Historical summary of public elementary and secondary school statistics: Selected years, 1869-70 through 2015-16

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Table 201.10.

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 ADA^6,12,13	—		—	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 ADA^13,14	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 ADA^6,13,15	—		—	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 ADA^6,12,13	—		—	—	—	—	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 ADA^13,14	—		—	—	—	—	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 ADA^6,13,15	—		—	—	—	—	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.)

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