School Enrollment

Current Population Survey Data on School Enrollment

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.

DATA TABLES, PRODUCTS AND REPORTS

For CPS definition and explanations, visit the Current Population Survey Web site.

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2011

• Detailed Tables

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2010

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF - 349k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2009

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF - 186k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2008

• Report [PDF – 1.0M]
• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF - 186k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2007

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF – 186k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2006 (P20-559 contains data from the 2006 CPS and 2006 ACS)

• Report - School Enrollment in the United States: 2006 [PDF – 1.0M]
• Detailed Tables
• Appendix Tables
• Source and Accuracy Statement (ACS) [PDF – 180k]
• Source and Accuracy Statement (CPS) [PDF – 192k]
• Report on the weighing change for the school enrollment supplement to the Current Population Survey [PDF – 63k]
• User Note about the Redesign of the 2006 Table Package [DOC – 48k]
• Table Showing Summary of Changes from the 2005 to 2006 CPS School Enrollment Tables [XLS – 20k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2005

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF – 170k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2004

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF – 140k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2003

• Report - Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2003 (P20-554) [PDF – 456k]
• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF – 192k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2002

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy [PDF – 188k]

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2001

• Sample Expansion and Introduction of Census 2000-Based Population Controls
• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy

School Enrollment in the United States: October 2000

• Detailed Tables
• Source and Accuracy

Previous School Enrollment Reports and Tables

Get school enrollment reports and tables from previous years »

Historical Time Series Tables

Get historical school enrollment tables »

OTHER TECHNICAL AND ANALYTICAL REPORTS

The Decline in Private School Enrollment. Stephanie Ewert, SEHSD Working Paper Number FY12-117, January 2013.

• Paper [PDF - 847k]

Comparison of Estimates on School Enrollment from the ACS and the CPS: 2003

• Report & Tables [PDF – 99k]

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).