A Few Numbers for Back to School Time

 

It’s back to school time. While parents and children get ready for what we hope is another successful academic year, here are some interesting numbers for everyone concerned about education in North Carolina.

• 1,753,632 – Total number of K-12 students in public schools (1,459,852), charter schools (77,791),[i] private schools (97,721)[ii] and home schools (118,268).[iii]

• 94,421 – Number of teachers employed in NC public schools in 2015-16.[iv]

• $4,345,660,313 – Amount spent in 2015 on salaries for public school classroom teachers ($3,063,177,133) and estimated matching benefits ($1,282,483,180).[v]

• $8,733,375,580 – 2016-17 state appropriations for K-12 public schools in North Carolina.[vi]

• $5,471 – Amount state pays for health insurance for each full-time teacher.[vii]

• $8,084 – Average state retirement contribution by the state to teachers with average salary. (16.12 percent  x average teacher salary of $50,150 =$8,084).[viii]

• $607.8 million – Money awarded to public schools in 2015-16 from proceeds from the NC Education Lottery.[ix]

• 181,063 – Number of government employees working in public schools. Includes state-funded (139,235), federally funded employees (12,988) and local-funded employees (28,840).[x]

• $478,843,563 – Cost to North Carolina to transport nearly 900,000 students daily on 13,300 buses (2014-15).[xi]

• 7,701 – Number of full-time personnel who teach and work in North Carolina’s 159 charter schools [xii]

 

Best wishes for a successful school year to everyone teaching, working in or studying in North Carolina schools!

 

[i] Facts and Figures 2015-16, published by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/fbs/resources/data/factsfigures/2015-16figures.pdf

[ii] 2016 North Carolina Directory of Non-Public Schools, published by North Carolina Office of NonPublic Education.  Information available at: https://ncdoa.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/documents/files/2015-2016%20Conventional%20Schools%20-%20Stats%20Report_0.pdf
[iii] 2016 North Carolina Home School Statistical Summary, published by North Carolina Office of NonPublic Education. Available at: https://ncdoa.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/documents/files/15-16%20Home%20School%20Report_0.pdf

[iv] Highlights of the North Carolina Public School Budget, February 2016, published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/resources/data/highlights/2016highlights.pdf

[v] Highlights of the North Carolina Public School Budget, February 2016, published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/resources/data/highlights/2016highlights.pdf

[vi] Joint Conference Committee Report on the Base, Capital and Expansion Budgets, North Carolina General Assembly, House Bill 1030, June 27, 2016. Available at: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Budget/2016/Conference_Committee_Report_2016-06-27.pdf

[vii] Joint Conference Committee Report on the Base, Capital and Expansion Budgets, North Carolina General Assembly, House Bill 1030, June 27, 2016. Available at: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Budget/2016/Conference_Committee_Report_2016-06-27.pdf

[viii] Joint Conference Committee Report on the Base, Capital and Expansion Budgets, North Carolina General Assembly, House Bill 1030, June 27, 2016. Available at: http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Budget/2016/Conference_Committee_Report_2016-06-27.pdf

[ix] Where the Money Goes, web site of North Carolina Education Lottery. Accessible at: http://www.nc-educationlottery.org/beneficiary.aspx

[x] Facts and Figures: 2015-16, published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/fbs/resources/data/factsfigures/2015-16figures.pdf

[xi] Facts and Figures: 2015-16, published by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/docs/fbs/resources/data/factsfigures/2015-16figures.pdf
[xii] Highlights of the North Carolina Public School Budget, February 2016, published by North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Available at: http://www.ncpublicschools.org/docs/fbs/resources/data/highlights/2016highlights.pdf