NORC conducted the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS:88) for the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). NELS:88 provides trend data about the experiences of students as they leave elementary school, progress through high school, and enter post-secondary institutions or the work force. NELS:88 follows the 1988 cohort of eighth graders at two year intervals, from 1988 through 1994. The survey is primarily concerned with students, however, respondents also include parents, teachers, and school principals. To date, NELS:88 consists of the Base Year and First, Second, and Third Follow-up surveys.

NELS:88 addresses many research questions related to educational processes and outcomes over-time, including:

Academic growth, and the family, community, school and classroom factors that influence such growth

The transition from elementary to secondary school

The process of dropping out of secondary school

How schools may help disadvantaged students

School experiences and academic performance of students who are racial or ethnic minorities

How students become interested in the study of mathematics and science

The characteristics of effective schools

The transition from high school to post-secondary education or the labor market

Trend analyses with previous longitudinal studies conducted for the NCES

NORC, the prime contractor for NELS:88, designed the sample, collected, prepared and processed the data, and developed measures for the student and parent surveys. Westat, Inc. and the Educational Testing Service, subcontractors for NELS:88, developed instruments for the teacher and principal surveys and developed the cognitive tests, respectively.

For more information on NELS:88, see the following:

Base Year Study
First Follow-up Study
Second Follow-up Study
Third Follow-up Study
Comparability with Other Studies for NCES
NELS:88 Data Availability
Publications
Links for More Information

Base Year Study

The Base Year study is the first stage of NELS:88 and is the baseline for the study. The student questionnaire captures basic background information and collects data on a range of topics that include schoolwork, aspirations, social relations, and the cognitive growth of students over time in reading, mathematics, science and social studies. The Base Year study also includes minority language supplements to gather data on Hispanic and Asian-Pacific American students. A special supplement also was administered to students who participate in programs for the gifted and talented.

A survey of parents, selected teachers and principals supplement the student questionnaire.

The Base Year study also includes a series of questions on the arts and humanities sponsored by The National Endowment for the Humanities.

Base Year Sample

NORC drew a core national sample of 1,052 public, private and parochial schools that have eighth grade students. The Base Year study surveyed approximately 23 students from each school, resulting in a sample of 24,599 eighth grade student respondents. State supplements of Vermont, Connecticut, New York and Washington added another 170 schools and 4,000 students. The study collects data from one parent of each eighth grade respondent, 1,032 school principals or administrators and over 5,000 teachers. The sample of teachers was drawn from the mathematics, science English and social science teachers who instruct the eighth grade students included in the Base Year survey.

Base Year Data Collection Method

The data collection method used in school student group survey sessions with questionnaires and cognitive test batteries. Data collection from parents, teachers, administrators and principals by used self-administered questionnaires.

Base Year Response Rate

Students: 93 percent
Teachers: 96 percent
Principals/Administrators: 99 percent

First Follow-up

The First Follow-up, conducted in 1990, is the first opportunity for longitudinal measurements from the Base Year study. The First Follow-up collects data on the transition of the elementary school population into high school and on students who drop out of school before the end of tenth grade.

First Follow-up Sample

NORC traced 99 percent of the students in the Base Year sample to participate in the First Follow-up study. Over 99 percent of school districts and 98 percent of the schools cooperated in the study. Parents are not included in the sample for the First Follow-up survey.

First Follow-up Data Collection Method

Like the Base Year study, the First Follow-up study surveyed students in group sessions and administered cognitive tests to them. Dropouts were surveyed individually or in group sessions. Teachers and principals completed self-administered questionnaires.

First Follow-up Response Rate

Students: 96 percent for the longitudinal cohort, 94 percent overall
Dropouts: 91 percent
Teachers: 85 percent
Principals/administrators: 98 percent

Second Follow-up

Conducted in 1992, the Second Follow-up, gathers data from students, dropouts, parents, teachers, and school administrators. Students took cognitive tests in reading, science, social studies, and mathematics. The tests were designed to reflect the twelfth grade curriculum, but some items overlap with earlier tests to permit the measure of academic growth. The second follow-up also represents the first attempt to collect data on course offerings, enrollment, and academic transcripts. This academic data enable researchers to examine course-taking opportunities, choices, and performance of students.

Second Follow-up Sample

The sample for the Second Follow-up survey consists of approximately 25,000 students (including a freshened sample to ensure a representative sample of the twelfth grade cohort, and a school effects supplementary sample), 1,500 school administrators, and 15,000 parents.

Second Follow-up Data Collection Method

The Second Follow-up surveyed students in group sessions and administered cognitive tests to them. Dropouts were surveyed individually or in group sessions. Parents, teachers, and principals completed self-administered questionnaires. This survey used both free response and multiple choice tests.

Second Follow-up Response Rate

Overall completion rate for longitudinal cohort: 92 percent (over 94 percent for students in NELS:88 schools and 88.5 percent for known dropouts).
Teachers: 92 percent
School administrators/principals: 98 percent

Third Follow-up

This survey, conducted in 1994, addresses issues of employment, access to post-secondary institutions and choice, and family formation. It allows researchers to assess how many dropouts have completed secondary education, by what route, and to measure the access of dropouts to vocational training programs and to other post-secondary institutions. Also, the Third Follow-up gathers information on longer-term individual and institutional effects of elementary and secondary education.

The Third Follow-up provides cohort comparisons with the National Longitudinal Study of the Class of 1972 and with High School and Beyond. The Third Follow-up complements information gathered from the post-secondary studies Beginning Post-secondary Students(BPS), Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B), and National Post-secondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS) by providing comparative data on high school students who do not obtain a post-secondary education.

Third Follow-up Sample

The Third Follow-up samples approximately 15,964 persons. The Third Follow-up oversamples blacks, Asians, Hispanics, American Indians, low-SES whites, and dropouts. The sample does not include parents, teachers or school administrators.

Third Follow-up Data Collection Method

Data collection methods consists of computer-assisted telephone interviewing (CATI), follow-up in-person interviewing, cognitive interviewing, and sample pretests of portions of the instruments.

Third Follow-up Response Rate

Overall, the third follow-up response rate is approximately 94 percent.

Comparability with Other Studies for NCES

NELS:88 is third in a series of longitudinal studies sponsored by NCES. The two other studies are the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS-72) and High School and Beyond (HS&B). NELS:88 provides areas of overlap with the two earlier NCES studies in questionnaire and cognitive test content and in age range. NELS:88, however, complements the two earlier studies. It extends the age range of respondents and broadens the topics covered by the earlier NCES surveys. Test and questionnaire design for the 1988 NELS and its follow-up studies are coordinated with other NCES studies to ensure comparability of NELS data with these earlier surveys.

The third follow-up of NELS:88 provides data on high school students who do not participate in post-secondary education that is comparable to data collected from the post-secondary studies Beginning Post-secondary Students (BPS), Baccalaureate and Beyond (B&B), and National Post-secondary Student Aid Survey (NPSAS).

NELS:88 Data Products and Availability

NORC released three new products in 1995: a CD-ROM containing NELS:88 Base Year through Third Follow-up public use data files; a Base Year through Third Follow-up restricted use CD-ROM that is available only to users licensed by NCES; and the 1990-92 High School Effectiveness Study CD-ROM. The 1995 NELS:88 CD-ROMs include both Base Year through Second Follow-up and Base Year through Third Follow-up data sets. A fully documented, electronic code book system (ECB) that provides interactive interface facilitating data analysis accompanies the data files on all three CD-ROMS. Prior to 1995, NELS:88 data were released as component-level files within each round of the study (e.g., the Base Year questionnaire data file), which require users to merge files to conduct analyses of data from multiple components or waves. Data from components at the same level (e.g., the student level) have been integrated to create single analysis files with multiple records for each sample member in the 1995 releases.

The NELS:88 data products described above may be accessed by searching under "National Education Longitudinal Study" at ICPSR's data archive at the University of Michigan.

According to NCES, the NELS:88 restricted files should be used to obtain more detailed data than contained on the public release files. If a NCES license agreement is needed, contact Cynthia Barton (202) 219-2199 or e-mail at Cynthia_Barton@ed.gov for information on how to obtain a license.

The NCES also has made available selected NELS:88 data on DAS (The Data Analysis System). DAS provides public access to NCES survey data and enables users to analyze the data by selecting DAS variables based on survey questionnaire items. Users specify the information they are interested in and send a table parameter file (TPF) to the NCES DAS web site. The web site performs the data analysis. For more information on DAS, visit the NCES DAS web site .

Publications

A list of NELS:88 publications is available from the NCES catalog. Many of these publications may also be consulted in the NORC Library. Check the NORC library web catalog for information on holdings.

Links for More Information

You may want to visit the NCES web site; in particular, the page containing faqs about NELS:88. Additionally, abstracts and data on NELS:88 may also be accessed by searching under "National Education Longitudinal Study" at ICPSR's data archive at the University of Michigan.

For inquiries about NELS:88 directed to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics contact:

Aurora D'Amico
Phone: (202) 219-1365
Email: adamico@inet.ed.gov

Jeffrey A. Owings
Phone: (202) 219-1777
Email: jowings@inet.ed.gov