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The primary purpose of the Fast Facts website is to provide users with concise information on a range of educational issues, from early childhood to adult learning. Fast Facts draw from various published sources and are updated as new data become available. Additional references on each of these topics are highlighted within each fact.

 

Back to School StatsAlmost 50 million students are heading off to approximately 99,000 public elementary and secondary schools for the fall 2012 term, and before the school year is out, an estimated $571 billion will be spent related to their education. These are just a few of the statistics contained in Back to School Stats, which offers data about American elementary, secondary and postsecondary schools, students, and the educational process. (more info)

Fast Facts Highlights

What percentage of students are enrolled in school choice programs?
(more info)

Did You Know?

Approximately 45 percent of fourth graders and 86 percent of eighth-graders in the nation had teachers who reported putting a heavy emphasis on algebra and functions in 2011, an increase for both grades as compared to 2009. (NCES Reference)

Data Snapshot (Archive)

Approximately 46 percent of fourth-graders in the nation read for fun on their own time almost every day in 2011.
Approximately 46 percent of fourth-graders in the nation read for fun on their own time almost every day in 2011. (more info)
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National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education