1. For the one in 8 children born to a mother without a high school diploma, 84% live in low-income families, just 16% read proficiently by 8th grade, 40% don’t graduate on time, and 27% are obese.
2. Nearly 40% of 18- to 24-year-old Americans believe they’re not good in math.
3. U.S. teachers put in 45 hours of work a week vs 38 on average in other countries, and 27 hours of instruction vs 19 hours. Still, 89% of our teachers say they’re satisfied with their jobs vs 91%.
4. Ironically, 74% of those with a bachelor’s degrees in STEM (Science, Math, Engineering, Math) subjects don’t work in STEM jobs.
5. Just 9.4% of 15-year-olds were able to answer the hardest questions on an international test of their financial knowledge and skills. More than one in 6 didn’t reach proficiency.
6. A New Teacher Project report finds that 90% of districts pay teachers based on years of experience and any advanced degrees they may hold regardless of performance. It also found that the average teacher makes $40,000 a year vs almost 50% more than someone in finance.