Provincial Expenditures on Education in Reform and Correctional Institutions

Detailed information for 2000-2001

The purpose of this survey is to collect education related financial data on all reform and correctional institutions in Canada. These data are used to supplement data collected from the Provincial Public Accounts on provincial expenditures on education.

Data release - December 5, 2005

• Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s)
• Description
• Data sources and methodology
• Data accuracy

Description

The Provincial Expenditures on Education in Reform and Correctional Institutions data are included as part of the inputs under total consolidated education revenues and expenditures in Canada which are required by many organizations. A standard questionnaire is sent to all reform and correctional institutions across the country.

Users of total consolidated education revenues and expenditures (found in Cansim tables 478-0014 and 478-0015 of which this survey is part) include stakeholders from both inside and outside of Statistics Canada. The information collected from this survey, as well as the other finance surveys, gives governments and various associations involved in the field of education, information to assist them in the formulation of education policy.

Other Statistics Canada divisions also use these data "indirectly" as inputs into their statistical programs; for example, annual benchmarks are produced for sub-annual surveys of labour income and to feed the System of National Accounts and the Public Institutions Division. Data from this survey are also used to feed information to international organizations such as the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Moreover, these data are also used an inputs to the Pan- Canadian Education Indicators Program as well as the Canadian Social Trends publication.

Reference period: April 1 of the reference year

Collection period: January 1 to April 30

Subjects

• Correctional services
• Crime and justice
• Education finance
• Education, training and learning
• Government

Data sources and methodology

Target population

All reform and correctional institutions in Canada.

Instrument design

The questionnaire was originally designed many years ago by Statistics Canada. Information on details of the questionnaire design, testing or focus groups is therefore not available. Every year the target population is reviewed by the Centre for Education Statistics staff at Statistics Canada.

Sampling

This survey is a census with a cross-sectional design.

Data are collected for all units of the target population, therefore, no sampling is done.

Data sources

Data collection for this reference period: 2002-01-01 to 2002-04-30

Responding to this survey is voluntary.

Data are collected directly from survey respondents.

The support staff at the Centre for Education Statistics sends out the questionnaires with a covering letter and captures the data on an EXCEL worksheet. There is a follow-up once a month after the questionnaires have been sent out.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

Given that this survey is a relatively small one in terms of number of respondents (under 15), number of variables (5) collected and amount in dollars, the error detection method consists of a comparison of figures with the previous year at the data capture stage by the support staff and verified by the analyst from the Center for Education Statistics.

Imputation

Since this survey is a relatively small one in terms of number of respondents (under 15), number of variables (5) collected and dollar amounts, simple imputation methods are used by either support staff or analysts in the Centre for Education Statistics. For example, a 5-year average trend may be used to impute the missing institutions' data or simply a percentage increase or decrease using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Sometimes the same figure as the previous year is imputed as a last resort. The method often used to impute is left to the discretion of the analyst based on the missing institution relevance/size.

Estimation

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Quality evaluation

Given that there are only 15 respondents, five variables and relatively small dollar amounts that are collected, and that the response rate is usually 100%, the quality of the data is very high. Furthermore, it is fairly easy to get answers or explanations from respondents when there is a large variation from one year to the next.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any data that would divulge information obtained under the Statistics Act that relates to any identifiable person, business or organization without the prior knowledge or the consent in writing of that person, business or organization. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

The data are evaluated in accordance with the Statistics Canada rules of confidentiality.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

This methodology does not apply to this survey.

Data accuracy

Only non-sampling errors apply to this survey as no sampling process was used to produce the final results. Given that the response rate for the data collected by questionnaire is usually 100% annually, the data are accurate. Furthermore, given that the survey respondents are also public institutions such as Statistics Canada, there is more willingness, in general, for the respondents to complete the questionnaire in an accurate and timely fashion.