title I schools than non-Title I schools were in districts that required instructional paraprofessionals to have a high school diploma or the equivalent.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007008
Posted by ronbo at 02:12 PM
ANES Announces Research and Publication Opportunities: Evaluate the 2006 Pilot Study
American National Election Studies (ANES) Announcement
ANES Announces Research and Publication Opportunities: Evaluate the 2006 Pilot Study
June 26, 2007
We are writing to announce a new opportunity for scholars who are interested in advancing the survey-based study of elections. In 2006, the ANES ran a Pilot Study. The Pilot Study’s purpose is to implement new ideas for measuring currently (and potentially) important concepts. The Pilot Study data are now available for evaluation and we seek your input about whether to include these new measures in future ANES surveys.
All of the new questions on the Pilot Study originate from the tremendous scholarly response to or call for proposals. Using the first ever ANES Online Commons, scholars from a wide range of disciplines proposed over 1100 questions. All of these proposals can be viewed at: http://www.electionstudies.org/onlinecommons.htm
Over 100 new questions appeared on the Pilot Study. Some involve new measurements of familiar topics, while others involve measures of topics that are new to the study of elections. All of the questions can be viewed at: ftp://ftp.electionstudies.org/ftp/nes/studypages/2006pilot/anes_2006pilot_int.txt
With these data, many exciting research opportunities exist.
We invite interested scholars (faculty and graduate students alike) to take the lead in helping the ANES user community evaluate the new questions. Scholars may submit Pilot Study reports for as many questions as they like. By so doing, they can shape how researchers think about these new ideas and influence how the ANES will be conducted in the
future.
The stated goals of the Pilot study can be viewed at: http://www.electionstudies.org/announce/newsltr/ANES_OCprocess_20060929.pdf
Ideally, a Pilot Study report will speak to the stated goals of the Pilot Study, and will contain one of two kinds of analyses:
- Analyses of wording/order/format experiments of items according to the ability of constructs to predict variables of interest to election scholars, including vote choice and turnout. An example of a report analyzing an experiment can be found here: http://www.electionstudies.org/resources/papers/Pilot2006/nes011881.pdf
- Analyses of sets of items, assessing correlational validity in the same manner. An example can be found here: ftp://ftp.electionstudies.org/ftp/nes/bibliography/documents/nes008997.pdf
Already, we have received reports from the original authors of the proposals that generated the questions. They may be viewed at: http://www.electionstudies.org/resources/papers/pilotrpt.htm
But numerous opportunities remain to further analyze the Pilot Study. There are many questions for which we have not received reports and there are also opportunities for scholars to run new and unique analyses of questions for which some reports already exist. Both kinds of reports can be very valuable.
We will accept Pilot Study reports from the public on a rolling basis beginning July 1. Submissions will be reviewed and we will post all Pilot Study reports that meet the criteria listed above on the ANES web site.
If there are enough excellent Pilot Study reports, we will seek to publish them in an edited volume with a leading university press. The book is tentatively titled “The ANES Book of Ideas” and will help scholars better understand key properties of election study data. If you would like to submit a report that is considered for this publication opportunity, we must receive a draft of the report that meets the criteria listed above by 5:00pm pacific time on September 7, 2007. Inclusion in the book may be contingent upon revision.
If you have any questions about this opportunity, please contact Matthew DeBell, the Director of Stanford Operations for the ANES, at “debell@stanford.edu”. We look forward to working with you.
Sincerely,
Jon A. Krosnick and Arthur Lupia
ANES Principal Investigators
LIST OF PILOT STUDY QUESTIONS
Module #: Topic (Variables)
01: Character judgments (V06P501)
02: Defensive confidence (V06P502)
03: Need for closure (V06P503 - V06P511)
04: Belief in a just world (V06P512)
05: Self-monitoring (V06P513 - V06P518)
06: Trust (V06P519 - V06P522)
07: Values (V06P523 - V06P544)
08: Borrowing (V06P545 - V06P547)
09: Sociotropic voting (V06P548 - V06P551b)
10: Religion (V06P552 - V06P557)
11: Christianity (V06P558 - V06P566)
12: Optimism/pessimism (V06P567x - V06P586)
13: Social networks (V06P587 - V06P629)
14: Attention to politics (V06P630 - V06P634)
15: Ambivalence (V06P635 - V06P643)
16: Efficacy (V06P644 - V06P653)
17: Trust in government (V06P654 - V06P663)
18: Media (V06P664 - V06P679x)
19: Party identification (V06P680 - V06P688)
20: Abortion (V06P689x - V06P731)
21: Tolerance (V06P732a - V06P732b)
22: Justice (V06P733 - V06P736)
23: Gender (V06P737 - V06P764)
24: Tax (V06P765 - V06P769)
25: Partisan differences (V06P770 - V06P773)
26: Vote (V06P774 - V06P787)
27: Branching-pres. approval (V06P788x - V06P807)
28: Economy (V06P808)
29: Death (V06P809 - V06P810)
Posted by ronbo at 02:04 PM
June 21, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Release of Supplementary Twin Data, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort
Observations of Mother-Twin Interactions at 9 Months: User's Manual for the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) 9-month Twin Triad Restricted-Use Data File (NCES 2007-047)
This User's Manual for the Twin Triad Data File describes the design, instrumentation, coding methodology, and special issues pertaining to the twin triad data file from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort base year (9-month) data collection. Also included is information to help users access and use the twin triad data file in conjunction with the main ECLS-B restricted-use data files.
For more information, see:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007047
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B) 9-Month Twin Triad Restricted-Use Data File (NCES 2007-032)
This CD-ROM contains restricted-use base year (9-month data collection) twin triad data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B). The twin triad data file contains data from a subsample of twins videotaped with their mothers during a teaching interaction. Triadic interactions are coded using the Parent Infant Coding Scheme (PICS) coding system. The data file is accompanied by a record layout, SAS, SPSS, and Stata syntax files. The twin triad data file, when merged with the larger ECLS-B dataset, can be used to investigate numerous research topics regarding twinship, child development, and maternal behaviors.
For more information, see:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007032
Posted by ronbo at 05:37 PM
June 20, 2007
Selections from ESRI Libraries & GIS News, Spring 2007
New Video Tutorials Available for ArcGIS 9.2
ArcGIS Desktop now includes a series of video tutorials to help you learn to use the software more effectively. The video tutorials complement the tutorial booklets, which provide step-by-step instructions for a series of short exercises. Access the tutorials from the Getting Started section of ArcGIS Desktop Help. Currently, 17 video tutorials are available, covering both the basics of ArcMap and more specialized topics for ArcGIS extensions.
Stay Informed with ESRI Podcasts
ESRI podcasts are a complimentary and easy way to get the latest news and information from ESRI. Podcasts are audio files that you can download and either listen to on your computer or take with you on your MP3 player.
The Instructional Series currently offers more than 30 podcasts focused on topics such as tips to improve your workflow, tricks for optimizing your geodatabase, and updates on new software features. The Speaker Series currently offers more than 20 podcasts from ESRI staff featuring GIS technology insights from product and industry experts plus dozens more from ESRI business partners and users.
Subscribe to the ESRI podcast RSS feed or download individual podcasts.
Featured Site: The National Historical Geographic Information System
The National Historical Geographic Information System (NHGIS) provides, at no cost, aggregate census data and GIS-compatible boundary files for the United States between 1790 and 2000. There are two options for mapping NHGIS data: download boundary files for use in GIS software or create maps using Social Explorer, an online mapping application. The geographic boundary files include states and counties from 1790 to the present and census tracts from 1910 to the present.
Posted by ronbo at 07:36 PM
NEW NCES REPORT! - Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06
This report presents national and state-level data about the number of regular, special education, vocational, alternative, and charter schools; average school size; and the numbers of schools in city, suburban, town, and rural locations.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007354
Posted by ronbo at 05:29 PM
June 19, 2007
From Census Bureau (6/18/07): Census Bureau Launches Older Worker Profiles for 31 states
The U.S. Census Bureau, in the Local Employment Dynamcis (LED) partnership with 31 states, has launched a series of reports on older workers that presents a detailed picture for people 55 and older in the work force, beginning with the release of "The Geographic Distribution and Characteristics of Older Workers In Iowa: 2004" today (news release).
"The retirement of baby boomers will have a huge impact on the work force," said Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon. "Businesses and planners need a better understanding of labor force trends, the loss of experienced workers and the payout of retirement benefits."
Reports will be issued on a flow basis for the other 30 partner states:
* Second wave: Maine, Vermont, Arkansas, Hawaii and Indiana.
* Third wave: Maryland, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Colorado, Delaware, Kentucky and South Carolina.
* Fourth wave: Alabama, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia.
* Fifth wave: California.
The report and additional tables may be found at http://lehd.did.census.gov/led/library/profiles.html. For additional information about the LED partnership, please visit http://lehd.did.census.gov.
Posted by ronbo at 07:24 PM
Recent ICPSR updates and additions - June 19, 2007
Below is a list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data archive along with a list of released data collections that have been updated:
NEW ADDITIONS:
4180 Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2003: Diary Survey
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04180.xml
4515 New York Times Economic Security Poll, December 1996
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04515.xml
4588 American Housing Survey, 2001: National Microdata
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04588.xml
4591 American Housing Survey, 2003: National Microdata
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04591.xml
4593 American Housing Survey, 2005: National Microdata
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04593.xml
4716 Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data [United States]: Arrests by Age, Sex, and Race, Summarized Yearly, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04716.xml
4720 National Incident-Based Reporting System, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04720.xml
4721 Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data [United States]: Offenses Known and Clearances by Arrest, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04721.xml
4723 Uniform Crime Reporting Program Data [United States]: Supplementary Homicide Reports, 2005
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04723.xml
UPDATES:
2497 ABC News New York City Rent Control Poll, June 1997
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02497.xml
2500 ABC News Discovery Space Poll, July 1997
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02500.xml
2503 ABC News New Jersey Governor Poll, October 1997
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02503.xml
3204 American Housing Survey, 1999: National Microdata
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03204.xml
3959 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1997
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03959.xml
4184 Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2003: Interview Survey and Detailed Expenditure Files
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04184.xml
9880 Multiple Cause of Death, 1982
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09880.xml
You can also view a list of all studies added and updated in the last
ninety days by visiting the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.
Posted by ronbo at 03:22 PM
NEW NCES REPORT! - Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Education Agencies From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06
This report presents national and state-level data about the number of regular school districts and other local education agencies, school district size, grades served, and the number of school districts in city, suburban, town, and rural locales.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007353
Posted by ronbo at 03:18 PM
June 16, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Restricted-use Data Applicants for NCES Data Files
As of July 1, 2007, IES/NCES will only accept restricted-use data License applications through its new electronic application system (see: http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/instruct.asp ). Any License application that does not come through this new system will be returned to the applicant. More information about applying for restricted-use data Licenses is available at http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/instruct.asp and in the "Restricted-Use Data Procedures Manual" at http://nces.ed.gov/statprog/rudman/toc.asp
Posted by ronbo at 03:44 PM
June 15, 2007
From MEPS list:
AHRQ will be conducting a two-day hands-on HCUP and MEPS Data Users Workshop in Rockville, MD on: September 19-20, 2007
AHRQ is sponsoring a workshop in September to facilitate the health services research community in using data from two AHRQ databases: the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP). The workshop will provide researchers with information on the components and capabilities of the two databases. Participants would have an opportunity to learn how to extract data for research projects using either of the data bases. A working knowledge of SAS is required. There will be a $75 charge for attending.
Day 1 of this workshop will consist of lectures designed to provide a general overview of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP).
On day 2, participants will be given the opportunity to attend sessions on either MEPS or HCUP; have an opportunity to bring up specific research questions; and participate in hands-on training. Participants will apply the knowledge gained from the first day's lectures to formulate a research plan that utilizes the various MEPS-HC files and linkage capabilities, OR learn how to use HCUP and its software tools. The day 2 sessions will be separate concurrent hands-on workshops run for both MEPS and HCUP.
A PC will be available for each participant. Each participant will construct an analytic file and begin to conduct analyses. Those attending MEPS hands-on session on 2nd day could bring a CD with their active MEPS project and get expert help on their research questions. Programmers and AHRQ staff will be available to provide assistance.
The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) collects data on the specific health services that Americans use, how frequently they use them, the cost of these services, and how they are paid for, as well as data on the cost, scope, and breadth of private health insurance held by and available to the U.S. population. For more information about MEPS, please visit: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov
The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) is a family of powerful health care databases, software tools, and products. HCUP data enable research on a broad range of topics related to health care, including cost and quality of health services, medical practice patterns, access to health care programs, and outcomes of treatments at the national, State, and local market levels. In addition, HCUP makes available at no charge a number of software tools to facilitate use of HCUP and other administrative data. For more information about HCUP, please visit http://www.hcup-us.ahrq.gov
For any other questions email workshopinfo@ahrq.hhs.gov.
Posted by ronbo at 11:33 AM
From Census Product Update (6/15/07): Hot Tip - Improve Your Data Searches in American FactFinder!
The "About the Data" tab on the left side of American FactFinder (AFF) home page is a good resource for both the beginner and the seasoned data user. Learn, or refresh your memory, about the types of tables and maps you can choose in AFF. For example, do you remember how Geographic Comparison Tables differ from Detailed Tables or from Quick Tables? Or how Thematic Maps differ from Reference Maps? You don't need to be an expert to learn the differences, so take a few minutes to read over the definitions and the examples shown -- this will ensure you are getting the most out of your data requests from AFF.
Posted by ronbo at 11:30 AM
June 14, 2007
Roper Center Data Acquisitions Update, April-May 2007
Stanford University Libraries maintains a membership to the Roper Center and Stanford faculty, staff, and students can now download data directly accessible via Roper Express. For instructions on requesting data not available via Roper Express, click on the "Data Services - Roper" link on our SSDS web site.
This month the Roper Update (pdf) for the months of April-May contains:
• Kaiser Family Foundation/Washington Post/Harvard Universit--African American Men Survey conducted by ICR from March 20-April 29, 2006. The sample is 2864 national adults including oversamples of African American Men and Women.
• 4 new Cable News Network/Opinion Research Corporation polls from 2007.
• 14 new United States Information Agency—USIA polls conducted in various countries in 2000 and 2001.
These notices have been archived on the Roper Center website at: http://www.ropercenter.uconn.edu/data_access/data/past_data_announcements.html
If you have any questions about these data collections please do not hesitate to contact the Roper Center at rcweb@ropercenter.uconn.edu.
Posted by ronbo at 08:52 PM
June 08, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NEW NCES REPORT! - Public Elementary and Secondary School Student Enrollment, High School Completions, and Staff From the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06
This short descriptive report summarizes the numbers of students enrolled in public elementary/secondary education by grade; the number of diplomas and other completion credentials awarded for the 2004-05 school year; the averaged freshman graduation rate (AFGR) for the 2004-05 school year; pupil/teacher ratios; and the number of teaching, administrative, and support staff employed in public education. The information is presented by state and for the United States as a whole.
The data were reported to the Common Core of Data by state education agencies from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and several other jurisdictions.
To download, view and print the publication as a PDF file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007352
Posted by ronbo at 03:49 PM
June 07, 2007
From IES Newsflash: New! Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards onto NAEP Scales
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) today released a new research and development report, Mapping 2005 State Proficiency Standards Onto the NAEP Scales.
The new report uses the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) as a common yardstick for comparing among the proficiency standards each state sets on its own tests for fourth- and eighth-grade reading and mathematics, and for comparing these state standards with national performance benchmarks.
Key findings:
* States vary widely in the NAEP-equivalents of their proficiency standards. There is up to an 81-point difference in proficiency standards between the states, about twice the range seen in overall student performance on NAEP.
* Most state proficiency standards fall within the NAEP Basic range-except in 4th-grade reading, where most fall below Basic.
* A state's proficiency standard is not necessarily tied to student performance on NAEP. For example, a state may have a less rigorous AYP standard, but consistently score high on NAEP.
For more information on the methodology and results, or to download a copy of the report Comparing State Proficiency Standards, or the technical report visit
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/researchcenter/statemapping.asp
Posted by ronbo at 12:23 PM
June 06, 2007
From IES Newsflash: Four Data Sets Released Through NCES' Fast Response Survey System (FRSS)
NCES has released the following four Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) data sets:
Public-Use Data Files and Documentation: Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2002
This file contains data from a fall 2002 fast-response survey titled "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2002." This study was included in a series of fast-response surveys that have tracked access to information technology in schools and classrooms since 1994. NCES released the results of the 2002 survey in the publication "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2002."
For more information, or to download the data set, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007035
Public-Use Data Files and Documentation: Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002-03
This file contains data from a fast-response survey conducted in winter-spring 2003-04 titled "Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002-03." This public school district survey was the first nationally representative study to examine technology-based distance education availability, course offerings, and enrollments in the nation's public elementary and secondary schools. For this study, distance education courses were defined as credit-granting courses offered to elementary and secondary school students enrolled in the district in which the teacher and students were in different locations. NCES released the results of the survey in the publication "Distance Education Courses for Public Elementary and Secondary School Students: 2002-03."
For more information, or to download the data set, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007028
Public-Use Data Files and Documentation: Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2003
This file contains data from a fall 2003 fast-response survey titled "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2003." This study was included in a series of fast-response surveys that have tracked access to information technology in schools and classrooms since 1994. These surveys provide trend analysis on the percent of public schools and instructional rooms with Internet access and on the ratio of students to instructional computers with Internet access. NCES released the results of the 2003 survey in the publication "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2003".
For more information, or to download the data set, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007034
Public-Use Data Files and Documentation: Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2005
This file contains data from a fall 2005 fast-response survey titled "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools, Fall 2005." This study was the most recent in a series of fast-response surveys that have tracked access to information technology in schools and classrooms since 1994. NCES released the results of the 2005 survey in the publication "Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994-2005."
For more information, or to download the data set, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007062
Posted by ronbo at 02:21 PM
From IPUMS list: New IPUMS-International data!
The Minnesota Population Center is pleased to announce the latest expansion of the IPUMS-International data series. In early June 2007 we added 17 new samples for Argentina, Hungary, Israel, the Palestinian Territories, Portugal, and Rwanda. The data series now contains 202 million person records from 80 censuses in 26 countries.
In addition to adding more samples, we have constructed location-of-spouse data for all samples in the data series. The spouse locator identifies the record number within the household of each person's spouse.
You can read more about the expanded data series at http://international.ipums.org/international/news.html. As always, if you discover problems with the system or have suggestions for improving it, we welcome your feedback.
We are also eager to hear about the results of research using these data. Please email us citations to any books, journal articles, conference presentations, or working papers you have authored. You can also enter the bibliographic information yourself at http://bibliography.ipums.org.
Posted by ronbo at 01:41 PM
June 05, 2007
From IES Newsflash: NAEP Website: Recent Additions
Researchers and educators will be interested in these recent additions to NCES' NAEP website:
The National Conference on Large-Scale Assessment begins June 17. There are many NAEP-related sessions, posted at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/ccsso.asp
The NAEP Data Explorer now has three large databases:
* Main NAEP assessments from 1990 to 2006
* High School Transcript Study for 2005
* Long-term trend assessments in mathematics and reading since the 1970s
Access any of these from
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde
Researchers will find listings of the variables in each NAEP assessment helpful when planning secondary analysis strategies. More years will be added soon. See listings of variables at
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/researchcenter/variablesrudata.asp
Have you used the item maps? They illustrate the knowledge and skills demonstrated by students performing at different NAEP scale scores on assessments in civics, mathematics, reading, science, and U.S. history. The released questions in the maps are linked to the NAEP Questions Tool, providing more information about the question and results from students across the nation:
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/itemmaps/
Several releases are planned for this summer-—please check the NAEP website often!
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/
Posted by ronbo at 08:02 PM
Recent ICPSR updates and additions - June 04, 2007
Below is a list of new data collection additions to the ICPSR data archive along with a list of released data collections that have been updated:
NEW ADDITIONS:
4635 Annual Survey of Jails: Jurisdiction-Level Data, 2003
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04635.xml
4657 ABC News/Washington Post Poll #1, March 2006
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04657.xml
4678 National Longitudinal Survey of Young Men, 1966-1981
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04678.xml
4691 National Survey of Children's Health, 2003
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04691.xml
4697 General Social Surveys, 1972-2006 [Cumulative File]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04697.xml
4705 Natality Detail File, 2002 [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04705.xml
4708 Natality Detail File, 2001 [United States]
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/04708.xml
UPDATES:
2912 American Housing Survey, 1997: National Microdata
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/02912.xml
3160 Project on Policing Neighborhoods in Indianapolis, Indiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida, 1996-1997
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03160.xml
3895 Multiple Cause of Death, 1979
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03895.xml
3897 Multiple Cause of Death, 1980
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03897.xml
3937 Consumer Expenditure Survey, 2002: Diary Survey
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/03937.xml
7927 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1976
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07927.xml
7928 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1977
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07928.xml
7929 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1978
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07929.xml
7930 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1979
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/07930.xml
9013 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1981
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09013.xml
9045 Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of the Lifestyles and Values of Youth, 1982
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/cocoon/ICPSR/STUDY/09045.xml
You can also view a list of all studies added and updated in the last ninety days by visiting the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/.
Posted by ronbo at 12:06 AM
From IES Newsflash: Changes in Instructional Hours in Four Subjects by Public School Teachers of Grades 1 Through 4
NCES has just released, 'Changes in Instructional Hours in Four Subjects by Public School Teachers of Grades 1 Through 4.' This publication uses data from five administrations of the Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) to examine the distribution of weekly instructional hours by regular, full-time first- through fourth-grade teachers of self-contained classrooms in four subjects: English/reading/language arts; arithmetic/mathematics; social studies/history; and, science. Results show that combined teacher instructional time in the four subjects has increased between 1987-88 and 2003-04. However, examining each subject shows that this increase is largely due to an overall increase in the amount of instruction in English and mathematics. In the two most recent administrations, 1999-2000 and 2003-04, weekly teacher instructional hours in English increased while instructional time in mathematics, social studies, and science decreased. Despite the fluctuations in hours of instruction, total instructional time in the four subjects as a percentage of the student school week did not change significantly between 1987-88 and 2003-04; it was about 67 percent of the school week in each year.
To download, view and print the report as a pdf file, please visit: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2007305
Posted by ronbo at 12:04 AM
June 01, 2007
From ACS Alert No. 49 (6/1/07): U.S. Census Bureau Seeks Input on ACS Summary File (ACS-SF) Prototype
The ACS Office developed and released last January a prototype ACS Summary File (ACS-SF), and encourages data users to provide comments on this prototype to help us design and implement the full version of the ACS-SF by December 2007.
The ACS-SF contains the detailed tables for all geographies published by the 2005 ACS and is similar to the Census 2000 summary files. The Census Bureau plans to provide a separate set of summary files for one-year and three-year estimates beginning in 2008, and for five-year estimates
beginning in 2010.
Please send your comments on the ACS-SF prototype via email to: nicholas.m.spanos@census.gov no later than July 31, 2007. Subsequent updates or changes to the ACS-SF will be announced via ACS Alert and on the ACS Web site: www.census.gov/acs/www.
______________________________________________________________________
The ACS is a key component of the Census Bureau’s 2010 Decennial Census Program, which also consists of early planning and modernization of geographic operations and a short-form only for the 2010 Census.
Posted by ronbo at 01:54 PM
New MEPS Data Releases and Announcement of MEPS Restricted Data Availability at Census Bureau Research Data Centers (RDC's)
AHRQ is pleased to announce that it has reached agreement with the Census Bureau to make AHRQ's restricted MEPS data available to qualified researchers through the Census Research Data Center (RDC) network. The RDC network currently consists of 9 regional datacenters in NY, NC, MI, IL, MD, CA, and MA. For more information on the Census Bureau Research Data Centers please see: www.ces.census.gov.
Proposals will be accepted by CES beginning July 1, 2007 to use AHRQ data sets. AHRQ will handle all proposal review and disclosure avoidance review for RDC projects using AHRQ data. If a researcher chooses to use a Census Bureau RDC for their project, the standard AHRQ data center fee will be waived. Standard Census RDC access charges, if any, will apply. Proposals to use AHRQ data at a Census Bureau RDC will be subject to the standard Census RDC proposal process, but will not have to meet Census Bureau standards, just AHRQ standards (Proposals to use confidential data from both the Census Bureau and the AHRQ must use the existing Census Bureau application procedure, and will also be reviewed by AHRQ, and the Internal Revenue Service if tax data is involved.)
All researchers will need to become Special Sworn Status (SSS) employees of the Census Bureau -- in case of incidental access to confidential Census Bureau or Internal Revenue Service data while in an RDC -- and will also be required to become National Center for Health Statistics agents (as AHRQ data is based on the National Health Interview Survey), and take the appropriate training for both roles.
Researchers currently using the Rockville AHRQ data center will be able to transfer their research to a Census RDC site once they become SSS employees. Contact the appropriate Census RDC Administrator for more information on the SSS process.
For more information on the proposal process or the datasets, see the AHRQ data center web site at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/onsite_datacenter.jsp
List of Datasets that will be available:
Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS):
a. Household Component-Insurance Component linked file (1996-1999, 2001) b. Nursing Home Component (1996) c. Medical Provider Component (except directly identifiable data) d. Two-Year, Two-Panel Files e. Area Resource File (county-level data that can be linked to MEPS-HC)
Please contact AHRQ at CFACTDC@AHRQ.HHS.GOV for complete details on additional non-public MEPS data available for RDC use.
Recent MEPS Data Products:
MEPS HC-091:2005 Jobs File
This public use data file contains jobs-level data from the 2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS HC). Released as an ASCII file with SAS and SPSS programming statements and in SAS transport format, this public use file provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian noninstitutionalized population of the United States during the calendar year 2005. The file contains job-level information collected in Rounds 3-5 for the ninth Panel and Rounds 1-3 for the tenth Panel of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (i.e., the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2005); it includes variables pertaining to household-reported jobs, including wages, hours, industry, and occupation. This file is available on the MEPS website at: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/download_data_files_detail.jsp?cboPufNumber=HC-091
MEPS/NHIS 2005 Link File: 2005 MEPS/2004 & 2003 NHIS Link File
All ten (1996-2005) MEPS/NHIS Link Files are included on one CD-ROM. The MEPS/NHIS Link Files CD is available by request only. The 2005 MEPS/NHIS Link File contains a cross-walk that will allow data users to merge the MEPS 2005 Full-Year Population Characteristics public use data file, HC-090, with the NHIS 2003/2004 person-level public use data files. In this linkage file, a record exists for each person in the HC-090 file. Sample persons in NHIS that do not link to any MEPS sample persons are not represented in the linkage file. Sample persons in the HC-090 file who do not link with the 2003 NHIS or 2004 NHIS respondent person sample have a value of 9999 for the NHIS link id. The HC-090 file covers calendar year 2005 and contains data from Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of the MEPS Panel 9 (which uses the 2003 NHIS as its sampling frame) combined with data from Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of the MEPS Panel 10 (which uses the 2004 NHIS as its sampling frame). Confidentiality forms must be filled out and submitted to AHRQ before this file can be obtained. See HC-NHIS Link File ordering instructions for more information on how to obtain this file. See : http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/more_info_download_data_files.jsp#hc-nhis for more information on how to obtain this file. This file is available on the MEPS website at: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/download_data_files_detail.jsp?cboPufNumber=LINK_2005HC/NHIS
MEPS HC-090: 2005 Full Year Population Characteristics
Released as an ASCII file (with related SAS and SPSS programming statements) and a SAS transport dataset, this public use file provides information collected on a nationally representative sample of the civilian non-institutionalized population of the United States for calendar year 2005. This file consists of MEPS survey data obtained in Rounds 3, 4, and 5 of Panel 9 and Rounds 1, 2, and 3 of Panel 10 (i.e., the rounds for the MEPS panels covering calendar year 2005) and contains variables pertaining to survey administration, demographics, employment, health status, quality of care, patient satisfaction, health insurance and person-level medical care use counts. The 2005 Full-Year expenditure and income data will be forthcoming. This file is available on the MEPS website at: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/download_data_files_detail.jsp?cboPufNumber=HC-090
Recent MEPS Publications:
MEPS Research Findings No. 26 Family-Level Expenditures on Health Care and Insurance Premiums among the U.S. Nonelderly Population, 2004
This Research Findings presents estimates on health care expenditures and health insurance premiums aggregated to the family level, for all nonelderly families in the U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population. This file is available on the MEPS website at: http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/data_stats/Pub_ProdResults_Details.jsp?pt=Research%20Findings&opt=2&id=812
Posted by ronbo at 01:01 PM