1) An EdTech survey found that 82% of readers feel their schools are doing at least somewhat well preparing students for needed college and career technical skills. 48% say teaching the rules of digital citizenship and responsible social networking is most important.
2) NYC is now spending $200 million on private schools for special education students, said by some to be sapping special education in mainstream schools and regular education too.
3) Nearly 6 million children–8% of the population–report having a disability.
4) In 11 states, more than 20% of teachers rely on earnings from a second job. For instance, in Georgia, a 10-year veteran teacher with a graduate degree makes less than a flight attendant.
5) A University of Michigan poll on Children’s Health finds that 55% of the 2,017 surveyed adults said childhood obesity is the biggest problem in America; 52 said bullying is the second biggest.
6) School districts amass mountains of data annually but the National Center for Education Statistics estimate that less than 2% of them have “the capacity and resources” to make good use of it all.
7) A recent Gallup poll finds 57% of adults agree or strongly agree that online colleges and universities offer a high-quality education, up from 33% in 2012.
8) About 33% of our public schools do not have a full-time, state-certified librarian, constituting a national crisis.