The mechanics of this assignment should take no more than 30 minutes.  If it is taking longer than this, or if you are having trouble, please email me and let me know what you have tried to do.  I will be happy to sit down with you so we can go through these steps together.

1.  Go to http://govinfo.kerr.orst.edu/sddb-stateis.html [.]  This site contains data from the National Center for Educational Statistics on social, financial, and administrative characteristics of each of the 15,274 school districts in the United States for 1989-1990.

2.  Go to the map of the United States.  Double-click on Illinois.

3.  This will bring you to a page titled "School District Data Profiles" [for Illinois].  Scroll down to "Illinois School Districts and State of Illinois" and choose your first district.  Click on "custom area" just above, then click on the "submit selection" box above "custom area."

4.  This will bring you to a page titled "School District Data Book Profiles Comparison Areas."  Skip "states" and scroll down to "Illinois School Districts."  Choose two districts:  one from each list.  Click on "submit one selection from each column."

5.  This will bring you to a page titled "School District Data Book Profiles."  At the top, check to be sure your primary and comparison areas are correct.  If not, go back to steps 3 and 4 and correct them.

If you scroll down, you will see statistics for your primary area and two comparison areas.

Look at the button at the top of the page that reads "Top 100 General Characteristics Profile SUMMARY."  By clicking on this bar you will be given the choice to see other reports with more data.

6.  Go to http://www.homefair.com/sr_home.html, which is linked to the real estate business (illustrating the links between education and real estate).  It contains additional data about school districts that will help you make conclusions in your paper.  Note: Do not click for a "Free In-Depth School Report" unless you wish to be contacted by a real estate agent.

7.  You are free to search the web for additional data:  for example, you might check out the Illinois State Board of Education Website http//www.isbe.state.il.us/ and the U.S. Department of Education Website http://www.ed.gov/ [.]