What’s It Like To Be a Teacher in America Today?
Public K-12 teachers express low job satisfaction and few are optimistic about the future of U.S. education.
Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Public K-12 teachers express low job satisfaction and few are optimistic about the future of U.S. education.
63% of Americans are pessimistic about the country’s moral and ethical standards, and 59% are pessimistic about its education system.
Around a third of U.S. school districts mention the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion in their mission statements. But these references are far more common in parts of the country won by Joe Biden in 2020 than in areas won by Donald Trump.
A majority of those who say it’s headed in the wrong direction say a major reason is that schools are not spending enough time on core academic subjects.
59% of public K-12 teachers say they are at least somewhat worried about the possibility of a shooting ever happening at their school.
Most K-12 students at U.S. public schools have a school year of about 180 days, but when that year starts and ends varies substantially by region.
The public is sharply divided along partisan lines on topics ranging from what should be taught in schools to how much influence parents should have over the curriculum.
Immigrants – particularly those from African nations – are a growing share of the U.S. Black population.
The challenges of a COVID-19 economy are clear for 2020 college graduates, who have experienced downturns in employment and labor force participation.
Across 34 countries, a median of 65% said in 2019 they felt pessimistic about reducing the gap between the rich and poor in their country.
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