The indicators in this section of The Condition of Education report trends in enrollments across all levels of education. There are 14 indicators in this section. Enrollment is a key indicator of the scope of and access to educational opportunities and is a basic descriptor of American education. Changes in enrollment have implications for the demand for educational resources, such as qualified teachers, physical facilities, and funding levels, which are required to provide a high-quality education for our nation's students.

The indicators in this section are organized into an overview subsection, which is made up of an indicator on enrollment rates reported by age group, and a series of subsections organized by level of the education system. These levels are preprimary education, elementary and secondary education, undergraduate education, graduate and professional education, and adult education.

The indicator in the first subsection compares rates of enrollment in formal education programs across age groups in the population. Looking at trends in the enrollment rates of individuals provides a perspective on the education of the U.S. population at different points in the life cycle and over time.

Participation in center-based early childhood care and education programs, such as Head Start, nursery school, and prekindergarten, helps to prepare children for elementary school or serves as child care for parents. Elementary and secondary education provides knowledge and skills that prepare students for further learning and productive membership in society. Because enrollment at the elementary and secondary levels is mandatory in most states until at least age 16, and in a number of states until age 17 or 18, changes in enrollment are driven primarily by shifts in the size and composition of the school-age population, as well as by shifts in the type of schools students attend, for example, between public schools, private schools, and homeschooling. Postsecondary education offers students opportunities to gain advanced knowledge and skills either immediately after high school or later in life. Because postsecondary education is voluntary, changes in total undergraduate enrollments reflect fluctuations in enrollment rates and the perceived availability and value of postsecondary education, as well as the size of college-age populations. Graduate and professional enrollments form an important segment of postsecondary education, allowing students to pursue advanced coursework in a variety of areas. Adult education includes formal education activities in which adults participate to upgrade their work skills, to change careers, or to expand personal interests.

Some of the indicators in the subsections provide information about the characteristics of the students who are enrolled and, in some cases, how these students are distributed across schools. For example, indicator 8-2008 describes the number and prevalence of children with disabilities, and indicator 6-2008 shows the distributions of select family characteristics of 5- to 17-year-olds.