- Taxpayers pay $32 billion in grants and loans to students who attend for-profit schools. In 2009, those schools spent 42.1% of their revenue on marketing, recruiting, and profits; only 17.2% went for instruction.
- The number of 3- and 4-year-olds NOT in pre-school declined from 56% to 53%. The number of 4th graders reading below the proficient level declined to 68% from 70%, and the number of 8th gradersNOT proficient in math went from 72% to 66%.
- 98 D.C. teachers were recently fired for poor performance–that’s less than 3% of the district’s 4,100 teachers.
- E-textbooks now account for 9% of textbooks purchases, but many students actually print them out. Plus, they offer little real savings, according to Student Monitor. For example, an organic chemistry e-textbook costs about $100; the print copy costs about $115.
- Conventional K-12 textbooks are a $3 billion U.S. business, with an additional $4 billion in teacher guides, testing resources, and reference materials.
