Study Shows Growing Need For Teachers & Investments In Public Education.

Despite a growing economy and burgeoning student enrollment in U.S. public schools, investment in U.S. public schools has remained stagnant, according to a report released by the National Education Association (NEA).

The report, titled Rankings & Estimates: Rankings of the States 2000 and Estimates of School Statistics 2001, shows school-aged children are one of the fastest-growing segments of the population in the past 10 years. During 1998, school-aged children were 18.8 percent of the U.S. population, making them a larger segment than those 65 and older which accounted for 12.8 percent of the population.

The report also shows during the decade from 1989-90 to 1999-2000 average salaries for public school teachers have increased by less than one percent, in constant dollars.

Over that 10-year period, 24 states and the District of Columbia saw declines in average teacher salaries when adjusted for inflation. Alaska teacher salaries declined 16.9 percent, and teacher salaries in Wyoming, Maryland and Arizona declined 8 percent.

In addition to flatlined teacher salaries, revenues for K-12 education increased at a rate below the nation’s economic growth during the same time period. Education revenue per enrolled student increased by only 3.6 percent from the 1998-1999 school year to the 1999-2000 school year. During the same time frame, the total personal income in the U.S. increased by 5.9 percent, showing a serious disconnect between the nation’s economic growth and its investment in education.

“At a time when the U.S. public has said public education should be our nation’s number one priority, these statistics prove otherwise,” Chase said. “It’s inexcusable that during a decade of unprecedented economic growth in this country, students were left behind. What does that say about the real value we place on education?”

Other highlights of the report show:

Enrollment has increased dramatically over the past decade. Total fall enrollment for U.S. public schools was 41,197,947 in the fall of 1989. The number went up to 46,540,114 for fall of 1999. Year-to-year enrollment increased 0.6 percent between the fall 1998 and fall 1999 school years. This was a slightly lower increase than the year before when enrollment was up 0.8 percent, and between the fall of 1996 and 1997 when the enrollment rate increased by 1.2 percent.

Sunbelt and mountain states experienced the most dramatic increases in K-12 enrollment. The largest percentage enrollment increases from fall 1998 to fall 1999 were in Nevada (4.7%), District of Columbia (2.3%), Florida (1.9%), and Alaska (1.8%). Twenty-two states experienced declines in student enrollment in fall 1999. The greatest declines were in Wyoming (-2.7%), West Virginia (-1.9%), Louisiana (-1.8%), South Dakota (-1.5%), and Montana (-1.5%).

Despite increases in the number of students – and heightened expectations about what students should know and be able to do – spending for elementary education has remained flat. The U.S. average current expenditure for public elementary and secondary schools per student in fall enrollment for 1999-2000 was $6,627. New York ($9,797), Connecticut ($9,792), New Jersey ($9,775), and Alaska ($8,834) had the highest per student expenditures. Utah ($4,036), Arizona ($4,505), North Dakota ($4,512), Mississippi ($4,605), and Alabama ($4,946) had the lowest per student expenditures.

Teacher salaries in one half of states saw declines in the last decade, adjusting for inflation. Teachers in West Virginia (16.3%), Arkansas (13.3%), and Alabama (12.1%) have seen the largest real increases in salaries over the decade of 1989-1990 to 1999-2000 school years. Teachers in 24 states and the District of Columbia saw real declines in average teacher salaries over these years, adjusting for inflation. Those with average salaries declining 3 percent or more: Alaska (-16.9%), Wyoming (-8.0%), Maryland (-8.0%), Arizona (-8.0%), District of Columbia (-7.0%), Virginia (-6.5%), Minnesota (-6.2%), Colorado (-5.9), California (-4.8), Hawaii (-3.9) and Florida (-3.3%).

The U.S. average public school teacher salary for 1999-2000 was $41,724. State average public school teacher salaries ranged from those in New Jersey (estimated at $52,174) and Connecticut ($51,780) at the high end to South Dakota ($29,072), North Dakota ($29,863), and Oklahoma ($31,298) at the low end.

The U.S. average one-year increase in public school teacher salaries from 1998-99 to 1999-2000 was 2.8%. Texas (9.4%), Mississippi (7.9%), North Carolina (6.9%), and Washington (6.0%) had the largest one-year increases greater than 5 percent. In Oregon (-4.5%) and Pennsylvania (-0.3%), average salaries declined in current dollars.
Rankings & Estimates documents the average teacher salary, sources of education revenue, student enrollment, pupil to teacher ratios, and other key education factors for the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The comprehensive report has been published each year since the 1960s, primarily for use by researchers and education policy makers.

The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.6 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support personnel, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.