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Digest of Education Statistics
2018 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 201.10. Historical summary of public elementary and secondary school statistics: Selected years, 1869-70 through 2015-16
Selected characteristic 1869-70 1879-80 1889-90 1899-1900 1909-10 1919-20 1929-30 1939-40 1949-50 1959-60 1969-70 1979-80 1989-90 1999-2000 2009-10 2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Population, pupils, and instructional staff                                                            
Total population (in thousands)1 38,558   50,156 62,622 75,995 90,490 104,514 121,878 131,028 149,188 177,830   201,385   225,055   246,819   279,040   306,772   313,993   316,235   318,623   321,040  
5- to 17-year-olds (in thousands)1 11,683   15,066 18,473 21,573 24,011 27,571 31,414 30,151 30,223 43,881   52,386   48,043   44,947   52,811   53,890   53,725   53,726   53,700   53,713  
5- to 17-year-olds as a percent of total
   population
30.3   30.0 29.5 28.4 26.5 26.4 25.8 23.0 20.3 24.7   26.0   21.3   18.2   18.9   17.6   17.1   17.0   16.9   16.7  
                                                             
Total enrollment in elementary and secondary
   schools (in thousands)2
7,562 3 9,867 12,723 15,503 17,814 21,578 25,678 25,434 25,112 36,087   45,550   41,651   40,543   46,857   49,361   49,771   50,045   50,313   50,438  
Prekindergarten through grade 8 (in thousands) 7,481 3 9,757 12,520 14,984 16,899 19,378 21,279 18,833 19,387 27,602   32,513   28,034   29,152   33,486   34,409   35,018   35,251   35,370   35,388  
Grades 9-12 (in thousands) 80 3 110 203 519 915 2,200 4,399 6,601 5,725 8,485   13,037   13,616   11,390   13,371   14,952   14,753   14,794   14,943   15,050  
                                                             
Enrollment as a percent of total population 19.6 3 19.7 20.3 20.4 19.7 20.6 21.1 19.4 16.8 20.3   22.6   18.5   16.4   16.8   16.1   15.9   15.8   15.8   15.7  
Enrollment as a percent of 5- to 17-year-olds 64.7 3 65.5 68.9 71.9 74.2 78.3 81.7 84.4 83.1 82.2   87.0   86.7   90.2   88.7   91.6   92.6   93.1   93.7   93.9  
                                                             
Percent of total enrollment in grades 9-12 1.1 3 1.1 1.6 3.3 5.1 10.2 17.1 26.0 22.8 23.5   28.6   32.7   28.1   28.5   30.3   29.6   29.6   29.7   29.8  
High school graduates (in thousands)   22 62 111 231 592 1,143 1,063 1,627   2,589   2,748   2,320   2,554   3,128   3,169        
                                                             
Average daily attendance (in thousands) 4,077   6,144 8,154 10,633 12,827 16,150 21,265 22,042 22,284 32,477   41,934   38,289   37,799   43,807   45,919   46,554   46,830   47,064   47,248  
Total number of days attended by pupils
   enrolled (in millions)
539   801 1,098 1,535 2,011 2,615 3,673 3,858 3,964 5,782   7,501   6,835 4   7,858   8,199   8,354   8,404   8,434   8,461  
Percent of enrolled pupils attending daily 59.3   62.3 64.1 68.6 72.1 74.8 82.8 86.7 88.7 90.0   90.4   90.1 4   94.3           93.0  
Average length of school term, in days 132.2   130.3 134.7 144.3 157.5 161.9 172.7 175.0 177.9 178.0   178.9   178.5 4   179.4   178.6   179.5   179.5   179.2   179.1  
Average number of days attended per pupil 78.4   81.1 86.3 99.0 113.0 121.2 143.0 151.7 157.9 160.2   161.7   160.8 4   169.2           166.5  
                                                             
Total full-time-equivalent (FTE) instructional
   staff (in thousands)
  678 880 912 963 1,457   2,286   2,406   2,986   3,819   4,279   4,158   4,167   4,205   4,250  
Supervisors (in thousands)   7 7 5                    
Principals (in thousands)   14 31 32 43 64   91   106   126   137   168   169   168   175   182  
Teachers, teacher aides, librarians, and
   guidance counselors (in thousands)5
201   287 364 423 523 657 843 875 920 1,393   2,195   2,300   2,860   3,682   4,111   3,989   3,999   4,030   4,068  
Males (in thousands) 78   123 126 127 110 93 140 195 196 404 4 711 4 782 4              
Females (in thousands) 123   164 238 296 413 585 703 681 724 989 4 1,484 4 1,518 4              
Percent male 38.7   42.8 34.5 29.9 21.1 14.1 16.6 22.2 21.3 29.0 4 32.4 4 34.0 4              
  Amounts in current dollars
Total revenues and expenditures                                                            
Total revenue receipts (in millions)   $143 $220 $433 $970 $2,089 $2,261 $5,437 $14,747   $40,267   $96,881   $208,548   $372,944   $596,391   $603,770   $623,650   $647,679   $678,378  
Federal government   2 7 40 156 652   3,220   9,504   12,701   27,098   75,998   55,861   54,506   55,003   55,981  
State governments   160 354 684 2,166 5,768   16,063   45,349   98,239   184,613   258,864   273,215   288,637   301,530   318,573  
Local sources, including intermediate   808 1,728 1,536 3,116 8,327   20,985   42,029   97,608   161,233   261,529   274,694   280,507   291,147   303,824  
Percentage distribution of revenue receipts                                                            
Federal government   0.3 0.4 1.8 2.9 4.4   8.0   9.8   6.1   7.3   12.7   9.3   8.7   8.5   8.3  
State governments   16.5 16.9 30.3 39.8 39.1   39.9   46.8   47.1   49.5   43.4   45.3   46.3   46.6   47.0  
Local sources, including intermediate   83.2 82.7 68.0 57.3 56.5   52.1   43.4   46.8   43.2   43.9   45.5   45.0   45.0   44.8  
                                                             
Total expenditures for public schools
   (in millions)
$63   $78 $141 $215 $426 $1,036 $2,317 $2,344 $5,838 $15,613   $40,683   $95,962   $212,770   $381,838   $607,018   $606,813   $625,018   $651,135   $677,541  
Current expenditures6   114 180 356 861 1,844 1,942 4,687 12,329 7 34,218 7 86,984 7 188,229 7 323,889 7 524,715 7 535,796 7 553,501 7 575,332 7 596,136 7
Capital outlay8   26 35 70 154 371 258 1,014 2,662   4,659   6,506   17,781   43,357   56,715   45,721   46,438   50,610   55,989  
Interest on school debt   18 93 131 101 490   1,171   1,874   3,776   9,135   17,232   17,266   17,152   17,479   17,502  
Other current expenditures9   3 10 13 36 133   636   598 10 2,983   5,457   8,356   8,031   7,926   7,714   7,914  
Percentage distribution of total expenditures                                                            
Current expenditures6   81.3 83.5 83.6 83.1 79.6 82.8 80.3 79.0 7 84.1 7 90.6 7 88.5 7 84.8 7 86.4 7 88.3 7 88.6 7 88.4 7 88.0 7
Capital outlay8   18.7 16.5 16.4 14.8 16.0 11.0 17.4 17.0   11.5   6.8   8.4   11.4   9.3   7.5   7.4   7.8   8.3  
Interest on school debt   1.8 4.0 5.6 1.7 3.1   2.9   2.0   1.8   2.4   2.8   2.8   2.7   2.7   2.6  
Other current expenditures9   0.3 0.4 0.6 0.6 0.8   1.6   0.6 10 1.4   1.4   1.4   1.3   1.3   1.2   1.2  
                                                             
Teacher salaries; income and expenditures
   per pupil and per capita
                                                           
Annual salary of classroom teachers11 $189   $195 $252 $325 $485 $871 $1,420 $1,441 $3,010 $4,995   $8,626   $15,970   $31,367   $41,807   $55,280   $56,173   $56,805   $57,754   $58,479  
Personal income per member of labor force1   1,734 1,333 3,445 5,893   9,913   19,842   37,343   57,416   78,234   90,402   91,262   96,149   100,041  
Total school expenditures per capita of total
   population
2   2 2 3 5 10 19 18 39 88   202   426   862   1,368   1,979   1,933   1,976   2,044   2,110  
National income per capita1   773 629 1,607 2,580   4,455   9,954   19,286   29,710   39,206   44,889   45,835   47,848   49,162  
Current expenditure per pupil in ADA6,12,13   14 17 28 53 87 88 210 375   816   2,272   4,980   7,394   11,427   11,509   11,819   12,224   12,617  
Total expenditure per pupil in ADA13,14 16   13 17 20 33 64 108 106 260 471   955   2,491   5,547   8,589   13,035   12,859   13,174   13,668   14,170  
National income per pupil in ADA13   4,430 3,738 10,757 14,127   21,396   58,510   125,931   189,249   261,921   302,762   309,519   323,929   334,049  
Current expenditure per day per pupil in
   ADA6,13,15
  0.10 0.12 0.18 0.33 0.50 0.50 1.17 2.11   4.56   12.73     41.22   64.00   64.13   65.86   68.22   70.46  
Total expenditure per day per pupil in ADA13 0.12   0.10 0.13 0.14 0.21 0.40 0.63 0.60 1.46 2.65   5.34   13.95     47.90   73.02   71.67   73.43   76.29   79.14  
  Amounts in constant 2017-18 dollars16
Annual salary of classroom teachers11   $11,340 $20,584 $25,585 $31,536 $42,180   $56,660   $51,042   $61,295   $61,275   $63,287   $60,246   $59,987   $60,548   $60,897  
Personal income per member of labor force1   25,142 23,660 36,088 49,764   65,112   63,419   72,973   84,152   89,565   96,957   96,373   100,800   104,178  
Total school expenditures per capita of total
   population
  129 276 318 410 741   1,327   1,363   1,685   2,006   2,265   2,073   2,087   2,142   2,198  
National income per capita1   11,204 11,166 16,833 21,787   29,264   31,816   37,687   43,546   44,884   48,143   48,402   50,163   51,195  
Current expenditure per pupil in ADA6,12,13   694 1,257 1,564 2,204 3,168   5,360   7,261   9,731   10,837   13,082   12,344   12,481   12,816   13,139  
Total expenditure per pupil in ADA13,14   833 1,573 1,877 2,728 3,978   6,273   7,960   10,840   12,589   14,923   13,791   13,912   14,329   14,756  
National income per pupil in ADA13   64,214 66,374 112,697 119,295   140,537   187,008   246,086   277,377   299,856   324,713   326,855   339,599   347,863  
Current expenditure per day per pupil in
   ADA6,13,15
  4.3 7.2 8.9 12.3 17.8   30.0   40.7     60.4   73.3   68.8   69.6   71.5   73.4  
Total expenditure per day per pupil in ADA13   5.2 9.1 10.7 15.3 22.4   35.1   44.6     70.2   83.6   76.9   77.5   80.0   82.4  
—Not available.
1 Data on population and labor force are from the Census Bureau, and data on personal income and national income are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce. Population data through 1900 are based on total population from the decennial census. From 1909-10 to 1959-60, population data are total population, including armed forces overseas, as of July 1. Data for later years are for resident population that excludes armed forces overseas.
2 Data for 1869-70 through 1959-60 are school year enrollment. Data for later years are fall enrollment. Total counts of ungraded students were prorated to prekindergarten through grade 8 and grades 9 through 12 based on prior reports.
3 Data for 1870-71.
4 Estimated by the National Center for Education Statistics.
5 Prior to 1919-20, data are for the number of different persons employed rather than number of positions.
6 Prior to 1919-20, includes interest on school debt.
7 Because of the modification of the scope of "current expenditures for elementary and secondary schools," data for 1959-60 and later years are not entirely comparable with prior years.
8 Beginning in 1969-70, includes capital outlay by state and local school building authorities.
9 Includes summer schools, community colleges, and adult education. Beginning in 1959-60, also includes community services, formerly classified with "current expenditures for elementary and secondary schools."
10 Excludes community colleges and adult education.
11 Prior to 1959-60, average includes supervisors, principals, teachers, and other nonsupervisory instructional staff. Data for 1959-60 and later years are estimated by the National Education Association.
12 Excludes current expenditures not allocable to pupil costs.
13 "ADA" means average daily attendance in elementary and secondary schools.
14 Expenditure figure is the sum of current expenditures allocable to pupil costs, capital outlay, and interest on school debt.
15 Per-day rates derived by dividing annual rates by average length of term.
16 Constant dollars based on the Consumer Price Index, prepared by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, adjusted to a school-year basis.
NOTE: Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Beginning in 1959-60, data include Alaska and Hawaii. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Annual Report of the United States Commissioner of Education, 1869-70 through 1909-10; Biennial Survey of Education in the United States, 1919-20 through 1949-50; Statistics of State School Systems, 1959-60 and 1969-70; Statistics of Public Elementary and Secondary School Systems, 1979-80; Revenues and Expenditures for Public Elementary and Secondary Education, FY 1980; Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), "Public School Questionnaire," 1999-2000, 2007-08, and 2011-12; and Common Core of Data (CCD), "State Nonfiscal Survey of Public Elementary/Secondary Education," 1989-90 through 2016-17; "National Public Education Financial Survey," 1989-90 through 2015-16; and "State Dropout and Completion Data File," 2012-13. U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, retrieved November 8, 2018, from https://www.census.gov/data/tables/2017/demo/popest/nation-detail.html. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, retrieved March 29, 2019, from http://www.bea.gov/itable/. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, retrieved March 29, 2019, from http://stats.bls.gov/cps/tables.htm#empstat. (This table was prepared March 2019.)

2018 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest