1. The latest MetLife Survey of the American Teacher finds that teacher satisfaction has declined since 2008 from 62% to 39%. Moreover, 51% report feeling under pressure several days a week, up from 36% in 1985.
  2. Last year, 954,070 students took an AP exam, and about 20% earned at least a 3 out of a possible 5 points; however, more than 300,000 qualified students never took an AP exam.
  3. State education spending dipped to 19.8% of total outlays in fiscal 20123, the first time it’s accounted for less than 20%.
  4. Of 57 industrialized countries, U.S. 4th graders ranked in 11th place on the 2011 Trends in International Math & Science Study (TIMSS); our 8th graders ranked 9th out of 56 countries.
  5. Nearly 66% of Chinese undergrads earn math, science, or engineering degrees vs 33% of American students. Plus, in the last 10 years, there’s been a decline in science and engineering graduate school enrollment here.