The MISOE Census Data System (CDS) is one of two major subsystems of an integrated management information system (MISOE), which was developed to provide occupational education managers with comprehensive data on which to base rational management decisions. Essentially, CDS contains descriptive information systematically structured in a manner which allows it to be used as a basis for sampling evaluative research studies. CDS collects and stores census data for all school systems offering occupational education programs, including all data formerly collected by the Annual Federal Report for Occupational Education, except followup data, which is included in the Sample Data System (CDS). The publication contains an introduction to the census data system, describes concepts that are essential to its understanding, and provides step-by-step instructors for the reporting of information in the CDS reporting booklets. The concepts described are indigenous to CDS and provide solutions to problems historically encountered in the design of management information systems for education. They include a systematic means of accurately describing occupational education programs, a unique system of terminal performance objectives (TERMOBS), and a program cost-estimating process that circumvents major objections heretofore raised to program budgeting systems. (Author/AJ)