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School Data Category Taxonomy

Source: DATA-CATEGORY-TAXONOMY.md

Canonical taxonomy of data types that US state Departments of Education publish about schools. Built from an inventory of njschooldata (the mothership package) and research across state DOE portals (CA CDE, TX TEA, NY NYSED, OH DEW, FL DOE), ESSA requirements, and CRDC reporting.

Current State of Affairs

njschooldata covers ~13 data domains with 170+ functions. The other 49 state packages mostly cover enrollment only, with a handful having assessments and graduation rates.

Tier 1 — Core (every state DOE publishes this)

# Category njschooldata? 49 states? Notes
1 Enrollment & Demographics Yes Yes (all 50) Race, gender, grade level, FRL
2 Assessments / Test Scores Yes ~5 states State tests, proficiency levels, growth
3 Graduation Rates Yes ~3 states 4-yr ACGR, extended rates, diploma types
4 School/District Directory Yes ~2 states Names, IDs, addresses, coordinates, locale

1. Enrollment & Demographics

  • Total headcount by school, district, state
  • Enrollment by grade level (PK through 12)
  • Enrollment by race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, Pacific Islander, Multiracial)
  • Enrollment by gender
  • Gender-race intersections (e.g., White_M, Black_F)
  • Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (FRPL) eligibility
  • Direct certification (SNAP, TANF, foster, homeless, migrant)
  • Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) participation
  • English Learners / LEP counts by grade and home language
  • Students with Disabilities / IEP counts by disability category
  • Gifted and Talented enrollment
  • Homeless, foster youth, migrant, military-connected students
  • Charter, magnet, virtual school enrollment
  • Pre-K / early childhood enrollment

2. Assessments / Test Scores

  • State standardized test proficiency rates (ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies)
  • Performance level distributions (Below Basic through Advanced)
  • Disaggregated by race, gender, economic status, disability, EL status
  • Student growth measures (growth percentiles, value-added)
  • End-of-course exams (Algebra I, Biology, US History)
  • Alternate assessments for students with significant cognitive disabilities
  • Kindergarten readiness assessments
  • Third-grade reading proficiency benchmarks
  • Legacy assessment systems (states transition every ~10 years)

Student Growth Measures

Growth data quantifies how much individual students improve year-over-year, independent of absolute proficiency level. Three major model families are used across states:

  • SGP (Student Growth Percentiles): ~24 states. Compares each student’s growth to academic peers. Scale: 1-99.
  • EVAAS/VAM (Value-Added Models): ~8 states. Regression-based teacher/school effectiveness measures.
  • Custom models: ~6 states use growth-to-proficiency, gain scores, or status-and-change approaches.
  • ~20 states publish school-level growth data in downloadable bulk files.

See GROWTH-SGP-VAM-LANDSCAPE.md for the full 50-state survey with download URLs and implementation priorities.

3. Graduation Rates

  • 4-year adjusted cohort graduation rate (ACGR) — federally required
  • 5-year and 6-year extended graduation rates
  • Disaggregated by all ESSA subgroups
  • Diploma types (standard, advanced, honors, alternative, GED)
  • Graduation pathway endorsements (career-ready, college-ready, seal of biliteracy)
  • Dropout rates (annual and cohort)
  • Grade retention rates

4. School/District Directory

  • School name, address, phone, website
  • NCES and state school/district IDs
  • Geographic coordinates (lat/long)
  • Locale classification (city, suburban, town, rural)
  • County, congressional district
  • School type (traditional, charter, magnet, alternative, virtual, CTE)
  • Title I status, grade span, enrollment capacity

Tier 2 — ESSA-Required (federally mandated reporting)

# Category njschooldata? 49 states? Notes
5 Per-Pupil Expenditure No No School-level spending — ESSA mandated this
6 Accountability Ratings Partial (ESSA status) No A-F grades, star ratings, CSI/TSI lists
7 Chronic Absenteeism Yes No Most common ESSA “5th indicator”
8 English Learner Progress Yes (ACCESS) No ELP assessment, reclassification rates
9 Special Ed Classification Yes No IDEA disability categories, placement settings

5. Per-Pupil Expenditure

  • Total per-pupil expenditure at school level (new under ESSA)
  • Spending by funding source (federal, state, local)
  • Instructional vs. non-instructional spending
  • Personnel vs. non-personnel costs

6. Accountability Ratings

  • Overall school/district ratings (A-F, stars, color-coded)
  • Component scores (achievement, growth, gap closing, graduation, etc.)
  • CSI (Comprehensive Support and Improvement) school lists
  • TSI (Targeted Support and Improvement) school lists
  • ATSI (Additional Targeted Support) school lists
  • Improvement plan status and exit criteria

7. Chronic Absenteeism

  • Chronic absenteeism rate (10%+ of school days missed)
  • Disaggregated by race, gender, economic status, disability, EL
  • Average daily attendance (ADA) and membership (ADM)
  • Truancy rates
  • Student mobility/stability rates

8. English Learner Progress

  • ELP assessment results (WIDA ACCESS, ELPAC, or state-specific)
  • Reclassification / redesignation rates (EL to Fluent English Proficient)
  • Long-term English Learner counts
  • Home language distribution
  • Recently arrived immigrant counts

9. Special Education

  • Students with disabilities by IDEA disability category (13 categories)
  • Educational placement/setting (regular class 80%+, resource, self-contained, separate)
  • Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) percentages
  • IDEA performance indicators (SPP/APR)
  • Disproportionate representation by race/ethnicity
  • Dispute resolution data (mediations, due process)

Tier 3 — Commonly Published (most state DOEs have this)

# Category njschooldata? 49 states? Notes
10 Discipline Yes No Suspensions, expulsions, by demographic
11 Teacher/Staff Data Yes No Demographics, experience, qualifications, ratios
12 College-Going Rates Yes (postsecondary) No Enrollment in 2yr/4yr within 16 months
13 Dropout Rates No No Annual and cohort dropout rates
14 SAT/ACT Scores Yes No Participation and performance
15 AP/IB Participation Yes No Enrollment and pass rates
16 CTE (Career/Technical Ed) Partial No Programs, concentrators, credentials

10. Discipline

  • In-school suspensions (count and rate)
  • Out-of-school suspensions (count and rate)
  • Expulsions
  • Disciplinary alternative education placements
  • All disaggregated by race, gender, disability, EL status
  • Restraint and seclusion incidents
  • Referrals to law enforcement, school-related arrests
  • Bullying/harassment incidents (including cyberbullying)
  • Violent incidents, weapon possession, drug/alcohol incidents

11. Teacher/Staff Data

  • Teacher FTE counts by school/district
  • Student-teacher ratios
  • Teacher race/ethnicity and gender
  • Years of experience distribution
  • Certification type (standard, provisional, emergency, alternative)
  • In-field vs. out-of-field teaching rates
  • National Board Certified teacher counts
  • Advanced degree attainment
  • Support staff ratios (counselors, psychologists, nurses, social workers, librarians)
  • Principal demographics and turnover

12. College-Going Rates

  • Enrollment in postsecondary within 12/16 months
  • Institution type (2-year, 4-year, public, private)
  • College persistence / retention after first year
  • Remediation rates (developmental course placement)

13. Dropout Rates

  • Annual dropout rate by grade
  • Cohort dropout rate
  • Dropout reasons (where collected)
  • Dropout recovery program metrics

14. SAT/ACT Scores

  • Participation rates by school/district
  • Average scores (composite and by section)
  • College readiness benchmark attainment
  • PSAT/NMSQT results

15. AP/IB Participation & Performance

  • AP course enrollment by subject
  • AP exam pass rates (score 3+)
  • IB enrollment and pass rates
  • Dual enrollment / concurrent enrollment completion
  • Cambridge International results (some states)

16. Career & Technical Education (CTE)

  • CTE course enrollment by program/pathway
  • CTE concentrators and completers
  • Industry credential/certification attainment
  • Work-based learning participation (internships, apprenticeships)
  • Perkins Act performance indicators

Tier 4 — Rich Data (well-resourced state DOEs publish this)

# Category njschooldata? 49 states? Notes
17 Course Enrollment Yes No Math, science, CS, arts, world language
18 School Finance (full) No No Revenue sources, expenditures by function
19 Teacher Salaries/Vacancies No No Salary schedules, shortage areas, turnover
20 Class Size No No By grade and subject
21 School Climate Surveys No No Student/parent/staff perception surveys
22 Gifted & Talented No No Identification rates, program enrollment

17. Course Enrollment

  • Math courses (Algebra, Geometry, Calculus, AP Math)
  • Science courses (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, AP Science)
  • Computer science courses
  • Arts and music enrollment
  • World language courses by language
  • Social studies/history courses
  • Physical education

18. School Finance (Full)

  • Revenue by source (federal, state, local property tax, other local)
  • Expenditure by function (instruction, support, admin, operations, transportation, food service)
  • Fund balance / reserve levels
  • Bond debt and capital spending
  • Financial integrity/transparency ratings (e.g., TX FIRST)
  • Audit findings

19. Teacher Salaries & Vacancies

  • Average teacher salary by district and experience level
  • Salary schedules (step-and-lane tables)
  • Vacancy counts by subject area
  • Teacher turnover/attrition rates
  • Critical shortage area designations
  • New hires by pathway (traditional, alternative, out-of-state)
  • Emergency/temporary permit counts
  • Teacher absenteeism rates

20. Class Size

  • Average class size by grade level
  • Average class size by subject
  • Class size distribution
  • State mandate compliance

21. School Climate Surveys

  • Student perception surveys (safety, belonging, engagement)
  • Parent/family perception surveys
  • Staff/teacher perception surveys
  • Sense of safety, belonging, and engagement indices

22. Gifted & Talented

  • Identification rates by demographic group
  • Program enrollment
  • Service delivery model (pull-out, self-contained, enrichment)
  • Disproportionality in identification

Tier 5 — Emerging / Specialized

# Category njschooldata? 49 states? Notes
23 Post-Secondary Outcomes Partial (matric) No College persistence, remediation, completion
24 Workforce Outcomes No No Employment, earnings (TX, FL, VA lead)
25 School Nutrition No No NSLP/SBP participation, CEP status
26 Health/Fitness No No BMI, fitness tests, immunization compliance
27 Facilities No No Building age, capacity, condition
28 Technology/Connectivity No No Device ratios, broadband, E-Rate
29 Transportation No No Students bused, miles, fleet data
30 Pre-K Programs No No State-funded pre-K, Head Start

23. Post-Secondary Outcomes

  • College completion rates (where state data systems link to NSC or state higher ed)
  • College persistence by institution type
  • Remediation rates in college
  • Degree attainment by field

24. Workforce Outcomes

  • Employment rates after graduation
  • Earnings data (linked via state workforce agencies)
  • Military enlistment rates
  • Apprenticeship completion and placement
  • Industry by sector

25. School Nutrition

  • National School Lunch Program (NSLP) participation
  • School Breakfast Program (SBP) participation
  • Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) adoption
  • Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program participation

26. Health & Fitness

  • Immunization compliance rates
  • Health screening results (vision, hearing, dental, BMI)
  • Physical fitness test results (CA and TX mandate these)
  • School nurse staffing levels

27. Facilities

  • Building age and condition assessments
  • Square footage and capacity
  • ADA accessibility compliance
  • Environmental hazards (lead, asbestos)
  • Capital improvement tracking
  • Deferred maintenance estimates

28. Technology & Connectivity

  • Device-to-student ratios
  • Broadband speed and connectivity
  • Wi-Fi classroom coverage
  • E-Rate program participation
  • Home internet access surveys

29. Transportation

  • Students transported
  • Miles traveled
  • Transportation expenditure per pupil
  • Bus fleet size and age

30. Pre-K Programs

  • State-funded pre-K enrollment and capacity
  • Head Start enrollment
  • Transitional Kindergarten (CA)
  • Early childhood special education (IDEA Part B, Section 619)

Highest-impact order for expanding the 49 state packages beyond enrollment:

Priority Category Rationale
1 Assessments Most states publish this, huge analytical value, pairs with enrollment for equity stories
2 Graduation Rates Second most requested after enrollment, universally available, strong story potential
3 Per-Pupil Expenditure ESSA-mandated at school level, relatively new, underexplored, money stories get attention
4 Accountability Ratings A-F grades are catnip for data stories, every state has a system
5 Chronic Absenteeism Post-pandemic this is the hottest metric in education, ESSA 5th indicator
6 Teacher/Staff Data Teacher shortages are a massive ongoing story, demographics + diversity
7 Discipline Racial disproportionality in suspensions is evergreen, CRDC makes this high-profile

Coverage Matrix (njschooldata functions by category)

For reference, here’s what njschooldata already implements per category:

Category Key Functions
Enrollment fetch_enr(), tidy_enr(), fetch_enr_cached()
Assessments fetch_parcc(), fetch_njgpa(), fetch_njask(), fetch_hspa(), fetch_gepa()
EL Assessments fetch_access(), fetch_all_access()
Graduation fetch_grad_rate(), fetch_grad_count(), fetch_6yr_grad_rate()
Directory get_school_directory(), get_district_directory()
Accountability fetch_essa_status(), fetch_essa_progress()
Chronic Absence fetch_chronic_absenteeism(), fetch_days_absent()
Discipline fetch_disciplinary_removals(), fetch_violence_vandalism_hib()
Staff fetch_staff_demographics(), fetch_staff_ratios(), fetch_teacher_experience()
College/Career fetch_sat_participation(), fetch_ap_participation(), fetch_postsecondary()
Courses fetch_math_course_enrollment(), fetch_science_course_enrollment(), fetch_cs_enrollment()
CTE fetch_cte_participation(), fetch_apprenticeship_data(), fetch_industry_credentials()
Special Ed fetch_sped(), clean_sped_df()
Report Cards get_one_rc_database(), 63+ SPR sheets via fetch_spr_data()
Socioeconomic fetch_dfg(), add_dfg()
Charter Analysis charter_market_share(), charter_sector_*_aggs()