As the 2009-10 school year opens, the U.S. Census Bureau offers statistical snapshots of the nation’s school population, based on projections from several data bases.
56 million
Number of K-12 students expected to enroll this fall.
11%
Private schools’ share of the elementary to high school enrollment.
42%
Minority makeup of the elementary to high school population, as of 2007.
10.9 million
Number of children ages 5 to 17 who speak a language other than English at home.
31 million
Average number of children each month in the national school lunch program in 2008.
98,793
Number of public schools in the 2006-07 school year.
3,970
Number of public charter schools, 2006-07.
$50,758
National average teacher’s salary, 2006-07.
14.2 million
Number of classroom computers as of the 2005-06 school year.
$9,666
Average per-pupil spending on public elementary and secondary education nationally in 2007.