Sample Data Dictionary

This data dictionary helps to bring together data from several contributing agencies, each with its own level of documentation and data quality. In a project like this, some contributors will supply well-maintained data dictionaries, while others offer limited or outdated information. Because of this variation, the first step in working with the data is to understand what documentation exists and where there are gaps.

This resource is a project-specific example, designed by SDP Fellow Melinda Wengrin at ERDC. The dictionary documents each variable used in the analysis, including its definition, source, coding, and any modifications made during data preparation.

This tool is part of The Early Learning Journey, a collaboration between the Strategic Data Project and representatives from Boston Public Schools, the California Department of Education, Chicago Public Schools, the D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education, and the Washington State Education Research and Data Center. It is supported by the Gates Foundation.