Skip Navigation
small header image
Projections of Education Statistics to 2017

NCES 2008-078
September 2008

Section 5. Elementary and Secondary Teachers: Teachers in Elementary and Secondary Schools


Figure H. Actual and middle alternative projected numbers for elementary and secondary teachers: Selected years, 1992–2017

Figure H. Actual and middle alternative projected numbers for elementary and secondary teachers: Selected years, 1992–2017

SOURCE: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES, Common Core of Data surveys, various years; Private School Universe survey, various years; and Elementary and Secondary Teacher Model. (See reference table 32.)

Total elementary and secondary teachers

The total number of elementary and secondary teachers (figure H; reference figure 29 and table 32)

  • increased 27 percent between 1992 and 2005, a period of 13 years; and
  • is projected to increase an additional 18 percent between 2005 and 2017, a period of 12 years, in the middle alternative projections.

Figure I. Actual and middle alternative projected numbers for elementary and secondary teachers, by control of school: Selected years, 1992–2017

Figure I. Actual and middle alternative projected numbers for elementary and secondary teachers, by control of school: Selected years, 1992–2017

SOURCE: U.S. Dept. of Education, NCES, Common Core of Data surveys, various years; Private School Universe Survey, various years; and Elementary and Secondary Teacher Model. (See reference table 32.)

Public school teachers

The number of teachers in public elementary and secondary schools (figure I; reference figure 29 and table 32)

  • increased 28 percent between 1992 and 2005; and
  • is projected to increase an additional 18 percent between 2005 and 2017 in the middle alternative projections.

Private school teachers

The number of teachers in private elementary and secondary schools

  • increased 22 percent between 1992 and 2005; and
  • is projected to increase an additional 20 percent between 2005 and 2017 in the middle alternative projections.