Improving Validity of International Comparisons of Educational Attainment

• In Event: Accountability Across Borders

Abstract

Although the recent data on college attainment rates for young adults from OECD’s Education at a Glance shows that the United States (42 percent) remains above the OECD percentage (35 percent), seven other countries are now higher than the United States. However, the educational attainment data are subject to sampling error; yet, no standard errors have been estimated, nor have statistical tests been conducted. This paper tests the validity of the comparison by computing standard errors for the data and conducting appropriate statistical tests. This re-examination of educational attainment indicators yields a better understanding of the degree to which the United States remains competitive with the global expansion of postsecondary education, and encourage the development of valid statistical procedures.

Authors

• Thomas D. Snyder, National Center for Education Statistics

• Erin Frances Cocke, New York University