National School Lunch Program: Established by President Truman in 1946, the program is a federally assisted meal program operated in public and private nonprofit schools and residential child care centers. To be eligible, a student must be from a household with an income at 185 percent of the poverty level for reduced-price lunch or 130 percent of the poverty level for free lunch.

Natural sciences: A group of fields of science and knowledge concerning observable processes of nature, such as biology or physics, as distinguished from the abstract or theoretical sciences, such as mathematics or philosophy.

Need-based aid: Aid that is awarded on the basis of financial need as determined by a formula that takes into account the student’s financial resources and the price of attending the institution in which the student is enrolled.

New Basics curriculum: A minimum curriculum recommended by the National Commission of Excellence in Education (NCEE) in 1983 to be completed by high school graduates that consists of 4 years of English; 3 years each of mathematics, science, and social studies; and one-half year of computer science. College-bound high school graduates are also advised to complete 2 years of foreign language. (See also Core curriculum or Core New Basics curriculum.)

Nondoctoral institutions: Includes 4-year postsecondary institutions that do not offer doctoral or first-professional degrees. They may offer master’s degrees.

Nonfatal crime: Crimes, whether theft, violent crimes, or serious violent crimes, without fatalities.

Noninstructional time: Noninstructional time refers to the portion of the school day allocated to such activities as lunch, recess, school assemblies, and other nonclassroom activities. (See also Allocated time and Instructional time.)

Nonmetropolitan residence group: The population residing outside metropolitan statistical areas. (See also Metropolitan Statistical Area [MSA].)

Nonrelative care: A care arrangement where care is provided by family child care providers, neighbors, regular sitters, and other people not related to the child. This care may also be provided in the child’s home or another home.

Nonresident alien: A person who is not a citizen of the United States and who is in this country on a temporary basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.

Nonsectarian school: A private school whose curriculum and operation are independent of religious orientation and influence in all but incidental ways.

Nonsupervisory instructional staff: Persons such as curriculum specialists, counselors, librarians, remedial specialists, and others possessing education certification but not responsible for the day-to-day teaching of the same group of pupils.

Nontenure-track faculty: Faculty members who were either not on the tenure track or whose faculty status lacked a tenure system at the sampled institution.

Nontraditional student: A student with any of the following characteristics: has delayed enrollment, attends part time, works full time while enrolled, is considered financially independent for purposes of determining financial aid, has dependents other than a spouse, is a single parent, or does not have a high school diploma.

Nursery school: A separately organized and administered elementary school for groups of children during the year or years preceding kindergarten, which provides educational experiences under the direction of professionally qualified teachers.