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K-12 Facts

Updated as of February 2016

1) SNAPSHOT OF U.S. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT –2) SCHOOLS — 3) 
ENROLLMENT — 4) TEACHERS — 
5) STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO — 6) 
EXPENDITURES — 
7) SALARIES AND WAGES — 8) 
FUNDING

 

Snapshot of U.S. Student Achievement:

NATION’S REPORT CARD:

Scores from the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), better known as the Nation’s Report Card:

  • 4th Grade Proficiency
    • Math – 40% students proficient
    • Reading – 36% students proficient
  • 8th Grade Proficiency
    • Math – 33% of 8th grade students
    • Reading – 34% of 8th grade students

(National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2015)

 

ACHIEVEMENT GAP:

  • 8th Grade Math Proficiency Among Subgroups
    • White: 45%
    • Black: 14%
    • Hispanic: 21%
  • 8th Grade Reading Proficiency Among Subgroups
    • White: 46%
    • Black: 17%
    • Hispanic: 22%

(National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2013)

 

HOW U.S. STUDENTS COMPARE INTERNATIONALLY:

According to the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), out of 34 countries, the U.S. ranks:

  • 27th in math
  • 17th in reading
  • 20th in science

The U.S. spends more per student than other countries on education, but that spending does not translate into better performance.

(Program for International Student Assessment, 2012)

Schools:

TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS: 13,515

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2013, Table 214.10 )

 

PERCENTAGE OF STATES WITH ELECTED SUPERINTENDENTS (versus appointed or recommended): 26%

(Education Commission of the States: 2014)

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF K-12 SCHOOLS: 129,189

  • Elementary: 86,386
  • Secondary: 27,034
  • Combined: 14,799
  • Other: 971

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 105.50 )

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS: 98,328

  • Elementary: 66,689
  • Secondary: 24,357
  • Combined: 6,311
  • Other: 971

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 105.50 )

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF CHARTER SCHOOLS: 6,400
(The National Alliance of Public Charter Schools: 2014)

 

 TOTAL NUMBER OF PRIVATE SCHOOLS: 30,861

  • Elementary: 19,697
  • Secondary: 2,677
  • Combined: 8,488

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 105.50 )

 

TOTAL NUMBER OF CATHOLIC SCHOOLS: 6,841

  • Elementary: 5,636
  • Secondary: 1,205

(USCCB Catholic Schools Statistics and Background: 2012)

Enrollment:

TOTAL K-12 ENROLLMENT: 54,876,000

  • Elementary: 38,716,000
  • Secondary: 16,160,000

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2010, Table 2)  

 

TOTAL PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: 50,094,000

  • Elementary: 35,182,000
  • Secondary: 14,912,000

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2015, Table 203.10)

 

TOTAL CHARTER SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: 2,513,634
(The National Alliance of Public Charter Schools: 2014)

 

TOTAL PRIVATE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: 5,268, 090

  • Elementary: 3,976,960
  • Secondary: 1,291,130

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2011, Table 205.20)

 

TOTAL HOME SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: 1,773,000 (estimate) or 3.4% (estimate) of America’s school population

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 206.10 )

 

TOTAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: 2,087,870

  • Elementary: 1,481,620
  • Secondary: 606,250

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2011, Table 205.20)

 

 TOTAL FULL TIME ONLINE SCHOOL ENROLLMENT: approx. 310,000

(iNACOL Fast Facts: 2013)

 

Teachers:

 TOTAL PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS: 3,109,101

  • Elementary: 1,719,764
  • Secondary: 1,215,042
  • Unclassified: 174,295

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 208.30 )

 

TOTAL CHARTER SCHOOL TEACHERS: 72,000
(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2010, Table 105)

 

TOTAL PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS: 465,000

  • Elementary: 245,000
  • Secondary: 219,000

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 209.10)

 

TOTAL CATHOLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS: 146,620

  • Elementary: 88,760
  • Secondary: 43,380

Combined: 10,480
(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2011, Table 70)

 

Student-Teacher Ratio:

PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO: 16.0:1

PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO: 12.5:1

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 208.20)

 

CATHOLIC SCHOOL STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO: 14.1:1

  • Elementary: 14.8:1
  • Secondary: 13.5:1
  • Combined: 10.7:1

(Private School Universe Survey 2009, Table 12)

 

Expenditures:

TOTAL PUBLIC SCHOOL EXPENDITURES: $607.8 billion

  • Current Expenditures: $527.3 billion
  • Instruction: $32.9 billion
  • Support Services: $183.8 billion
  • Food Services: $21.2 billion
  • Enterprise Operations: $1.1 billion
  • Capital Outlay: $48.8 billion
  • Interest on School Debt: $17.7 billion

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 236.20)

 

AVERAGE DISTRICT PUBLIC SCHOOL PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE: $11,014

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 236.55 )

 

AVERAGE PUBLIC CHARTER SCHOOL PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE: $7,658
(The Center for Education Reform, Survey of American Charter Schools: 2014)

 

ESTIMATED AVERAGE ONLINE SCHOOL PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE:

  • Fully online: $6,400
  • Blended learning: $8,900

(iNACOL Fast Facts: 2013)

 

AVERAGE PRIVATE SCHOOL TUITION: $10,740

  • Elementary: $7,770
  • Secondary: $13,030
  • Combined: $11,090

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 205.50)

AVERAGE CATHOLIC SCHOOL TUITION: $6,890

  • Elementary: $5,330
  • Secondary: $9,790
  • Combined: $10,230

(Digest of Educational Statistics: 2012, Table 205.50 )

 

Salaries And Wages:

PUBLIC SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS:

  • Superintendents: $102,750

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)

 

SCHOOL PRINCIPALS:

  • Salary: $89,540

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)

 

PUBLIC SCHOOL PROFESSIONAL PERSONNEL:

  • Counselor: $53,370
  • Librarian: $56,170
  • School Nurse: $66,640 (average)

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)

 

AVERAGE TEACHER BASE SALARY:

  • Elementary School: $53,760
  • Middle School: $54,940
  • High School: $56,310

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)

 

PUBLIC SCHOOL SUPPORT STAFF SALARIES:

  • Secretaries: $35,970
  • Accounting Payroll: $36,260
  • Teacher Aides: $24,430

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)

 

HOURLY WAGE RATES:

  • Custodians: $10.98
  • Cafeteria Workers: $8.92
  • School Bus Drivers: $14.53
  • Library Clerks: $13.18

(Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: 2014)s)

 

Funding:

TOTAL FUNDING OF PUBLIC EDUCATION: $597,485,869,000

  • Federal: $75.99 billion (12.7% of total)
  • State: $259.8 billion (43.5% of total)
  • Local: $261.7 billion (43.8% of total)

(Digest of Education Statistics: 2011, Table 202)