SUBJECT: CODES AND ABBREVIATIONS
NCES STANDARD: 1-4
PURPOSE: To provide uniform codes, abbreviations and acronyms for use
in NCES data collection and processing that will facilitate the exchange of
information and ensure uniformity in NCES data releases.
KEY TERMS: Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA),
New England County Metropolitan Statistical Area (NECMA),
Metropolitan Statistical Area
(MSA), and Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA).
STANDARD 1-4-1: The National Institute of Standards and Technology maintains
a variety of abbreviations under the Federal Information Processing Guidelines
(FIPS PUBS). (See www.itl.nist.gov/fipspubs/index.htm
for the most recent versions of these standards.) The following FIPS standards,
or more current updates, must be used in all NCES data releases:
FIPS PUB NUMBERS
STANDARD 1-4-2: The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS)
was developed jointly by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to provide new
comparability in statistics about business activity across North America. NAICS
coding has replaced the U.S. Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system,
previously released as FIPS Publication 66. NAICS codes must now be used instead
of SIC codes for industry coding. (See Standard 2-5
for guidance on maintaining
comparability when adopting NAICS coding for existing data series.) Current
NAICS codes may be obtained from the U.S. Census Bureau at:
www.census.gov/epcd/www/naics.html.
STANDARD 1-4-3: The following OERI-sponsored coding systems must be used,
where applicable:
- The Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), which is the accepted
federal government statistical standard on instructional program classifications
at the post-secondary level. See Classification of Instructional
Programs (CIP-2000 Edition). 2002. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department
of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, NCES-2002-165,
to access an electronic version of this publication, see nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2002165.
- The College Course Map (CCM), which is a classification scheme for college
courses offered in the United States. (See Adelman, C. 1995. The
New College Course Map and Transcript Files. Washington, DC: U.S.
Department of Education, National Institute on Postsecondary Education,
Libraries, and Lifelong Learning.)
- The Secondary School Taxonomy, which is a classification scheme for high
school courses offered in the U.S. (See Bradby, D. and Hoachlander,
G. 1999. 1998 Revision of the Secondary School Taxonomy. Washington,
D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education
Statistics Working Paper, NCES-1999-06.)
STANDARD 1-4-4: Where appropriate, the OERI Publication Guide
must be utilized, along with the GPO Style Manual. Official national,
State and international abbreviations are listed on pages 147-170 of
the Style Manual, 2000 edition, of the U.S. Government Printing
Office (GPO). These abbreviations must be used where appropriate in
NCES publications. The current version of the OERI Publication Guide
may be found at www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/MIS/guide.html
the GPO Style Manual may be obtained at the GPO website
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/stylemanual/index.html.