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The State of U.S. Education

WASHINGTON (By Valerie Strauss, Washington Post) November 24, 2006 — Did you know that despite all the criticisms leveled from coast to coast about K-12 public schools, most parents report being very satisfied with their child's school? Did you know that distance education courses are offered at more than half the country's two- and four-year postsecondary institutions?

These and other statistics are in the 2006 Condition of Education report published by the U.S. Department of Education. Each year, the department collects reams of data and statistically paints a portrait of where U.S. education stands. The following are some highlights from the latest report, available at http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe.

Figures used are the latest available.

PARTICIPATION

The percentage of children ages 3 to 5 who attended early childhood care and education programs — including day care, Head Start, pre-kindergarten and nursery schools — increased from 53 percent in 1991 to 60 percent in 1999. It then decreased to 57 percent in 2005.

Between 1972 and 2004, the percentage of racial or ethnic minority students enrolled in the nation's public schools increased from 22 to 43 percent, primarily because of growth in Hispanic enrollment. In 2004, Hispanic students made up 19 percent of public school enrollment, up from 6 percent in 1972.

The distribution of minority students in public schools differed across regions of the country. For example, minority public school enrollment in 2004 exceeded white enrollment in the West (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming), 57 percent to 43 percent.

The number of children ages 5 to 17 who spoke a language other than English at home more than doubled between 1979 and 2004, from 3.8 million to 9.9 million.

SATISFACTION

In 2003, half of children in grades three through 12 had parents who reported that they were "very satisfied" with their child's school, teachers, the school's academic standards and the school's order and discipline.

The percentage of students in grades one through 12 whose parents enrolled them in a "chosen" public school — a public school other than their assigned school — increased from 11 to 15 percent between 1993 and 2003.

In 2003, the parents of 24 percent of students reported that they moved to their neighborhood to have their child attend a specific school.

From 1992 through 2003, the rate of crime against students at school declined by 53 percent for theft (95 to 45 crimes per 1,000 students) and by 42 percent for all violent crime (48 to 28 crimes per 1,000 students).

Total expenditures per student increased 23 percent in constant dollars, from $7,847 to $9,630 between the 1995-96 and 2002-03 school years.

In 2002-03, total per-student expenditures were highest in low-poverty districts ($10,768), next highest in high-poverty districts ($10,191) and lowest in middle-poverty districts ($8,839).

HIGHER EDUCATION

From 1972 to 2004, the rate at which high school graduates enrolled in college in the fall immediately after high school increased from 49 to 67 percent.

The number of bachelor's degrees awarded from academic years 1989-90 through 2003-04 increased by 33 percent; the number of associate's degrees increased by 46 percent.

In 2004-05, about 62 percent of public and private not-for-profit, two- and four-year institutions offered distance-education courses.

In 2003-04, the average cost of attendance (including tuition and fees, books and materials and living expenses) for full-time dependent students was:

— $9,800 at public, two-year institutions

— $15,100 at public, four-year institutions

— $29,500 at private, not-for-profit four-year-institutions

— $18,100 at private, for-profit less-than-four-year institutions

Although net access price (an estimate of the cash outlay families need to make in a given year to cover educational expenses) increased overall at public, four-year institutions between 1999-2000 and 2003-04, only middle-income students faced statistically significant increases; there was no measurable change for low- and high-income students.

In 2004, about 51 percent of low-socioeconomic status 12th-graders expected to earn a bachelor's degree or attend graduate school, compared with 65 percent of middle-socioeconomic status and 87 percent of high-socioeconomic seniors. (Socioeconomic status is based on income, occupation and education levels.)

STUDENT PROGRESS

The average reading scores of fourth- and eighth-graders evaluated by the National Assessment of Educational Progress, a standardized test sometimes called the nation's report card, increased two points between 1992 and 2005.

The percentage of fourth-graders performing at or above proficient (meaning solid academic achievement) on the national assessment increased between 1992 and 2002 from 29 to 31 percent and has remained steady since. In 2005, 31 percent of eighth-graders performed at or above proficient.

The average NAEP math scores of fourth-graders increased 25 points from 1990 to 2005 (213 to 238), and the average score of eighth-graders increased 16 points (from 263 to 279.)

From 1990 to 2005, the percentage of fourth-graders who performed at or above proficient in math jumped from 13 to 36 percent, and for eighth-graders, the increase was from 15 to 30 percent.

NAEP results indicate that the achievement gaps in reading, from the first assessment in 1992 to 2005, between white and black and white and Hispanic fourth- and eighth-graders have shown little measurable change.

INTERNATIONAL ASSESSMENTS

There has been a great deal of angst in recent years about the performance of U.S. students on international assessments, with some critics bemoaning that U.S. students trail their peers in other countries. Others argue that it is unfair to compare students in one country with those in another.

The Condition of Education notes in an analysis the difficulties in international comparisons, including the uneven distribution of students' economic and social factors across countries, which can affect outcomes of cross-national comparisons. The difference in educational systems, some of which strongly direct certain students toward higher education and others away from it, is a key factor as well. Still, all countries share similar educational challenges.

Although it does not make direct comparisons between studies, the report highlights key findings from the international assessments in which the United States participates. Three measure various reading skills, and three measure math skills.

Results vary by subject, grade or age and test. U.S. students do not lead in any assessment.