Which NCES files does PlainTeacher use?
The F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey standardizes district revenue and expenditure. PlainTeacher uses its Z35-Z38 teacher-salary fields and other fields for enrollment, revenue, and spending measures. F-33 does not contain individual salary records.
The CCD Staff Universe Survey reports staffing categories, including district teacher full-time-equivalent counts. PlainTeacher joins that teacher count to the finance record by district identifier. Keeping the files separate matters: one supplies dollars; the other supplies the normal denominator.
The salary calculation
When the Staff Universe file has no district-level teacher count, PlainTeacher records an estimated basis and uses enrollment divided by 15 as the fallback denominator. That exception applies to a small minority; each district page states whether its basis is reported or estimated.
Worked example
Suppose a hypothetical district reports $45,000,000 in Z35-Z38 teacher salary expenditure and 500 teacher FTE in the Staff Universe file:
That $90,000 is not an individual teacher’s salary. It is an aggregate: total teacher payroll spread across every teacher FTE in the district. The calculation also says nothing about experience, credentials, benefits, contract days, or a current salary schedule.
Field reference
| Field | Source | Use on PlainTeacher | Do not read it as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z35-Z38 | F-33 | Teacher salary numerator | An individual teacher's pay |
| Teacher FTE | Staff Universe | Normal salary denominator | Open positions or turnover |
| Enrollment | CCD / F-33 records | Per-pupil denominator and fallback input | Daily attendance |
| Total revenue / expenditure | F-33 | District finance context | The same accounting quantity |
Reliability and exclusions
- PlainTeacher labels whether reported teacher FTE or the enrollment fallback was used.
- Salary rankings apply a published reliability range and enrollment floor.
- Specialized non-enrolling agencies are excluded where the resulting per-teacher measure is not meaningful.
- FY2023 describes the 2022–23 fiscal period, not current pay.
- Cross-year movement can reflect reporting, enrollment, or agency-boundary changes as well as real spending changes.
Responsible use
Use the figures to compare records on one documented basis and to locate questions worth checking. For a current job offer, verify the district salary schedule and benefits. For a budget claim, inspect the district budget and state accounting notes. For a staffing claim, use vacancy or workforce records; the finance survey does not measure shortages.
Sources
- NCES CCD F-33 Local Education Agency Finance Survey, FY2023.
- NCES Elementary/Secondary Information System, access point for CCD staffing data.
Frequently asked questions
What is F-33?
It is the annual Local Education Agency Finance Survey. It reports standardized district revenue and expenditure, not payroll records or vacancies.
Where does teacher headcount come from?
From the NCES CCD Staff Universe Survey. A small minority without a district-level count use the documented enrollment-based fallback.
Why is the result still a derived estimate?
The numerator is aggregate instructional salary expenditure, not individual classroom-teacher payroll, and the calculation has no contract-step or employee-level detail.