School enrollment data are collected annually in the October Current Population Survey (CPS) since 1947 for the nation. The school enrollment statistics from the CPS are based on replies to the interviewer’s inquiry whether the person was enrolled in regular school. Interviewers were instructed to count as enrolled anyone who had been enrolled at any time during the current term or school year in any type of public, parochial, or other private school in the regular school system. Such schools include nursery schools, kindergartens, elementary schools, high schools, colleges, universities, and professional schools. Attendance may be on either a full-time, or part-time basis and during the day or night. Regular schooling is that which may advance a person toward an elementary or high school diploma, a college, university, or professional school degree. Children enrolled in nursery schools and kindergarten are included in the enrollment figures for regular schools and are also shown separately.
Detailed information from recent surveys and historical trends in selected topics are listed below.
For CPS definition and explanations, visit the Current Population Survey Web site.
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2010
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2009
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2008
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2007
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2006 (P20-559 contains data from the 2006 CPS and 2006 ACS)
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2005
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2004
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2003
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2002
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2001
School Enrollment in the United States: October 2000
Get school enrollment reports and tables from previous years »
Get historical school enrollment tables »
Comparison of Estimates on School Enrollment from the ACS and the CPS: 2003
School Enrollment Fact Sheet
The school enrollment fact sheet highlights the differences between the school enrollment estimates from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the Annual Social and Economic Supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS-ASEC).