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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 21, 2003

News Release

NEA Study Finds Investment in U.S. Public Schools Lagging as Education Needs Rise

Washington, D.C. - Despite the vital importance of education to Americans, critical investments in U.S. public schools remain stagnant, according to a state-by-state report released today by the National Education Association (NEA).

The report, titled Rankings & Estimates: Rankings of the States 2002 and Estimates of School Statistics 2003 paints a difficult funding picture for public education nationwide. Despite rising enrollments and a growing need for qualified teachers in many areas of the country, the average expenditure per student and the average salary of a public school teacher for the 2001-2002 school year increased only slightly over the previous year.

Over the last 10 years, teacher salaries have remained flat, growing just 2.4 percent during that time period, or approximately 0.2 percent per year when the cost of living is factored in. Nineteen states and the District of Columbia saw real declines in average teacher salaries over the years 1991-92 to 2001-02, adjusted for inflation. Those with average salaries declining 5 percent or more: Alaska (-13.6%), Connecticut (-11%), Vermont (-9%), Wisconsin (-6.4%), New York (-6.3%), New Hampshire (-6.1%), Nevada (-6%), Kansas (-5.8%), and the District of Columbia (-5.3%) (Chart C-14).

The study shows that the federal government's share of the public education dollar was 7.5% in 2001-2002 -- not enough to cover the cost of federally mandated education programs. State and local governments will need a larger share from the federal government in order to put the federal education mandates in place without sacrificing other programs. By failing to fully finance the new No Child Left Behind Act, which was enacted in 2002, the federal government will be undermining state and local governments' ability to find ways to attract qualified teachers into joining and staying in the profession, modernize existing schools and build new ones, and provide students with the programs, materials and books they need to meet the high standards envisioned by the new law.

Reg Weaver, president of the 2.7 million-member National Education Association, said that, even in the face of adversity, there is good news in our nation's public schools.

"Even as the funding crunch gets worse, teachers and school staff around the country are performing daily miracles to help their students learn. Just to cite one positive result, almost half of last year's high school graduates took the SAT - the highest percentage ever," noted Weaver.

"But to ensure that every child has what he or she needs to succeed - high-quality teachers, small class sizes, and safe and modern facilities - policymakers must step up now and provide the resources," he added.

Highlights of the annual report include:

• Average per-pupil spending for the 2001-02 school year rose 3.5 percent to $7,548 - with 29 states below the average. The highest-ranking states were the District of Columbia, New York, and New Jersey. The lowest were North Dakota, Utah, and Arizona.

• The average salary of a U.S. public school teacher for the 2001-02 school year rose 3.0 percent since the previous year to $44,683 - with 37 states below the average. The highest-ranking states in teacher pay were California, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The lowest were South Dakota, North Dakota, and Mississippi. Over the previous entire decade, average salaries for teachers increased only 2.4 percent, in constant dollars.

Using information provided by state education agencies and analyzed by NEA researchers, Rankings and Estimates has presented selected education statistics since the 1960s.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.