Digest of Education Statistics
1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest

Table 64.Public and private elementary and secondary teachers andpupil-teacher ratios, by level: Fall 1955 to fall 1997

________________________________________________________________________________________________________    
         | Public and private elementary |     Public elementary and     |   Private elementary and
         |    and secondary              |       secondary               |     secondary
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
         |Kinder-   |          |         |Kinder-   |          |         |Kinder-  |          |
   Year  |garten    |          |         |garten    |          |         |garten   |          |
         |to        |Elementary|Secondary|to        |Elementary|Secondary|  to     |Elementary|Secondary
         |grade 12  |          |         |grade 12  |          |         |grade 12 |          |
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1        |2         |3         |4        |5         |6         |7        |   8     |    9     |   10
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
         |                                Number of teachers, in thousands
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1955 ....|    1,286 |      827 |     459 |    1,141 |      733 |     408 |\1\  145 |\1\    94 |\1\   51
1960 ....|    1,600 |      991 |     609 |    1,408 |      858 |     550 |\1\  192 |\1\   133 |\1\   59
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1965 ....|    1,933 |    1,112 |     822 |    1,710 |      965 |     746 |     223 |      147 |      76
1966 ....|    2,012 |    1,153 |     859 |    1,789 |    1,006 |     783 |\1\  223 |\1\   147 |\1\   76
1967 ....|    2,079 |    1,188 |     891 |    1,855 |    1,040 |     815 |\1\  224 |\1\   148 |\1\   76
1968 ....|    2,161 |    1,223 |     938 |    1,936 |    1,076 |     860 |     225 |      147 |      78
1969 ....|    2,245 |    1,260 |     986 |    2,016 |    1,109 |     908 |\1\  229 |\1\   151 |\1\   78
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1970 ....|    2,292 |    1,283 |   1,009 |    2,059 |    1,130 |     929 |     233 |      153 |      80
1971 ....|    2,293 |    1,263 |   1,030 |    2,063 |    1,111 |     952 |\1\  230 |\1\   152 |\1\   78
1972 ....|    2,337 |    1,296 |   1,041 |    2,106 |    1,142 |     964 |\1\  231 |\1\   154 |\1\   77
1973 ....|    2,372 |    1,308 |   1,064 |    2,136 |    1,151 |     985 |\1\  236 |\1\   157 |\1\   79
1974 ....|    2,410 |    1,330 |   1,079 |    2,165 |    1,166 |     998 |\1\  245 |\1\   164 |\1\   81
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1975 ....|    2,453 |    1,353 |   1,100 |    2,198 |    1,181 |   1,017 |\1\  255 |\1\   172 |\1\   83
1976 ....|    2,457 |    1,351 |   1,106 |    2,189 |    1,168 |   1,021 |     268 |      183 |      85
1977 ....|    2,488 |    1,375 |   1,113 |    2,209 |    1,185 |   1,024 |     279 |      190 |      89
1978 ....|    2,479 |    1,376 |   1,103 |    2,207 |    1,191 |   1,016 |     272 |      185 |      87
1979 ....|    2,461 |    1,379 |   1,082 |    2,185 |    1,191 |     994 |\1\  276 |\1\   188 |\1\   88
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1980 ....|    2,485 |    1,401 |   1,084 |    2,184 |    1,189 |     995 |     301 |      212 |      89
1981 ....|    2,440 |    1,404 |   1,037 |    2,127 |    1,183 |     945 |\1\  313 |\1\   221 |\1\   92
1982 ....|    2,458 |    1,413 |   1,045 |    2,133 |    1,182 |     951 |\1\  325 |\1\   231 |\1\   94
1983 ....|    2,476 |    1,426 |   1,050 |    2,139 |    1,186 |     953 |     337 |      240 |      97
1984 ....|    2,508 |    1,451 |   1,057 |    2,168 |    1,208 |     960 |\1\  340 |\1\   243 |\1\   97
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1985 ....|    2,549 |    1,483 |   1,066 |    2,206 |    1,237 |     969 |     343 |      246 |      97
1986 ....|    2,592 |    1,521 |   1,071 |    2,244 |    1,271 |     973 |\1\  348 |\1\   250 |\1\   98
1987 ....|    2,632 |    1,564 |   1,068 |    2,279 |    1,307 |     973 |\1\  353 |\1\   257 |\1\   95
1988 ....|    2,668 |    1,604 |   1,064 |    2,323 |    1,353 |     970 |\1\  345 |\1\   251 |\1\   94
1989 ....|    2,734 |    1,662 |   1,072 |    2,357 |    1,387 |     970 |\1\  377 |\1\   275 |\1\  102
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1990 ....|    2,753 |    1,680 |   1,073 |    2,398 |    1,426 |     972 |\1\  355 |\1\   254 |\1\  101
1991 ....|    2,787 |    1,713 |   1,074 |    2,432 |    1,459 |     973 |\1\  355 |\1\   254 |\1\  101
1992 ....|    2,822 |    1,752 |   1,070 |    2,459 |    1,492 |     967 |\1\  363 |\1\   260 |\1\  103
1993 ....|    2,870 |    1,775 |   1,095 |    2,504 |    1,513 |     991 |\1\  366 |\1\   262 |\1\  104
1994 ....|    2,926 |    1,794 |   1,132 |    2,552 |    1,528 |   1,024 |\1\  373 |\1\   266 |\1\  108
1995 ....|    2,978 |    1,814 |   1,164 |    2,598 |    1,546 |   1,053 |\1\  380 |\1\   269 |\1\  111
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1996\2\ .|    3,023 |    1,836 |   1,186 |    2,638 |    1,564 |   1,073 |\1\  385 |\1\   272 |\1\  113
1997\3\ .|    3,071 |    1,861 |   1,211 |    2,682 |    1,586 |   1,096 |     390 |      275 |     115
         |==============================================================================================
         |                                      Pupil-teacher ratios
         |______________________________________________________________________________________________
1955 ....|     27.4 |     31.4 |    20.3 |     26.9 |     30.2 |    20.9 |\1\ 31.7 |\1\  40.4 |\1\ 15.7
1960 ....|     26.4 |     29.4 |    21.4 |     25.8 |     28.4 |    21.7 |\1\ 30.7 |\1\  36.1 |\1\ 18.6
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1965 ....|     25.1 |     28.4 |    20.6 |     24.7 |     27.6 |    20.8 |    28.3 |     33.3 |    18.4
1966 ....|     24.5 |     27.7 |    20.2 |     24.1 |     26.9 |    20.3 |\1\ 27.8 |\1\  32.7 |\1\ 18.4
1967 ....|     24.0 |     26.9 |    20.1 |     23.7 |     26.3 |    20.3 |\1\ 26.8 |\1\  31.1 |\1\ 18.4
1968 ....|     23.5 |     26.0 |    20.2 |     23.2 |     25.4 |    20.4 |    25.8 |     29.9 |    17.9
1969 ....|     22.7 |     25.1 |    19.7 |     22.6 |     24.7 |    20.0 |\1\ 24.0 |\1\  27.8 |\1\ 16.7
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1970 ....|     22.4 |     24.6 |    19.5 |     22.3 |     24.3 |    19.8 |    23.0 |     26.5 |    16.4
1971 ....|     22.4 |     25.0 |    19.1 |     22.3 |     24.9 |    19.3 |\1\ 22.6 |\1\  25.7 |\1\ 16.7
1972 ....|     21.7 |     23.9 |    18.9 |     21.7 |     23.9 |    19.1 |\1\ 21.6 |\1\  24.0 |\1\ 16.9
1973 ....|     21.3 |     23.0 |    19.1 |     21.3 |     23.0 |    19.3 |\1\ 21.2 |\1\  23.6 |\1\ 16.5
1974 ....|     20.8 |     22.6 |    18.5 |     20.8 |     22.6 |    18.7 |\1\ 20.4 |\1\  22.6 |\1\ 16.0
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1975 ....|     20.3 |     21.7 |    18.6 |     20.4 |     21.7 |    18.8 |\1\ 19.6 |\1\  21.5 |\1\ 15.7
1976 ....|     20.1 |     21.7 |    18.3 |     20.2 |     21.8 |    18.5 |    19.3 |     20.9 |    15.8
1977 ....|     19.6 |     20.9 |    17.9 |     19.7 |     21.1 |    18.2 |    18.4 |     20.0 |    15.1
1978 ....|     19.2 |     20.9 |    17.1 |     19.3 |     21.0 |    17.3 |    18.7 |     20.2 |    15.6
1979 ....|     19.0 |     20.5 |    17.0 |     19.1 |     20.6 |    17.2 |\1\ 18.1 |\1\  19.7 |\1\ 14.8
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1980 ....|     18.6 |     20.1 |    16.6 |     18.7 |     20.4 |    16.8 |    17.7 |     18.8 |    15.0
1981 ....|     18.7 |     20.0 |    16.8 |     18.8 |     20.3 |    16.9 |\1\ 17.6 |\1\  18.6 |\1\ 15.2
1982 ....|     18.4 |     19.8 |    16.4 |     18.6 |     20.2 |    16.6 |\1\ 17.2 |\1\  18.2 |\1\ 14.9
1983 ....|     18.2 |     19.6 |    16.2 |     18.4 |     19.9 |    16.4 |    17.0 |     18.0 |    14.4
1984 ....|     17.9 |     19.3 |    16.0 |     18.1 |     19.7 |    16.1 |\1\ 16.8 |\1\  17.7 |\1\ 14.4
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1985 ....|     17.6 |     19.1 |    15.6 |     17.9 |     19.5 |    15.8 |    16.2 |     17.1 |    14.0
1986 ....|     17.4 |     18.8 |    15.5 |     17.7 |     19.3 |    15.7 |\1\ 15.7 |\1\  16.5 |\1\ 13.6
1987 ....|     17.3 |     18.8 |    15.0 |     17.6 |     19.3 |    15.2 |\1\ 15.5 |\1\  16.4 |\1\ 13.1
1988 ....|     17.0 |     18.6 |    14.7 |     17.3 |     19.0 |    14.9 |\1\ 15.2 |\1\  16.1 |\1\ 12.8
1989 ....|     16.8 |     18.4 |    14.3 |     17.2 |     19.0 |    14.6 |\1\ 14.2 |\1\  15.1 |\1\ 11.7
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1990 ....|     16.9 |     18.5 |    14.3 |     17.2 |     19.0 |    14.6 |\1\ 14.7 |\1\  16.1 |\1\ 11.3
1991 ....|     17.0 |     18.5 |    14.5 |     17.3 |     18.9 |    14.9 |\1\ 14.6 |\1\  16.0 |\1\ 11.1
1992 ....|     17.1 |     18.4 |    14.8 |     17.4 |     18.8 |    15.2 |\1\ 14.8 |\1\  16.2 |\1\ 11.3
1993 ....|     17.1 |     18.5 |    14.7 |     17.4 |     18.9 |    15.1 |\1\ 14.9 |\1\  16.3 |\1\ 11.5
1994 ....|     17.1 |     18.6 |    14.7 |     17.3 |     18.9 |    15.1 |\1\ 15.0 |\1\  16.4 |\1\ 11.4
1995 ....|     17.0 |     18.6 |    14.5 |     17.3 |     18.9 |    14.8 |\1\ 15.0 |\1\  16.5 |\1\ 11.4
         |          |          |         |          |          |         |         |          |
1996\2\ .|     16.9 |     18.5 |    14.4 |     17.1 |     18.8 |    14.7 |\1\ 15.0 |\1\  16.5 |\1\ 11.4
1997\3\ .|     17.0 |     18.6 |    14.5 |     17.3 |     19.0 |    14.9 |    15.0 |     16.5 |    11.5
_________|__________|__________|_________|__________|__________|_________|_________|__________|_________

\1\Estimated.

\2\Preliminary data.

\3\Projected.

NOTE.--Data for teachers are expressed in full-time equivalents. Distribution of unclassified teachers by level is estimated. Distribution of elementary and secondary school teachers by level is determined by reporting units. Kindergarten includes a relatively small number of nursery school teachers and students. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Statistics of Public Elementary and Secondary Day Schools; Common Core of Data surveys; and Projections of Education Statistics to 2007. (This table was prepared June 1997.)



1997 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest