Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/569858
Compiled by Mike Myslinski W E C O M B T H E M E D I A D A I L Y for the best quotes and statistics about public education. If you discover a quote or stat you think we should highlight, send it along with your name to editor@cta.org. Quotes & Numbers Percentage of public school parents nationwide who think there is too much emphasis on standardized testing in public schools, according to the 47th annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, released in August. 67% Percentage of public school parents polled who oppose including student scores from standardized tests as part of teacher evaluations, in the same poll. 63% Hours of television watched each day by the average U.S. kindergartner, cited in "Harper's Index" in the August Harper's Magazine. 3.3 Number of California school-related jobs lost during the recession from 2008 to 2012, as reported in an Aug. 9 New York Times teacher shortage story that focused on the Golden State. 82,000 Average amount teachers spent of their own money last school year on classroom supplies, according to a survey, released in July, of 536 K-12 educators in the U.S., conducted by Agile Education Marketing. (Read members' comments about classroom spending on page 10.) 490 $ " We help kids grow. And that's part of the rush of teaching." — D O M I N I C D I R K S E N , a high school teacher in San Diego County, speaking in an unscripted CTA back-to-school TV ad that began airing statewide on Aug. 31. Watch the ads at cta.org/mediacenter. " There are frequent stories about public school teach- ers who are leaving the profession or taking early retirement because of the toll of working in a 'test and punish' environment. A November 2014 Nation- al Education Association survey reported that nearly 50 percent of all teachers are considering leaving due to standardized testing." — Washington Post reporter V A L E R I E S T R A U S S , in her Aug. 24 Answer Sheet education blog about how to halt the teacher shortage hitting many states, including California. — C H R I S P R O K O P , president of the Cajon Valley Education Association, quoted in an Aug. 19 San Diego Union-Tribune story about a new bill backed by school boards and opposed by CTA. The bill would allow school districts to hoard public money in larger reserves than allowed in voter-approved Proposition 2. " Now that the governor has a rainy day fund, it's somewhat redundant to have a backup fund for your backup fund." — GOP presidential hopeful J E B B U S H , at an Aug. 19 New Hampshire education summit meeting of Republican presidential candidates. The highly controversial Nevada voucher law destabilizes public schools by allowing richer students to use their taxpayer-funded vouchers to attend private schools. " Why not allow total voucherization? Nevada is moving in this direction." " THE PAST IS NEVER DEAD. IT'S NOT EVEN PAST." — Author W I L L I A M F A U L K N E R , from his 1951 novel Requiem for a Nun. 15 V O LU M E 2 0 I S S U E 2 Know & Tell The Numbers