Having trouble accessing government information? See the Libraries’ guide to Alternative Sources for Federal Information and Data.

Education Library Resources: Policy, Reports, & Grey Literature

Education Legislation Websites

NCSL's Postsecondary Legislation Database
"This database covers topics related to postsecondary education, including admissions, campus policies, financial aid, governance, student loans, tuition and workforce development. It includes introduced legislation from 2019 to present and is updated monthly or as legislation is identified by NCSL staff."
NCSL's Pre-K-12 Education Legislation Database
"NCSL works to bring you up to date, real-time information about education bills that have been introduced in the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. You can search legislation by state, category, status or year (starting with 2023). Bill information for the current year is updated at least weekly."
NCSL's Education Legislation Archived Database
"This searchable database tracks education legislation enacted by state legislatures from 2008 to 2022. Issues tracked include teachers and principals, school choice, postsecondary education, education finance and funding, religion in schools, high school graduation/dropouts, testing, accountability, afterschool and STEM. Search enactments by state, topic, status, primary sponsor, bill number or keyword."
50-State Comparisons, Education Commission of the States (ECS)
Current data points and direct links to state statutes, state education agencies, and state government websites. Topics include funding, assessment, attendance, governance, curriculum, and more.

Early Childhood, Parenting, and Families Publications

Child Trends
Nonpartisan nonprofit organization that mines and analyzes data about child and youth wellbeing. Focus areas include Black and Hispanic youth, Indigenous youth, LGBTQ+ youth, families and parenting, poverty, schooling, juvenile justice, and more.
Duke Center for Child & Family Policy (CCFP)
Housed at Duke University, the CCFP conducts research and creates programs addressing the wellbeing and education of children and families. The online resource collection includes journal articles, policy briefs, reports, book chapters, and working papers. Topics include early child care and education, poverty, race equity, adolescence, social and emotional wellbeing, families and parenting, and Covid-19.
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study (ECLS)
ECLS follows cohorts of students from birth to kindergarten, and from kindergarten to fifth grade or eighth grade. It is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), part of the U.S. Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES). Topics include child development, school readiness, and school performance. ECLS publications can be found here.
National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) State of Preschool Reports
The State of Preschool survey looks at topics affecting state-funded preschools, their students, and families across the United States. Topics include teacher salaries, Covid-19, workforce qualifications, dual-language learners, and access to preschool.
National Research Center on Hispanic Children & Families
Research center hub led by Child Trends and partnered with Duke University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and University of Maryland, College Park. Research topic publications include poverty, early child care and education, and fatherhood and family structure.
Pew Research Center Family & Relationship Publications
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan think tank that conducts social science research through opinion polling and demographic analysis. Published content includes full reports, short reports, presentations, and fact sheets. Data is cited and often made available in Appendix charts or through links.

K-12 Publications

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Forms
Forms and data elements used in CRDC data collection and distributed to U.S. public schools and other participating educational facilities that receive federal financial assistance. These forms aim to gather data on student enrollment, student demographics, and access to educational programs and services.
Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) Reports & Publications
Documents published by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), relying on data collected from the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC). Topics in these reports include student discipline, sexual violence and harassment, suspensions and expulsions, corporal punishment, school climate, profiles of students with disabilities, and access to academic programs and school services.
College Board Reports and Research
Reports on SAT tests, college affordability and readiness, advanced placement (AP) performance, and students' attitudes toward higher education and college enrollment.
Condition of Education (COE) Annual Reports
Annual report mandated by Congress assessing preprimary, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. Topics (indicators) include family characteristics, educational outcomes, school crime and safety, geographic locations (specifically rural), enrollment, courses, graduation rates, school finances, teachers and support staff, governance, and more. International comparisons are also provided. Condensed versions of the reports are available as "Reports on the Condition of Education".
Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee, NC General Assembly
This list of documents contains data and reports in PDF format from 2000-present. Topics are numerous and cover all aspects of education in North Carolina schools.
Pew Research Center Education Publications
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan think tank that conducts social science research through opinion polling and demographic analysis. Published content includes full reports, short reports, presentations, and fact sheets. Data is cited and often made available in Appendix charts or through links.
Projections of Education Statistics Reports
Projected future statistics for elementary and secondary school enrollment, teachers, graduates, and school expenditures. This report has been regularly updated since 1964.
Public School Forum of North Carolina Policy Briefs & Reports
Topics include school finance, teacher recruitment and diversity, needs assessments, public schools, and documents about Leandro v. State of North Carolina.
U.S. Census Bureau Education Publications
Reports and policy briefs using U.S. Census data. Topics include educational attainment, elementary and secondary school enrollment, public school finances, libraries, and educational services.
What Works Clearinghouse (WWC)
WWC is part of the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) in the U.S. Department of Education. It assesses high-quality scientific evidence on education programs, policies, products, and practices. Resources include evidence-based practice guides, intervention reports, systematic reviews, and data from study reviews.

Higher Education (Postsecondary) Publications

American Association of Community Colleges Reports
Published reports from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), a professional association.
Condition of Education (COE) Annual Reports
Annual report mandated by Congress assessing preprimary, elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education. Postsecondary topics (indicators) include student enrollment, transitions, graduation rates, student financial aid, faculty and staff, campus crime and safety, and institutional characteristics and finances. Condensed versions of the reports are available as "Reports on the Condition of Education".
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center
Reports about postsecondary educational enrollment, retention, transfers, dropouts, graduation, and postsecondary school closures. Coverage includes Title IV eligible degree-granting institutions.
Pew Research Center Education Publications
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan think tank that conducts social science research through opinion polling and demographic analysis. Published content includes full reports, short reports, presentations, and fact sheets. Data is cited and often made available in Appendix charts or through links.
Projections of Education Statistics Reports
Projected future statistics for enrollment in postsecondary institutions and degrees conferred. This report has been regularly updated since 1964.
Education Data Initiative
Data about higher education finance topics, pulled from federal sources. Reports cover student loans, tuition, dropouts, and graduation rates.

International Education Publications

Education at a Glance Annual Report
Published by the OECD annually. Available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese. Data for the report is available on the website.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Education Publications
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is an intergovernmental organization, involving over 100 countries, that creates policies and standards. Topics include education equity, leadership, financing, quality assurance, school environments, students, and teachers.

What is grey literature?

"Grey literature" (or "gray literature") is a term used to describe a variety of materials that fall outside the traditional publishing and distribution channels.

Grey literature can be produced by government agencies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions and departments, and private companies.

These materials do not go through the same rigorous peer-review process that most scholarly journal articles do, but they can still provide valuable information to supplement peer-reviewed resources. Be mindful to evaluate these sources carefully and only use them when appropriate.

Examples of grey literature include:

Government reports
Non-profit reports
Newsletters
White papers
Policy papers
Pre-print articles
Conference papers and proceedings
Theses and dissertations
Social media posts

Education Research and Policy Centers

Professional Associations

Professional associations are organizations dedicated to individuals in a specific field. These organizations often focus on professional development opportunities like workshops, conferences, and networking. They can also be good sources of historical and/or current information in the field; some associations formally publish reports or conference proceedings, while others host newsletters or blogs. These kinds of publications are considered grey literature.