The Condition of Education is available in two forms: this print volume for 2009 and a Web version on the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) website (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe). The Web version includes the following: the 2009 Commissioner's statement, a user's guide, special analyses from 2000 through 2008, all indicators from this edition, and selected indicators from earlier editions of The Condition of Education. A complete list of indicators is shown in the Indicator List page.

The print volume of The Condition of Education 2009 is divided into five sections of indicators. Each section begins with a summary of the general topic areas covered by the indicators in the section. Each indicator consists of a page with key findings and technical notes, one or two figures and/or tables on the adjacent page, and one or more supplemental tables, found in appendix A. The supplemental tables feature the estimates used in the indicator discussion as well as additional estimates related to the indicator. Where applicable, tables of standard errors for estimate tables are available on the Web (http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe). Additional information on data sources, analyses conducted, and definitions of variables and measures can be found in the supplemental notes in appendix B. Finally, a glossary of key terms, a bibliography, and an index are featured in appendices C-E.

This icon on the main indicator page lists references for related indicators, supplemental tables, glossary terms, and other sources that provide more information relating to the indicator.

Indicators use the most recent national and international data available from either NCES or other sources that are relevant to the indicator. When the source is an NCES publication, such as the Digest of Education Statistics, 2008 (NCES 2009-020), the publication can be viewed at the NCES website (http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch).