Measuring Enrollment in Public Schools: Do American Community Survey Estimates Receive a Passing Grade?

• Activity Number: 331
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Tuesday, August 3, 2010 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Social Statistics Section
• Author(s): Angelina N. KewalRamani*+
• Companies: American Institutes for Research
• Keywords: ACS ; CCD ; Public school ; Enrollment

Abstract

Researchers have questioned the accuracy of collecting information on school enrollment from proxy respondents. The American Community Survey (ACS) asks one person in the household to report on school enrollment for all members of the household. Comparing ACS estimates of public school enrollment to administrative data gathered by the U.S. Department of Education could shed some light on the accuracy of collecting this type of information from proxy respondents. The Common Core of Data (CCD) survey annually collects data about all U.S. public schools. This paper will examine differences between ACS 2008 estimates of public school enrollment and 2007-08 CCD public school universe data on school enrollment. The analysis will compare estimates by grade level, sex, and race/ethnicity. The results of this comparison will reveal whether ACS estimates of public school enrollment are reliable.