| In 1944, Mattye Whyte Woodridge, an Arkansas teacher, began
corresponding with political and educational leaders about establishing
a national observance to honor teachers. This effort bore fruit when Congress
proclaimed National Teacher Day in 1953. But the proclamation referred to
that year only. In the late 1970s, the National Education Association (NEA)
and its affiliates began observing Teacher Day on the first Tuesday in March.
That continued until 1985 when the NEA and the National Parent-Teacher Association
(PTA) expanded this to a full week and moved it to the first week of May.
At the same time, the Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week became National
Teacher Day. To pay tribute to the nation’s educators, the Census
Bureau presents a selection of statistics about teachers and their work.
6.2 million
Number of all teachers in the United States. <http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/eeoindex/page_c.html?>
71%
The percentage of teachers who are women. <http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/eeoindex/page_c.html?>
8.4%
Proportion of teachers who are non-Hispanic black. Another 5.5 percent
are Hispanic, 2.9 percent are non-Hispanic Asian and 0.5 percent are non-Hispanic
American Indian and Alaska native. <http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/eeoindex/page_c.html?>
3.1 million
Number of elementary and middle school teachers. These teachers, of whom
79 percent are women, comprise about half of all teachers. The remaining
teachers are made up of:
| |
Number |
Percentage
women |
| Preschool and kindergarten |
442,000 |
98 |
Secondary |
772,000 |
59 |
Postsecondary |
1.1 million |
46 |
Special education |
175,000 |
87 |
| Other teachers and instructors |
562,000 |
67 |
<http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/eeoindex/page_c.html?>
$54,300
Average annual salary paid to public elementary and secondary school teachers
in California — highest of any state in the nation. Teachers in
South Dakota received the lowest pay — $31,300. The national average
was $44,700. See Table 250: <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
$101,200
Average annual salary paid to private college professors. Their public
college counterparts made an average of $84,100 per year. See Table 294:
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
17%
Percentage of public elementary and secondary school teachers who are
under 30 years old. A similar ercentage (19 percent) of their private
school counterparts fall in this age group.
See Tables 249 and 263 at <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
51%
Proportion of public elementary and secondary school teachers over 50
years old whose highest degree is a master’s. About 2 percent of
these older teachers have doctorates.
See Table 249: <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
315,000
The projected increase in the number of postsecondary teachers this decade.
The number of elementary school teachers is projected to grow by 202,000.
See Table 617:
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
16
Average number of pupils per elementary and secondary school teacher.
See Table 248 at <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract-03.html>.
|
available free from Adobe.
