An efficiency study was conducted of the sampling design used for the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS), and the change variables used in the first followup. Nine alternative designs were compared, using a cost model based upon the number of schools and students sampled. Fourteen change variables and eight domains…

A statistical definition of information utilization for policy making decisions and an evaluation impact test to determine its occurrence are proposed. A univariate time series analysis is used to identify the internal trend for a given policy output variable and to control its effect. Two problems are identified in implementing an evaluation…

Although sampling has been mentioned as part of the chance and data component of the mathematics curriculum since about 1990, little research attention has been aimed specifically at school students' understanding of this descriptive area. This study considers the initial understanding of bias in sampling by 639 students in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9.…

The statistical properties of two methods of estimating gain scores for groups in quasi-experiments are compared: (1) gains in scores standardized separately for each group; and (2) analysis of covariance with estimated true pretest scores. The fan spread hypothesis is assumed for groups but not necessarily assumed for members of the groups.…

This technical report presents results of an analysis of unit response rates for the components of the 1993-94 Schools and Staffing Surveys (SASS). The study was motivated by the general need to evaluate and improve the quality of SASS data and to identify potential sources of nonsampling error associated with nonresponse in SASS. As background,…

The National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) serves as an example of how three specific problems of representativeness in a longitudinal study may be approached and overcome. NELS:88 was designed to provide longitudinal data about the educational transitions experienced by students as they leave eighth grade and move through high…

This brief report summarizes the results of a survey of professors of educational administration in the southern region of the United States, which sought to determine whether preparation programs were democratically administered. The survey included some demographic questions, 12 questions that asked respondents to rank preparation programs…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) is a random digit dial telephone survey of households developed by the National Center for Education Statistics. It has been conducted in 1991, 1993, 1995, and 1996, with varying components each year. The NHES 91/93/95/96 CD-ROM contains an electronic codebook (ECB) program that, after being installed…

The National Reporting System (NRS) established reporting requirements for the adult education program required by Title II of the Workforce Investment Act. The NRS defines the measures local programs must collect, the methodologies for collecting them, and state reporting requirements. This document presents the guidelines for conducting the NRS…

The National Household Education Survey (NHES) was conducted for the first time in 1991 as a way to collect data on the early childhood education experiences of young children and participation in adult education. Because the NHES methodology is relatively new, field tests were necessary. A large field test of approximately 15,000 households was…

The stability of Rasch test item difficulty parameters was investigated under varying conditions. Data were taken from a mathematics achievement test administered to over 2,000 Australian students. The experiments included: (1) relative stability of the Rasch, traditional, and z-item difficulty parameters using different sample sizes and designs;…

The introduction of the trial state assessment program into the design of the 1990 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) raises questions about differences across states in sampling and administration practices. In addition, questions about the general approach to comparing state data to national data need discussion. Subject areas…

The 1992-93 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty (NSOPF-93), the second cycle of this study, surveyed institutions and faculty, with a sample of 974 public and private nonproprietary higher education institutions and 31,354 faculty members. The study was designed to provide a national profile of faculty, including their professional…

Research efforts have established that the Mantel-Haenszel procedure (MHP) is an effective method for detecting the presence of test items exhibiting differential item functioning (DIF). While the MHP has been advocated for situations where item response theory based methods may not be usable, recent findings have suggested that the performance of…

The 1998 High School Transcript Study (HSTS) provides the U.S. Department of Education and other policymakers about current course offerings and students' course taking patterns. In 1998 the nationally representative sample for the HSTS included 25,422 students graduating in 1994 from 264 high schools. Approximately 94% of the sampled students…