In the selection of the indicators to measure the commission’s goal and 10
recommendations, the statistics were vetted using the following criteria:

• The indicators are rigorous. All data must meet the generally accepted standards for rigor within the field of educational measurement. All data and collection methods are examined to ensure policymakers, educators, parents and students can make valid inferences about the nation’s current status on each indicator.
• The indicators are measurable on a regular basis. A key concern for the commission is determining the degree to which progress is made over time on the goal and 10 recommendations. Therefore, only data sources available on a regular basis are included in this report. One-time reports, although helpful in providing a snapshot of the status of the nation on the goal and recommendations, will not aid in helping track progress over the coming years.
• The indicators have the ability to be disaggregated. Whenever possible, indicators are applicable to the nation and comparable across the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The commission’s recommendations concern the entire nation, thus the indicators have a national focus. Importantly, individual states are conducting excellent work to allow policymakers and citizens within those states to track the status and note the trends over time on the goal and recommendations put forth by the commission. Only indicators available on a national basis are featured herein.

Wherever possible, data and indicators represent the most current nationally
recognized sources. Rather than create new measures of the educational horizon, the commission sought to determine the degree to which its goal and 10 recommendations are being met. Many high-quality data sources and reports exist that can be used to inform current status and future progress on the goal and recommendations. This report employs data provided by well-respected organizations such as Education Week, the National Center for Education Statistics, the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems, The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education and the U.S. Census Bureau, among others.