U.S. Census Bureau

Public Information Office | Multimedia
Back to School

“School days, school days . . . dear, old golden rule days”

Everyone remembers the excitement and agony of leaving summer behind, and returning to school. August is the month when our nation’s students get ready to go back to school after taking their summer break. This fall 2003, it’s anticipated that a record number of students will enroll in school – over 73 million – at all levels, from nursery school through college. They will be joined by 6.5 million teachers who will be going back to work, as well.

This multimedia Web page contains digital files in various media for broadcasters and journalists who are working on stories about students, parents and teachers, as well as schools in their communities. It supports the latest Census Bureau releases, Census 2000 Brief: School Enrollment and School Enrollment–Social and Economic Characteristics of Students: October 2001. Find additional information in the Facts for Features: Back to School release.

Click on this image to view video news release.

VIDEO NEWS RELEASE (English - Spanish) — This video news release (VNR) focuses on current data about education, including the rising costs of college, the financial rewards of staying in college, and the projected elementary and high school enrollment by state for fall 2003. The VNR features interviews with Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon and Marion Asnes, a senior editor from Money magazine.

For more information, about any of these products, call the Public Information Office on (301) 763-3011 or e-mail
<broadcast@census.gov>. To sample our video products, go to
<http://www.census.gov> and click on TV under the Newsroom heading.

PHOTOGRAPHS — These photos of students, teachers and schools may be used to illustrate news articles, brochures or other publications. Click on the thumbnail photos for downloadable high-resolution images and captioning information, including photographer credits.
Children listen to a teacher's lesson.
Students go online to research their projects in a computer lab
Two young boys head off to their classroom in the morning.
A young girl reads her book.
Students listen attentively to their teacher.
Teenage classmates.
A high school football team cheers.
A school bus in front of a school.

AUDIO NEWS RELEASE — This audio news release (ANR) explores the rising costs of higher education, as well as the advantages of getting a college degree. Sound bites from Census Bureau Director Louis Kincannon are included. The ANR can be heard in RealAudio or downloaded in the MP3 format for broadcast. Click here for audio and full text. Running time :60

RADIO FEATURES — The following radio sound bites by U.S. Census Bureau public affairs specialist Robert Bernstein are taken from demographic and economic subject areas pertaining to teachers, students and the reopening of schools. The sound bites can be heard in RealAudio or downloaded in the MP3 format (1.0 M). Additional sound bites on other census-related topics can be found at < http://www.census.gov>.
Download software for RealPlayer
Download software for MP3 player

"We expect more than 53 million students to be enrolled in the nation’s elementary and high school’s this fall, and that’s even higher than the total enrollment in 1969 when the last of the babyboomers were still in school."

running time :11 
* 


"There are more than 800,000 students who don’t have to worry about getting up and going to school in the morning, because they are already there… they’re home-schooled. And, they make up 2 percent of all students age 5 to 17."

running time :09 
  *

"Nearly 10 million school-aged children speak a language other than English at home, and they make up nearly 1-in-5 children aged 5 to 17."
running time :07
* 


"Women today make up 56 percent of all college students, continuing the majority status they have occupied since 1979."
running time :07 
* 


"Public school teachers in New Jersey earn an average of more than 53,000 dollars a year, and that’s the highest of any state in the country. Those in South Dakota are at the other end of the continuum, earning just over 30,000 dollars."
running time :11
 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES — To find more about the U. S. population, as well as data about schools education, and student enrollment, peruse these newly released Census Bureau publications:

Facts for Features: Back to School
Census 2000 Brief: Educational Attainment [PDF 510k]
A Child's Day: 2000
Department of Education: Federal Student Aid Web page
State Population Estimates by Age, Sex, Race and Hispanic Origin: 2002 (to be released the week of 8/24/03)

ARCHIVE — View other Multimedia Pages.
Questions, comments and feedback about this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Public Information Office
301-763-3030
Last Revised: August 28, 2003 at 01:43:40 PM