Back to school: Education by the numbers

Statistics on U.S. schools. Numbers with an "(x)" are projections.

Racial and ethnic makeup of public schools:

--1972: 78 percent white, 15 percent black, 6 percent Hispanic, 1 percent other

--2005: 57.1 percent white, 17.2 percent black, 19.8 percent Hispanic, 5.8 percent other

Public school enrollment in pre-kindergarten through grade 12:

--1997: 46.1 million

--2007: 49.6 million (x)

Private school enrollment in kindergarten through grade 12:

--1997: 5.9 million

--2007: 6.2 million (x)

Percentage of fourth-graders, by race and ethnicity, attending highest poverty schools:

--White: 5 percent

--Asian: 16 percent

--American Indian: 36 percent

--Black: 48 percent

--Hispanic: 49 percent

Percentage of 3-, 4- and 5-year-olds enrolled in school:

--1965: 10 percent

--2006: 66 percent

Children ages 3-5 who were read to by family member at least three times in past week:

--1993: 78.3 percent

--2005: 85.7 percent

Students in grades 9-12 who reported carrying a weapon in the last 30 days:

--1993: 22.1 percent

--2005: 19 percent

Percentage of children ages 5-17 who spoke a language other than English at home:

--1979: 8.5 percent

--2006: 20.3 percent

Number of children with disabilities receiving special education:

--1977: 3.7 million

--2007: 6.7 million

Percentage of students who can handle rigorous material at their grade level, 2007:

--Fourth-grade math: 39 percent

--Eighth-grade math: 32 percent

--Fourth-grade reading: 33 percent

--Eighth-grade reading: 31 percent

How people say the U.S. is doing in education against other countries:

--Getting ahead: 4 percent

--Just keeping up: 44 percent

--Falling behind: 50 percent

What people say is the best way to measure student achievement:

--Test scores: 28 percent

--Classroom work and homework: 70 percent

What people say about teacher pay:

--Should be based at least in part on student performance, 61 percent

--Should not be based in any way on student performance, 37 percent

Percentage of population 25 and older achieving various educational levels, 2006:

--Less than high school degree: 14.3 percent

--High school graduate: 32 percent

--Some college: 17 percent

--Associate's degree: 8.6 percent

--Bachelor's degree: 18.9 percent

--Advanced degree: 9.8 percent

Median yearly earnings of full-time workers 18 and older in 2005:

--Less than high school degree: $21,943

--High school diploma or equivalent: $30,587

--Some college experience: $35,317

--Bachelor's degree or higher: $55,188

Average salaries of teachers in public schools:

--2000: $41,807

--2003: $45,776

--2005: $47,750

--2006: $49,026

Sources of public spending on schools, 2006:

--Federal: 9.0 percent

--States: 46.6 percent

--Local: 44.4 percent

--Total spending: $521.1 billion

Spending per student, 2006

--National average: $9,138

--New York (highest): $14,884

--Utah (lowest): $5,437

Total enrollment in two-year and four-year colleges:

--1991: 14.4 million

--2000: 15.3 million

--2005: 17.5 million

--2008: 18.3 million (x)

Percentage of full-time college students who have received loans:

--1997: 53 percent

--2007: 52 percent

Average salaries for all ranks of college professors, 2007:

--Public schools: $71,362

--Private schools: $84,249

------

Sources: AP-Knowledge Networks Poll, Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Center for Education Statistics, College Board, American Association of University Professors.`