FAQs

In EDE, a file specification (FS) refers to the data collection of a specific set of related data.  EDFacts creates a FS document for each FS that describes the details related to that FS.  Details include important definitions, what the permitted values are within that FS, which subgroups are collected, etc.

An EDFacts FS is closely related to a data group (see FAQ “What is a data group (DG)?) and often share a one-to-one relationship with data groups.  However, a FS may have more than one data group (but a data group will not be directly related to more than one FS).  For example, FS150 is the dataset that has data on the adjusted cohort graduation rate.  FS150 has different data group numbers depending on the number of years of the adjusted cohort graduation rate.  The four-year adjusted graduation rate is data group (DG) 695 and the five-year adjusted graduation rate is DG697 and so on. 

Another example is FS180 which is the data set that reports on the neglected or delinquent program outcomes.  This FS has two data groups:

• FS180/DG783 reports on outcomes of students participating in Title I, Part D, Subpart 1 programs which are funded at the SEA level and
• FS180/DG782 reports on outcomes of students participating in Title I, Part D, Subpart 2 programs which are funded at the LEA level.

For detailed information on specific EDFacts specifications, please go here File Specifications -- EDFacts  

A data group in EDFacts is a definable, related set of data, which has been approved by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for collection by the U.S. Department of Education. Each EDFacts data group is intended to be discrete, concise, universally understood, and non-redundant. A data group may require a single record per reporting unit or multiple records per reporting unit. For example, a data group may require the collection of a school status where the resulting collection is one record per school. Another data group may require the collection of student counts by grade level and subgroup resulting in many records per school.

Examples of data group numbers and names that you can find in EDE include the following:

• DG648 (FS116) Title III Students Served
• DG 655 (FS118) Homeless Students Enrolled
• DG 684 (FS145) Migrant Education Program (MEP) Services

Data groups are closely associated with file specifications (FS).  Please refer to FAQ:  What is a file specification (FS)?   For detailed information on specific EDFacts data groups and file specifications, please go here File Specifications -- EDFacts

An “S” in your dataset represents that a value has been suppressed for one of three reasons: 

(1) a population or subgroup has too few students and the value is suppressed to protect the privacy of individuals. 

(2) ED identified a data quality issue with the value that was provided and has suppressed the data to ensure that subsequent data analysis will not lead a user to incorrect conclusions

(3) In some cases, ‘S’ is used when data are missing from a dataset.

OESE is committed to maximizing the amount of data that can be shared with the public without violating the privacy protections of individuals. When a population or subgroup represents too few students, there is the potential for an individual to be identified. In these cases, OESE is required to suppress or blur the data as determined by the ED Disclosure Review Board.  In some cases, the number of students is too small and ED completely suppresses the data which is signaled by an “S” (please see FAQ:  Why is there an “S” value in my dataset).  But, in other cases when the data being released are percentages, ED provides a range of values rather than an actual, precise value. 

Resources on privacy protection methods will be available in the future to provide users with support on how to analyze data when the values are presented as ranges in a specific data set. 

For school years 2022-2023 and beyond, the data collection period has changed for identifying title I schools. States now report this data to the Federal Government in winter of the year following the relevant school year. In other words, for school year 2022-2023, the Department of Education does not receive the data until February 2024. Once the Department receives the data, the Department has a fairly lengthy data review process before the data can be posted. Currently, the data is scheduled to be released early fall, although given the interest in this data, the Department may be able to expedite the release and post it during the summer.

EDE currently provides graduation rate data for all students and many subgroups at the SEA and LEA levels.  Graduation rate data can be found in both the dashboard and data download tool sections of the site, see Graduation Rate Map and SY2122 Graduation Rate Download, respectively.

Data related to the Four Year Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) are collected in File Specifications / Data Groups FS150/DG695 (graduation rate) and FS151/DG696 (cohort count) and are associated with the Title I Part A section of EDE. 

Once you have used the filters on the download tool to get the dataset that you need (See FAQ “how do I build the dataset I need?), you can download and open the data in three easy steps.  (Please check the number of records before you begin to download as it is not recommended to download more than 250,000 records at a time)

1. Scroll either to the top or to the bottom of the preview of your data set, and select the ‘download data’ button
2. You have the option to download the CSV or Data Notes.  We recommend that you download both -- but you need to do it one at a time.  After you select the file, you will see a bar near the top of your screen that says "EXPORTING DATA..."  Depending on the size of the file you are loading, this could take seconds to 30 minutes or more.
3. The csv files should be available in your 'downloads' folder.  If you want to use the files in excel, we recommend that you open a new workbook in excel, go to the "Data" tab on the menu bar, choose "From Text/CSV", select the csv you just downloaded, click "Import", select "Transform Data" at bottom right of screen, click the X next to Changed Type under Query Settings on the right ('Changed Type will disappear), and then click "Close and Load".  This will ensure that leading zeros on NCES LEA ID will not be dropped.