Number / Stats

 

National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)     

About NCES:   
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Education and the Institute of Education Sciences.  This branch is responsible for collecting, analyzing and reporting statistical information about education in the US, as well as reviewing and comparing international educational data.¹       

My Search Query:

• Is there a correlation between students that are identified as having a learning disability and the high school dropout rate?

Since my search query is relevant to this database I did not feel that I had to change my search facets.  However, I did have to learn how to search this database because it only contains a basic search interface.  It is very difficult to control the search in this type of interface.  However, after getting familiar with this database I learned that this database has been designed using a hierarchical database model, which allows the user to follow a path in order to obtain the desired information.  For example, think of a tree with many branches.  Each branch is a connection to the next level of more specific information.  In the course of getting to know the database, I realized that the publication and product tab contained the information that I was searching for.  Thus, I chose to enter the publication and product tab. I then followed this path: annual reports > High School Dropout and Completion Rates in the United States > Digest of Educational Statistic > Digest and of Educational Statistic website > List of Tables and Figures (I selected the year, 2013) > Table 219 – High school completers and dropouts > Table 219.90.

 

Best Hit:
 

 

citation:“Table 219.90. Number and percentage distribution of 14- through 21-year-old students served under Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B, who exited school, by exit reason, age, and type of disability: 2009-10 and 2010-11,” National Center for Education Statistics, accessed November 2, 2014, http://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d13/tables/dt13_219.90.asp.

 

 

What I learned: Content

 

The statistics in the table breaks down how students with disabilities exited school (graduated with diploma, received certificate of attendance, reached max age, dropped out and died).  Additionally, it breaks down the high school dropout rate of students with disabilities by types of disabilities.  It also allows you to compare the information from the 2009-10 school year to the 2010-11 school year.  Therefore, I learned that between the 2009-2010 school year and the 2010-2011 school year there was a reduction in the number of students dropping out of high school with the following type of disabilities: emotional disturbance, hearing impaired, intellectual disability, orthopedic impairment, specific learning disability and speech or language impairment.  Unfortunately, there was an increase in the number of students dropping out of high school in all of the remaining categories.  The percentage distribution of the total shows that over all the number of students with an identified learning disability, who exited high school with a regular diploma increased, while the percentage of students with an identified learning disability, who dropped out decreased between the 2009-2010 school year and the 2010-2011 school year. 

What I learned: Searching

One of the advantages of the hierarchical databases model is that once the user knows which path to take it is very easy to find the desired information.  Conversely, the biggest disadvantage is that it is difficult to retrieve information via natural language searches due to the rigid structure of the database. 

 Reflection: 

I believe that this database is very straight forward in so far as a naïve user can easily read and follow the various search paths.  However, this is not an efficient database, even if a user knows the design he cannot easily perform complex searches which can lead the user directly to the desired information.  Additionally, it is very difficult to recover from errors in this database.  If the user follows the wrong path he will have to return to the home screen before trying another path.  Moreover, if the desired information is buried too deep in the database, the user may give up the search before finding the information.  Given the importance of the information maintained in this database I think that it should be restructured in order to support a structured retrieval interface such as, an advanced search based on fields and limiters.





Reference List:

1. “About Us.” National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed November 2, 2014. http://nces.ed.gov/about/.