120 Years of American Education: A Statistical Portrait.

Overview & Synopsis

This compilation aggregates all relevant statistics about the history of the U.S. educational system into one convenient book. The statistical surveys of what is now the National Center for Education Statistics date from 1870. The level of detail in the surveys by this office gradually increased until, by 1920, the statistical program included a detailed breakdown of public school expenditures by purpose and of higher education income by source of funds. Expansion has continued through the new national surveys of recent years. Chapters review education characteristics of the U.S. population over the years; and the status of elementary school, secondary school, and higher education in U.S. history. Twenty-one figures illustrate trends in: (1) enrollment; (2) level of schooling completed; (3) income of graduates; (4) attendance; (5) teachers; (6) student-to-teacher ratios; (7) numbers of high school graduates; (8) sources of revenue; (9) expenditures; (10) graduates from higher education; (11) revenue sources for higher education; and (12) expenditures in higher education. Thirty-five tables present information grouped by population, elementary and secondary education, and higher education. Two appendixes contain tables which provide information about the state of the nation's economy in the 20th century. (SLD)