More bad news for Texas teachers
by Jennifer Radcliffe
A few recent studies paint a mostly dismal picture for teachers in Texas and across the nation.
According to a recent National Education Association study, Texas’ per-pupil spending has fallen to about $8,500 — about $2,000 below the national average. (New York spends $17,746 per student.)
Nearly 5 million children attend public school in Texas — the second highest population in the country — but Texas has the largest instructional staff with 366,204 K-12 public school employees. Of those, 324,243 are teachers, data from the union said. That means there’s one teacher for every 14.7 students in Texas, compared to California’s abysmal ratio of 24:1.
Despite the challenges, Texas scored higher than the nation in grade 8 mathematics and science, but lower in reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, according to the analysis. Texas fourth-graders scored at national averages in math, science and reading.
Another study released this week by MetLife puts teacher job satisfaction at its lowest level in 25 years — just 39 percent, compared to 62 percent in 2008. Shrinking budgets, fewer professional development opportunities and
