The K-12 Student Coursework dataset is course-level data that provides information on each course taken by students. Taken from the Michigan Department of Educations Teacher-Student Data Link (TSDL) system and beginning in 2011-12, Michigan public schools were required to submit course taking information to the state; failure to submit information may reduce a school or district’s performance scorecard. Within the coursework data, we can observe the courses students take, the grade received, credits earned, and the assigned teacher and course section.
Approximately 95% of students in the main K12 student enrollment data are accounted for in the coursework data during the years for which we have comprehensive data (2012-2015). The student’s unique ID (RIC) can be linked to the student and assessment databases. The teacher’s unique id (RPIC) can be linked to the Employment database, which includes more detailed data on the teacher’s background) and certifications.
Beginning in 2015-16, Michigan public schools were only required to report students that fit into the following categories:
- Migrant education participants (grades 9-12)
- Dual enrollment participants (grades 9-12)
- Early middle College participants (grades 9-12)
- Advanced and accelerated learning (AP/IB) participants (All Grades)
- Virtual/online learning participants (All grades).
There are numerous challenges to using the coursework data. First, there are more than 15 million course-level observations for each academic year. Second, a “course” does not have the same clear meaning for students in grades K-8 (especially K-5) as it does for students in high school. Indeed, over 95% of courses in grades K-5 yield zero credits earned compared to 15-20% of courses yielding zero credits in high school (mostly for receiving a failing grade). Nearly two-thirds of course observations in grades K-5 have a missing grade, compared to 10% missing in grades 6-8 and less than 1% missing in grades 9-12. There are other challenges in assigning course grades, credits, and a “main” teacher described later in this memo.
For many potential projects, researchers may wish to use a student-by-year level file, where the observations includes the student’s GPA, total credits earned, courses attempted and passed, class sizes, teacher assignments in core academic subjects, and levels of courses taken (AP, honors, etc.).
Codebook
Category Sort descending | Variable | Description |
---|---|---|
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSEMGR |
Description: Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCAGR |
Description: Computer Science A: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ART3DGR |
Description: Studio Art: 3-D Design Portfolio: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: SPANLTGR |
Description: Spanish Literature and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PSYCHGR |
Description: Psychology: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENVSCIGR |
Description: Environmental Science: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CALCBCGR |
Description: Calculus BC: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTSTDGR |
Description: Studio Art: Drawing Portfolio: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: USHISTGR |
Description: United States History: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: EURHISGR |
Description: European History: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GOVUSGR |
Description: United States Government and Politics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GOVCOMGR |
Description: Comparative Government and Politics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: LATINVGR |
Description: Latin Vergil: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: SPANLAGR |
Description: Spanish Language: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCPGR |
Description: Computer Science Principles: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ECONMAGR |
Description: Macroeconomics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CALCABGR |
Description: Calculus AB: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTST2GR |
Description: Studio Art: 2-D Design Portfolio: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: FRNLANGR |
Description: French Language and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CHINESGR |
Description: Chinese Language and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: LATINCGR |
Description: Latin: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYS1GR |
Description: Physics 1: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: COMSCBGR |
Description: Computer Science B: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: JAPANGR |
Description: Japanese Language and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: FRENLTGR |
Description: French Literature: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSMGR |
Description: Physics C: Mechanics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: BIOLGR |
Description: Biology: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYSBGR |
Description: Physics B: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CPSTNSGR |
Description: AP Capstone Seminar: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: MUSICTGR |
Description: Music Theory: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ITALGR |
Description: Italian Language and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: PHYS2GR |
Description: Physics 2: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CPSTNRGR |
Description: AP Capstone Research: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: WDHISTGR |
Description: World History: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: GERLAGR |
Description: German Language and Culture: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENGLITGR |
Description: English Literature and Composition: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ARTHISGR |
Description: Art History: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ECONMIGR |
Description: Microeconomics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: ENGLANGR |
Description: English Language and Composition: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: CHEMGR |
Description: Chemistry: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: STATGR |
Description: Statistics: Exam Score |
Category: Advanced Placement Exams | Variable: HUMGEOGR |
Description: Human Geography: Exam Score |
Category: All | Variable: ISD_NAME |
Description: Intermediate school district name (EEM). |
Category: All | Variable: SUBMITTING_SCHOOL_CODE | Description: |
Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The calendar year in which the school year began. |
Category: All | Variable: MOECS_EDUCATOR_ID |
Description: A unique identification code assigned to educators when they enter their information in MOECS for the first time, to keep the anonymity of the staff. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_OPEN_DATE |
Description: The actual opening date of the school or when it begins to do business. |
Category: All | Variable: ENTITY_TYPE |
Description: Description of Entity Type which indicates whether the school/entity that the staff is assigned to, is private, charter, public, state-run, etc. |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district of the entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_NAME |
Description: The name as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district that the educator is employed by. |
Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_ISD_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is employed by. |
Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is assigned to. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CLOSE_DATE |
Description: the actual closing date of the entity or the date the entity ceased to do business. |
Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district that the educator is employed by. |
Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The official state assigned five digit code denoting the district that the educator is assigned to. |
Category: All | Variable: BUILDING_CODE |
Description: The five-digit code as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). Note: This field has a value ONLY for data from General collection or SRM, but may be NULL for pre-K special ed. |
Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), which identifies the public school district responsible for providing education to the reported student. Note: This field has a value ONLY for data from General collection or SRM. |
Category: All | Variable: LAST_COLLECTION_NAME |
Description: The collection in which the student was last reported by any district. |
Category: All | Variable: FIRST_COLLECTION_NAME |
Description: First MSDS Collection in which the student was assigned to a graduation cohort. |
Category: All | Variable: LAST_COLLECTION_ID |
Description: Code associated with the collection in which the student was last reported by any district. |
Category: All | Variable: FIRST_COLLECTION_ID |
Description: Code associated with the first MSDS Collection in which the student was assigned to a graduation cohort. |
Category: All | Variable: COLLECTION_SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The academic school year in which the course was completed by the student. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The start and end years of the schoolyear that the student attended / received services during the collection used for this record. |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CODE |
Description: The entity code assigned to the School or Facility (Building) held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district of the entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_NAME |
Description: The official name assigned to the School or Facility (Building) type of entity held accountable for the student's graduation status. |
Category: All | Variable: REPORTING_PERIOD |
Description: Description of the reporting period (school year, fall, spring) that the data represents. |
Category: All | Variable: RIC |
Description: The unique student identifier--Research Identification Code. |
Category: All | Variable: IHE_SUBMITTED_SESSION_END_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the end of the academic session as submitted by the college. |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned five-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR |
Description: The school year that the data represents. |
Category: All | Variable: SESSION_END_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the end of the academic session as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Prior to the availability of the session begin and end dates in 2016-17, NSC records used the enrollment end date as reported to NSC. |
Category: All | Variable: SESSION_NAME |
Description: The academic term for which the data are being reported, as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Example: Fall |
Category: All | Variable: IPEDS_CODE |
Description: IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems) IHE identification code. |
Category: All | Variable: SESSION_BEGIN_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the start of the academic session as determined by CEPI, based on the IHE's submitted Session Begin and End dates. Prior to the availability of session begin and end dates in 2016-17, this field was derived from the submitted Session Designator, which was the session start month and year. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_YEAR_ENROLLED |
Description: The school year during which the student is enrolled. Example: 2016-2017 |
Category: All | Variable: IHE_NAME |
Description: Institution of Higher Education (IHE) Official Name. |
Category: All | Variable: IHE_SUBMITTED_SESSION_BEGIN_DATE |
Description: The date identifying the start of the academic session as submitted by the college. |
Category: All | Variable: YEAR_SESSION |
Description: A combination of the school year enrolled and the session name. Example: 2011-2012 Fall |
Category: All | Variable: RIC |
Description: The unique student identifier--Research Identification Code. |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_START_YEAR_ENROLLED |
Description: The numeric start year of the school year during which the student is enrolled. Example: 2016 |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the Intermediate School District (ISD) or Educational Service Agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM). |
Category: All | Variable: OPERATIONAL_ISD_CODE |
Description: The state-assigned two-digit number, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the Intermediate School District (ISD) or Educational Service Agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. |
Category: All | Variable: EMPLOYED_ISD_NAME |
Description: The name, as recorded in the Educational Entity Master (EEM), that identifies the intermediate school district (ISD) or educational service agency (ESA) in which the district or program is located. This is the ISD that the educator is employed by. |
Category: All | Variable: OPEN_DATE |
Description: The actual opening date of the entity or when it begins to do business. |
Category: All | Variable: LONGITUDE |
Description: The longitude coordinate of the physical location of the entity. |
Category: All | Variable: LATITUDE |
Description: The latitude coordinate of the physical location of the entity. |
Category: All | Variable: COLLECTION |
Description: Collection Period of the observation. Example: EOY 2017 |
Category: All | Variable: CLOSE_DATE |
Description: The actual closing date of the entity. Blank if Entity is open or data is unavailable. |
Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The numeric start year of the school year during which the data was collected. Example: 2016 |
Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: Operational District Name |
Category: All | Variable: DISTRICT_CODE |
Description: Operational District Code (i.e., the Employing District) |
Category: All | Variable: START_YEAR |
Description: The calendar year in which the school year began. |
Category: All | Variable: ISD_CODE |
Description: Operational Intermediate School District Code |
Category: All | Variable: ISD_NAME |
Description: Operational Intermediate School District Name |
Category: All | Variable: SCHOOL_CODE |
Description: The five-digit code as assigned to the building in the official Educational Entity Master (EEM). Otherwise known as Building Code. Building codes 00000 identify the administrative units. |
Category: All | Variable: ASSIGNED_DISTRICT_NAME |
Description: The official district name denoting the district that the educator is assigned to. |