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November
2005 |
The
EconData.Net Monthly Newsletter |
| We're
pleased to announce the latest issue of Stat-Scan, the e-newsletter
for dedicated data users. Feel free to send us feedback
or ideas for future stories at comments@econdata.net. |
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SITE OF
THE MONTH: The NAEP Data
Explorer |
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A Valuable New Tool for
Accessing Education Data
For November, one more
education-themed Site of the Month: the National Center for
Education Statistics Nation's Report Card. This powerful
web-based query tool helps you construct very detailed analyses of
test data for schools throughout the nation. Drawing from the
results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP),
this site displays test results for 4th, 8th and 12th graders in
reading, mathematics, science and writing by region and by
state. The data are very comprehensive and detailed, and
critically, the site emphasizes statistical-significance
tests: tables and maps help users clearly since when
differences in test scores are--and aren't--statistically
significant.
You can access the data through
either of two paths. Most users will want to start with the
simplified "Quick Start" system that enables you to get access to
the mostly commonly used data. Once you've mastered the basics
(or if you have more complex queries) you'll want to move on to the
"Advanced" access system, which gives you more control over the data
selections, and the formatting of the results. You can
construct cross-tabulations of data (for example, reading scores by
race and ethnicity by parental educational level), and also download
results into excel spreadsheets for further display or
analysis. There's also a very helpful flash-based tutorial
with audio and animation that shows you, step-by-step, how to use
the system.
One other note, you need to agree
to a "Data User Agreement" before accessing this site: because
the site constructs tables on the fly from an underlying database
the contains individual test scores, you have to agree not to
disclose or use any information that might identify an
individual. Our testing didn't reveal that this was an issue
in common inquiries.
http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/nde/
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School
Choice |
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State by State Data on
School Choice Policies and Accomplishments
The Heritage
Foundation provides a summary of the number of charter schools and
students enrolled in charter schools for each of the 50 states,
along with basic information about the size and performance of
public schools in each state. Because school choice policies
vary substantially from state to state, the website also has a
summary of key statutes and regulations affecting school choice,
along with contact information for advocacy groups and education
agencies in each state.
http://www.heritage.org/research/education/schoolchoice/schoolchoice.cfm#map |
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2003
Non-Employer Statistics |
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Tracking the Self-Employed
and Micro-Businesses
Last month, the Census Bureau
released the latest version of its annual compilation of
non-employer statistics. Non-employers are businesses that
have no paid employees and are subject to federal income tax.
This report identifies the number of non-employer businesses in each
state, their aggregate level of sales or receipts, by North American
Industry Classification (NAICS) code. Non-employer businesses
include both full-time self-employed entrepreneurs, and persons who
run businesses part-time; the universe of businesses counted as
non-employers generally includes firms with at least $1,000 in
annual receipts. In all, the data cover more than 18 million
establishments with more than 800 billion dollars in gross receipts
in 2003. Most non-employer businesses are sole proprietorships
and may or may not be the owner's principal source of income.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2005pubs/ns0300a01.pdf
Micro-business State
Estimates
The Association for Enterprise Opportunity has
prepared a report combining the non-employer data for 2002 with the
estimates of the number of employees working at establishments with
fewer than 5 employees. They've published a series of 50
states spreadsheets with this data at:
http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/services/training/MEBSstatespreadsheets.htm |
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Toxic
Release Inventory |
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Detailed Data About
Business Activity Lurks in Environmental Records
Toxic
waste is nasty stuff, but from the standpoint of the ardent
researcher, it does produce at least one valuable by-product:
useful data. The Environmental Protection Agency monitors the
release and management of a wide range of toxic materials used in
manufacturing processes around the country--everything from lead and
arsenic, to ammonia and nitrates--more than 650 chemicals in
all. The Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) is a publicly
available EPA database that contains information on toxic chemical
releases and other waste management activities reported annually by
certain covered industry groups as well as federal facilities. This
inventory was established under the Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) and expanded by the Pollution
Prevention Act of 1990.
You can easily search the TRI in a variety of ways. EPA's website offers
an easy to use TRI-Explorer. Enter a Zip Code, and you'll get
a listing of total toxic releases in the area. You can use a
drill down map to look at data on releases by state or county, with
data presented by toxic or by industry. You can use the map to
identify particular sources of each toxic. The database also
lets you search by industry, and unlike a most government data,
identifies the names and addresses of individual
companies.
http://www.epa.gov/triexplorer/ |
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News
Flash: Adequate Census Budget Approved |
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House-Senate Conference
Committee Provides Sufficient Funds
On November 4th, a
Congressional conference committee approved the House-passed budget
of $812 million for the Census Bureau rather than the Senate-passed
mark of $727 million. The Census Bureau said that if the lower
number passed, it would have been forced to eliminate the American
Community Survey, County Business Patterns, and planned improvements
in field methods for Census 2010.
We are told that the voices of
data users across the country made the difference in the outcome. If
you were one of those who wrote Congress, feel good in knowing you
had a role in saving key data resources for local planning and
economic development.
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Make
Your Voice Heard |
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Calls for Comments
on Federal Data Collection Efforts
Common Core of Data System (National Center for
Education Statistics) - comments due November 28,
2005
The Common Core of Data is the NCES universe data collection
for finance and nonfinance information about public school
districts and schools. Information is collected annually from
school districts about the districts and their member schools
including enrollment by grade, race/ ethnicity, and gender.
Information is also collected about students receiving various
types of services such as English Language Learner services.
The CCD also collects information about the occurrence of high
school dropouts. Information about teachers and staffing is
also collected.
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-21514.htm
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NEW
LINKS |
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Veterans
Data
Veterans Day is coming up, and in honor of those
who have served our country, EconData.Net offers its own list of
links on veterans related information.
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