Kids Count Data Center

Definitions: According to Wikipedia, "ACT (originally an abbreviation of American College Testing) is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. It was first administered in November 1959 by Everett Franklin Lindquist as a competitor to the College Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test, now the SAT Reasoning Test. The ACT has historically consisted of four tests: English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning. In February 2005, an optional Writing test was added to the ACT, mirroring changes to the SAT that took place later in March of the same year."

Data Source: Mississippi Department of Education. Statewide Assessment Information. ACT for [Year] Graduating Seniors.

Available at: http://orshome.mde.k12.ms.us/ors/assessment/

Definitions: The percentage of students within a school district living in or near poverty. As defined by the Mississippi Department of Education, these are students eligible to receive a free lunch. For students to qualify, they must be living in a family at or below 130% poverty level.

Data Source: Mississippi Department of Education, [Year]

Available at: http://orsap.mde.k12.ms.us/MAARS/index.jsp

Definitions: The percent of children living in single-parent households. These figures are based on five-year estimates from the American Community Survey. Calculations take the estimated population under 18 years in households with unmarried householders divided by the total estimated population in family households under 18. Children living in nonfamily households are not included. Value = (("In male householder, no wife present, family" + "In female householder, no husband present, family") / "In family households") More...

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, [Year] American Community Survey

Available at: http://factfinder2.census.gov [B09005]

Definitions: District-level graduation rates are based on the cohort from [year] constructed using: students entering 9th grade for the first time at the beginning of the starting year for the cohort; students entering as 9th graders during the rest of that school year; students entering as 10th graders during the second year; students entering as 11th graders during the third year; and students entering as 12th graders the during fourth year. Graduation, completion, and dropout rate estimates for the full cohort of students begins with 9th graders in school year 2002/2003 for 2006 rates; 2003/2004 for 2007 rates; 2004/2005 for 2008 rates; 2005/2006 for 2009 rates; 2006/2007 for the 2010 rates; and 2007/2008 for the 2011 rates. For more information on the procedures for calculating graduation, completion, and dropout rates, please refer to the Mississippi Department of Education's Procedures for Calculating Graduation, Completion and Dropout Counts and Rates by Tracking Cohorts of Students in MSIS
More...

Data Source: Mississippi Department of Education

Available at: http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/dropout-prevention-and-compulsory-school-attendance/dropout-graduation-rate-information

Footnotes: Rates for very small cohorts should be interpreted with caution. MS School for Math and Science and the MS School for the Arts are not included in the tables or maps. Agricultural high schools are not included in the maps.

Definitions: Infant deaths are defined as the death of a live-born infant before reaching one year of age. The infant mortality rate is infant deaths to women in specific age group per 1,000 live births to women in specific age group. Infant Mortality Rates are aggregated over a period of five years (such as 2007-2011, 2006-2010, etc).

Data Source: Mississippi State Department of Health. Public Health Statistics. [Year] Vital Statistics.

Available at: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/phs/statisti.htm

Footnotes: Five-year averages are provided by the state to provide stability for small population areas (i.e., rural areas).

Definitions: Immature births are defined as a birthweight that is less than 2,500 grams (5.5 lbs).

Data Source: Mississippi State Department of Health. Public Health Statistics. [Year] Summary Statistics by County.

Available at: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/phs/statisti.htm

Definitions: Per capita income in the past 12 months (in [Year] inflation-adjusted dollars)

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, [Year] American Community Survey

Available at: http://factfinder2.census.gov [B19301]

Definitions: The percentage of individuals [age group] who live below the U.S. poverty threshold, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Categories include: All Ages, Under 18 (ages 0 - 17), and 5 to 17.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE). Estimates for Mississippi Counties. All ages in poverty, [Year].

Available at: http://www.census.gov/did/www/saipe/data/statecounty/data/2011.html

Footnotes: 2005 Small Area Income & Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) can not be compared to previous years as different data sources were used. For additional information including estimation details, please refer to the SAIPE web site: http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/

Definitions: Data represents the location (origin) of on-campus students by county for residents of Mississippi for Fall of 2011-12. Figures include both the undergraduate and graduate level.

Data Source: Mississippi Public Universities, Enrollment Fact Book

Available at: 2011/2012 PDF

Footnotes: Institution:

ASU, Alcorn State University
DSU, Delta State University
JSU, Jackson State University
MSU, Mississippi State University
MUW, Mississippi University for Women
MVSU, Mississippi Valley State University
UM, University of Mississippi (including the medical center)
USM, University of Southern Mississippi

Definitions: Pregnancies are defined as live births, plus fetal deaths, plus induced terminations. Pregnancy Rate is the number of pregnancies of women in specific age group per 1,000 females in specific age group. Race definitions (by race of mother):
The two categories for race used in this publication are white and nonwhite.
White includes such groups as Caucasian Anglo-American, Canadian, Cuban, French, Greek, Hispanic, Latin American, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Swedish, etc.
Nonwhite includes such groups as Black, African-American, American Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Filipino, and all other groups not considered as white. More...

Data Source: Mississippi State Department of Health. Public Health Statistics. [Year] Summary Statistics by County.

Available at: http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/phs/statisti.htm

Footnotes: Figures by race may not add to total because total figures include some for which race of mother was unknown.

Definitions: According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "unemployed persons (Current Population Survey) [are] persons aged 16 years and older who had no employment during the reference week, were available for work, except for temporary illness, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the 4-week period ending with the reference week. Persons who were waiting to be recalled to a job from which they had been laid off need not have been looking for work to be classified as unemployed. Unemployment rate…represents the number unemployed as a percent of the labor force."

Data Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Annual Average, “Unemployment rates for states, [Year]” and “Labor force data by county, [Year] annual averages”.

Available at: http://www.bls.gov/lau/home.htm