For the second time, the National Center for Education Statistics has prepared a report that brings together comparable data concerning several key education characteristics, by state, region, and outlying area for a consecutive 21-year period. Characteristics examined in this report for public elementary education and secondary education include: (1) enrollment; (2) children with disabilities served under IDEA-B and Chapter 1 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; (3) regular high school graduates; (4) number of teachers and staff; (5) ratio of pupils to teachers and staff; (6) teacher salaries; and (7) expenditures. In addition to the multiple comparisons, the report presents percentage change comparisons at 20-, 10-, and 5-year intervals. Each of the tables in this publication is combined with two charts that show changes for each state in the 1970s and 1980s. Included are two sections: (1) public elementary education and secondary education (includes 16 tables and 32 charts); and (2) higher education (includes 25 tables and 50 charts). Three appendixes contain tables of data concerning the U.S. population in 1969-89, the estimated school-aged population for 1970-89, and selected price indices; a list of definitions; and a guide to sources. (SLD)