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The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical center of the Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education, this week released "The Condition of Education 2011" [PDF file], a congressionally mandated annual report providing a comprehensive picture of education in the United States.

According to the report, enrollment quadrupled over the past decade at private for-profit postsecondary institutions, and more than tripled at public charter schools.

"We are seeing a shift in postsecondary education," NCES Commissioner Jack Buckley said in a statement. "In 2000, private for-profit institutions represented only 3 percent of undergraduate enrollment. However, since then these institutions have added 1.2 million students and now account for 9 percent of enrollment. This has created additional opportunities for students seeking a postsecondary education, but it has also brought to light differences in how students pursue and pay for that education."

Other key findings in the report include the following:

• Growth in enrollment: From 2000 to 2009, undergraduate enrollment in postsecondary institutions increased from 13 million students to 18 million. Of this increase, 27 percent (representing 1.2 million students) occurred at private for-profit institutions.
• Choice of institution varies by age: Some 30 percent of full-time students age 35 and over attended private for-profit 4-year institutions in 2009, compared with 3 percent of full-time students under the age of 25.
• Distance learning most popular at private for-profit institutions: Private for-profit 4-year institutions had the highest rate of distance course taking (30 percent) among all institutions. Private for-profit 4-year institutions also had the highest rate of students taking their entire program through distance education (19 percent).
• Nearly half of first-time, full-time students have student debt: In 2008-09, some 49 percent of first-time, full-time students at degree-granting institutions had a student loan and the average annual loan amount was $7,000.
• Number of degrees up: 41 percent more associate's degrees, 33 percent more bachelor's degrees, and 49 percent more master's degrees were awarded in 2008-09 than were in 1998-99.

The report also notes that from 1990-2000 to 2008-09, the number of students enrolled in public charter schools rose from 340,000 to 1.4 million. During the same time period, the percentage of all public schools that were charter schools increased from 2 percent to 5 percent.

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