Updated Data Sources Guide
We have updated the Data Sources Guide with two new sources of information; the University of North Carolina (UNC) Freshman Measures site and the Program in Education, Afterschool and Resiliency (PEAR) Assessment Tools in Informal Science. These websites provide information that can be useful in the development of grant proposals regarding education.
UNC Freshman Measures
The UNC website featured provides information that addresses questions regarding NC students' participation with UNC schools: 1) what are the rates of UNC admissions at NC high schools and school districts; 2) what are the acceptance rates and demographics of UNC schools; 3) how successful are students during their freshman year; 4) what is the retention rate of the third year; and, 5) what is the graduation rate within five years? To navigate this website, first select the high school or school district you want to examine, choose a report year, and then choose a report.
There are three reports to choose from and each of them provides data that answer the questions listed above. The "Freshman Applications" report provides data to answer questions 1 and 2, above. This report describes the number of applications and acceptance rates of NC high schools and school districts by UNC campus, school year, race, ethnicity, and gender. The "Freshman Performance Measures" report addresses question 3 (e.g., GPA and course selection). The "Freshman Retention Report" addresses questions 4 and 5.
Once you have selected the NC high school or school district, the report year and the report type, click the "Submit for PDF and Excel Output" button. The result is an html spreadsheet with probably more information than you need. However, if you scroll to the bottom of the page, you will see two symbols to download the data in PDF or Excel files. The Excel file will make it easier for you to isolate data that are relevant to your grant proposal.
PEAR Assessment Tools in Informal Science
The PEAR website is a free database of assessment tools to measure performance of informal and out-of-school science, technology, engineering, and math programs. Assessment tools are rated and can be searched by age, domain (e.g., Attitude/Behavior or Content/Knowledge), and type (e.g., interview or multiple choice). Further, the website offers a description of each assessment tool which includes information about how to implement the tool (e.g., administration time, computer requirement) and a primary reference of the tool's origin. A full copy of the assessment tool can be downloaded as a PDF document.
The latest version of the Data Sources Guide can be downloaded from our website. If you have any questions or comments about the Data Sources Guide, please contact Derek Gatlin via email: derek@grantproseinc.com
