Loras College Library: Education: Websites & Statistics

Government Sites

U.S. Department of Education
Iowa Department of Education
Illinois State Board of Education
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
National Council on Disability
The NCD advises the President, Congress, and other federal agencies on policies, programs, practices, and procedures that affect people with disabilities. Briefs cover civil rights, education, empowerment, financial assistance, health care, and many other topics.

UNESCO Education Statistics
International education data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics
NCES International Activities Program
International data and cross-national comparisons from the NCES
Open Doors Online: Report on International Educational Exchange
An information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the United States, and U.S. students studying abroad

Statista - The Statistics Portal This link opens in a new window
Why use this database?
Statista is one of the world’s largest statistics portals.The focus is on professional, clear, quick and consistent results.

Iowa Dept. of Ed. Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
Check out the Fast Facts tab!
Department of Education Data Express
United States Education Dashboard
Childstats.gov: Forum on Child & Family Statistics
Tests and Measures in the Social Sciences
This website from the University of Texas, Arlington, lists all the tests and measures available in 116 compilation volumes (and counting) and includes over 10,800 measures. For help finding or accessing a test or measure, Ask a Librarian!

Google Public Data Explorer This link opens in a new window
Why use this database?
This database provides public data and forecasts from a range of international organizations and academic institutions. Find information such as broadband access trends, life expectancy correlated to the number of children, and the most dangerous roads in the EU.

Not every website is a reliable source of information. Evaluate it before you use it as a source! Here's what to think about:

Who publishes this Web site? Is this individual or organization qualified to provide this type of information? How do you know?
Do those writing for this Web site have the appropriate credentials to do so? For example, do the authors have advanced degrees in the subject and/or experience in the field?
Have you noticed any questionable statements or claims on this Web site that make you doubt the quality of the information on it?
How well-written is this Web site? Are there typos, misspellings, grammatical or mechanical errors that suggest amateur authorship?
How old is the information on this Web site? How can you tell? Does the age of the information affect your use of it?

Serious research can include Web sites, but you need to be selective. Remember--anybody can post almost anything on the Internet!