Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) (NCES 2007-341)
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Secondary School Course Classification U.S. Department of Education NCES 2007-341 System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) Secondary School Course Classification System: School U.S. Department of Education Codes for the NCES 2007-341 Exchange of Data (SCED) June 2007 Denise Bradby Rosio Pedroso MPR Associates, Inc. Andy Rogers Consultant Quality Information Partners Lee Hoffman Project Officer National Center for Education Statistics U.S. Department of Education Margaret Spellings Secretary Institute of Education Sciences Grover J. Whitehurst Director National Center for Education Statistics Mark Schneider Commissioner The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the primary federal entity for collecting, analyzing, and reporting data related to education in the United States and other nations. It fulfills a congressional mandate to collect, collate, analyze, and report full and complete statistics on the condition of education in the United States; conduct and publish reports and specialized analyses of the meaning and significance of such statistics; assist state and local education agencies in improving their statistical systems; and review and report on education activities in foreign countries. NCES activities are designed to address high-priority education data needs; provide consistent, reliable, complete, and accurate indicators of education status and trends; and report timely, useful, and high-quality data to the U.S. Department of Education, the Congress, the states, other education policymakers, practitioners, data users, and the general public. Unless specifically noted, all information contained herein is in the public domain. We strive to make our products available in a variety of formats and in language that is appropriate to a variety of audiences. You, as our customer, are the best judge of our success in communicating information effectively. If you have any comments or suggestions about this or any other NCES product or report, we would like to hear from you. Please direct your comments to National Center for Education Statistics Institute of Education Sciences U.S. Department of Education 1990 K Street NW Washington, DC 20006-5651 June 2007 The NCES World Wide Web Home Page address is http://nces.ed.gov. The NCES World Wide Web Electronic Catalog is http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch. Suggested Citation Bradby, D., Pedroso, R., and Rogers, A. (2007). Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) (NCES 2007-341). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. For ordering information on this report, write to U.S. Department of Education ED Pubs P.O. Box 1398 Jessup, MD 20794-1398 or call toll free 1-877-4ED-Pubs or order online at http://www.edpubs.org. Content Contact Ghedam Bairu (202) 502-7304 [email protected] ii Foreword Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) presents a taxonomy and course descriptions for secondary education. The system is intended to help schools and education agencies maintain longitudinal information about students’ coursework in an efficient, standardized format that facilitates the exchange of records as students transfer from one school to another, or to postsecondary education. SCED is part of the National Center for Education Statistics’ data handbook series, which is published as a searchable electronic database, Handbooks Online (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/handbook/). NCES has developed a series of data handbooks to provide guidance on consistency in data definitions and the maintenance of education data, so that such data can be accurately aggregated and analyzed. The handbooks are intended to serve as reference documents for public and private education agencies, schools, early childhood centers, and other educational institutions, as well as by researchers involved in the collection of education data. In addition, the handbooks may be useful to elected officials and members of the public who have an interest in education information. The handbooks are not, however, data collection instruments, nor do they reflect any type of federal data maintenance requirements. Handbooks Online is reviewed and updated annually. Education agencies and institutions collect and maintain information to help the education system function efficiently and effectively. Standardized data available to education agency officials can • assist in the development of sound educational policies at all levels; • improve the quality of instruction and boost student achievement; • help compare information among communities and among states; • improve the accuracy and timeliness of nationwide summaries of information about education systems; • improve the quality and significance of education research―locally, statewide, and nationwide; and • enhance reporting to the public about the condition and progress of education. It is the intent of Secondary School Course Classification System: School Codes for the Exchange of Data (SCED) to provide educators and data managers with a tool that will support decision-making in these ways. iii iv Acknowledgments The following individuals graciously gave their time to provide valuable input and information at the outset of the project: Clifford Adelman, U.S Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education (OVAE); Nancy Adelman, SRI International; Barbara Andrepont, Schools Interoperability Framework Association; Greg Berg, Idaho Department of Education; Janis Brown, U.S Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics (NCES); Rupa Datta, NORC; Lee Hoffman, U.S Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics (NCES); Myrna Holgate, Idaho Department of Education; Steven Ingels, RTI International; Mark Kuskie, Idaho Department of Education; Charles Masten, University of California; Coleen McClanahan, Iowa Department of Education; Karen Mitchell, SRI International; Jeffrey Owings, U.S Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics (NCES); Rob Perkins, Westat; Shep Roey, Westat; Leslie Scott, Education Statistics Services Institute, AIR; Lee Tack, Iowa Department of Education; Ellen Wetzel, NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse; and Raymond Yeagley, Northwest Evaluation Association. The following people reviewed subject areas and course descriptions and, as needed, supplied recommendations for revision: Nancy Beben, Louisiana Department of Education; Tony Glenn, Nebraska Department of Education; Patti High, Oklahoma Department of Education; Julane Hill, Nebraska Department of Education; W. Tad Johnston, Maine Department of Education; John Kennedy, Maine Department of Education; Coleen McClanahan, Iowa Department of Education; Vickie Scow, Nebraska Department of Education; Bill Seitter, Weatherford Public Schools, Oklahoma; Bonnie Sibert, Nebraska Department of Education; Willie Stroble, Virginia Department of Education; v Debra K. Sullivan, Principal, Charleston Catholic High School, Charleston, West Virginia; and Jeffrey A. Zeiders, Pennsylvania Department of Education Members of the Student Information System workgroup of the Schools Interoperability Framework Association, including David Amidon, Barbara Andrepont, Judi Barnett, Barbara Clements, Eric Creighton, Bill Duncan, Larry Fruth, Dean Goodmanson, Sue Pazurik, Wendy Reidy, Jason Reimer, John Scholfeldt, Scott Schollenberger, and Elizabeth Wereley. School district staff members in the Portland, Oregon area, including Rene Bishop, North Clackamas School District; Helene Douglass, Multnomah Education Service District; Blair Loudat, North Clackamas School District; Bonnie McCauley, Portland Public Schools; Carla Randal, Portland Public Schools; Doug Salyers, North Clackamas SD; and Joe Suggs, Portland Public Schools. The following served members of the External Review Committee: Judi Barnett, Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, representing the Schools Interoperability Framework Association (SIFA); Robert Bozick, Research Triangle Institute (RTI); Janis Brown, U.S Department of Education, NCES; Helene Douglass, Multnomah Education Service District; David Grantz, Seaford Middle School, Seaford, Delaware; Lisa Hudson, U.S Department of Education, Office of Career and Vocational Education; Steven Ingels, Research Triangle Institute (RTI); Stanley Legum, Westat; Jeffrey Owings, U.S Department of Education, National Center of Education Statistics (NCES); Rob Perkins, Westat; Daniel Pratt, Research Triangle Institute (RTI); Shep Roey, Westat; Leslie Scott, American Institutes for Research (AIR); Marlene Simon-Burroughs, U.S Department of Education, Office of Special Education; Debra K. Sullivan, Principal, Charleston Catholic High School, Charleston, West Virginia; and Lee Tack, Iowa Department of Education. Special thanks are due to Graciela Thomen of Kforce Government Solutions, who prepared the manuscript for publication and to Shelley Burns of NCES who led the final review effort. vi Contents Page Foreword ................................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgments ...................................................................................................................................... v List of Exhibits........................................................................................................................................