(UMA “o oe ar Prepared in October 1947 ADVANCE ESTIMATES OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR 1947-48 Frank We Hubbard Director, Research Division, National Education Association ! ERY FEW PERSONS today are not aware THIS STATEMENT has been based \/ of the crisis which public elemen- largely upon information supplied in tary and secondary schools have ex- October 1947 by state departments of perienced in the past seven years, ilaga~ education and state education asso= zine articles, newspapers, radio pro- ciations, It is the sixth in a ser- grams, and speakers have reported the ies of national estimates (1942-43, facts even more effectively than was done 1943—44, 195, 1945-46, . 1946-47, for similar periods during and immediate- and 19798). ly after World War I and in the depression The figures given are PT of the 1930's. and preliminary, All estimates are based upon previous years since many Briefly, the past seven years has state departments do nat have com been a time when the resignations of plete data on 194647 and official teachers and the shifting from school reports have not been collected from system to school system (called turnover) many local school systems for were twice as high as in a typical year 1947-48. It is, therefore, inadvis- just prior to World War II, In this pro- able to. submit these figures to the cess’ the profession lost several hundred statistical manipulations ordinarily thousand qualified teachers, Their proper with official state reports, places were filled by inexperienced grad+ uates of teacher training (a supply that dwindléd almost to zero in the war years) and by the annual employment ef more than 100,000 emergency teachers (many of whom had less than the standard preparation re= quiréd for regular certificates), The loss of qualified teachers was further ab- sorbed by the elimimtion of an estimated total of 50,000 teaching positions, by the curtailment of the curriculums of many schools, and by inoreasing the loads of the teachers who. remained in service, The major causes of tne loss of qualified teachers were the relatively unfav~ orable conditions under which many teachers. were employed,. Chief. among these con- ditions was the salary level, notoriously inadequate in urban school] systems and unbelievably low in rural areas, ‘With the rise of wages in defense and war employ=- ment and the upward turn of salaries in business and the federal service, the sala- ries of teachers decreased relatively in rank and drastically in purchasing power. Often complicating local school salary situations was the public's indifference both with respect to the financial support of the schools and the teacher's status in community life, These two factors often made for difficulties within school systems which, in turn, made teaching less attractive than many types of nonschool employ- ment. While in many school systems employment conditions were attractive, the genr eral impact upon most school systems was such as to produce unprecedented ‘losses in qualified personnel. | i . Beginning in the middle of the war period a number of local school systems attempted, thru improved salary schedules, to hold their qualified teachers and to attract a share of the available new supply. In general, these efforts were "too little, too late," At this point, public reletions programs became active in carry- ing to the people an appreciation of what was happening to the schools. As 8 rer sult, public opinion began to affeet the state legislatures in 1945. and. byugathering increased momentum produced eyen more significant state legislation in 1947, State #5 =~3- schools in small towns and rural areas, As a result of this increased pressure from the cities and the decline in graduates of teachers colleges, the rural sehools experienced an exceptionally acute teacher shortage, A number of rural schools were closed and thousands of children transported to other school districts, Rural schools and small towns had to employ thousands of teachers with emergency certif- icates (see column 8, Table 2), In the cities, particularly in the large metropolitan centers, two types of shortage developed during the war years, In numbers, the shortage was most acute with respect to such fields as vocational education, science, mathematics, music, industrial arts, and physical education, In time, because of the loss of competent teachers in cities of all population groups, the large centers began to have a quality shortage of unusual proportions, Thru their high salaries they were able to obtain almost all of the teachers they needed to fill vacancies, but the supply of highly trained teachers was not large enough to meet the demand, The quality demand still remains unmet in 1946-47, The quantity demand also continues in a number of states altho the total national situation appears to be less critical than it was two or three years agoe Stated in general terms (see Table 6) the quantity demand that has not been met is as follows; Number of states in which the shortege is Type of position Very small Considerable Very large Rural clementaryecccsccccascecscccvcecs 6 states 24 states. 18 statcs Rural = regular secondaryeeeesseevsesee 17 30 1, - special aecondarys.cecssecceres h 2h 20 Urban Glementaryececcccevqcscrecesccces l states 7 states O states Urban-~ regular secondaryeeocecsecseesse 43 5 0 = special secondaryepeseresecesee 15 30 3 From the foregoing it is clear that the shortage ef teachers continues ic be most serious in the rural schools, especially in the elementary schools and in the special fields (defined here as science, music, vocational education, etc.), A number of the states indicate "considerable" shortage in the special fields at the secondary level even in city-school systems. Needed replacements - For the first time in this series of.surveys tne in- quiry this year asked for cstimates of the "number of teachers needed to replace the untrained. emergency teachers and to reduce the teacher load to prewar levels," Officials in several ef the states reported that many οἵ those’ now employed on emer- gency certificates, were now qualified, except for minor requirements, to hold regu- lar certificates.. For this reason their cstimatcs of needed replacements did not include all. of those employed: on emergency certificates, Some of the state esti-~ mates include a number of those now employed on regular certificates, who in the opinion of state officials should be replaced by persons with better preparation, Table. 2. shows that the estimated "needed replacements" for the nation aa 8 whole totals 78,810. For the reasons stated in the foregoing paragraph, this fig- ure docs not mcan the total number of teachers needed in addition to those now employed (Table 1), ΠΠ, . pai oh ας The estimates of the present report (Table 1) show that the total increased in 1946-47 to 875,701 and in 1947-48 will be about £82,733, In 1946-47 the gain was about 15,000 over 1945-46; this year the gain will be about 22,000 over 1945-46, These gains in the total number of teachers must be kept in mind with respect to the total number of emergency certificates. Thus, in spite of an increase in the number of teaching positions, there has been a substane tial decline in the total number of emergency certificates, This fact is further evidence of a substantial improvement in the supply of quelified teachers, Teachor preparation - Improvement in the supply of teachers in the past year or so has come about by the return to the profession of a number of those who re- signed during the war years. Veterans, who had been teachers, returned in substane tial numbers to those communitiss whore salaries were high, according to a sampling study made by the NEA Research Division in 1946-47. Many college students, diverted by the war, have returned to college and completed their teacher preparation. Some of the qualified teachers who entered nonteaching employment during the war, nave reentered the profession, Some of those, originally employed on cmergency certifi- cates in the early 1940's, have qualified for regular certificates, These gains have been offset each year in part by the older teachers who have reached the age of retirement (estimated at 6,500 annually in the prewar. years), There still remain major adjustments to be made not only with respect to the quantity supply but also with regard to the quality of those who offer thenselves for employment, Much needs to be done to reduce teacher load and to extend and im- prove school programs so as to overcome the defects revealed by the Selective Serve jee. Toward meeting these problems the organized profession is directing its cf- forts both thru elcetive recruitment and taru teacher educations Prior to World Jar IE the teachers colleges and the liberal arts colleges supe plied the profession with-an estimated total of 50,000 to 40,000 new teachers cach - year. According to the U, S, Office of Education, teachers colleges in 1939-40 en- rolled 144,945 students and in 1947-48 they enrolled 169,356 students, Today, even more than before the war, the: teachers colleges include many who are seeking 2 libe eral arts course but have no intention of entering teaching, Total cnrolments in teachers colleges arc, atibest, only a rough estimate, of the potential supply of trained teachers. In the present- survey, state leaders were eskod bo give thelr opinicns on how enrolments in "teacher. preparation" in their states compared with similar en- rolments in 1940-41, The details (column 8, Table 6) may be Summarized briefly as follows: | Number of states reporting on 1947-48 tcacher νιοὶ Much smaller About tne same Much larger 18 9 ah. No comparable opinions on this question were obtained in 1945-46 and 1946-47. In the middle of the war period, however, the enrolments in teacher education proe grams in teachers colleges declined about 50 percent for the nation as a whole» Some institutions reportad decreases of 70 and 80 perconte A sample study, made in 1945-46 by the NEA Research Division, inaichesa that enrolments in "teacher education" in the teachers colleges were about twortnirds of what they had been before the war, On this basis it would be reasonable te ustinete sas It is not clear from Table 7 just what special problems face the territories and the Virgin Islands, Apparently the teacher shortage is not large.except pos- sibly in Hawaii, Average salaries, not taking into account cost of living, compare favorably with the most fortunate states on the mainland, In the Virgin Islands salaries appear to be lower than they should be: even with some consideration of the lower cost of living which may prevail there, Beyond these few points the inquiry did not reveal the unique problems of these outlying areas, 1947-48; A Year of Promise This report for 1947-48 clearly shows that public-school conditions have taken a turn for the better, The American people have demonstrated again that given the facts they will demand and get action on any social problem. Yet it must be noted that the fundamental difficulties of public education have been eased rather than permanently solved. Much of the effort and funds made available have been used to stop further deterioration and to repair the damage of the war years and not to pro» vide for basic reconstructions and improvements, Great inequalities among the states and within each state continue to exist, We have gone far but we have a long dis- tance still ahead, l. Total appropriations have been ine BUT, the average salary of teachers today - creased, making it possible to raise ‘ less federal income taxes = has a teachers! salaries by substantial purchasing power no higher than the AMOUNTS ce cencecrescasvecvcccetenes scons average teacher's salary of 1939-40. 2e The supply of qualified teachers has BUT, it still is necessary to employ steadily increased. cececcsccvevgecene 100,000 teachers who hold emergency certificates, ' i 3. The number of teaching positions BUT, teaching loads today are heavier than has moved toward prewar totals,,.ecse before the war, ke Enrolments in publie schools have BUT, a continued shortage of teachers ime risen LApLdlyscecegecccccennverscrecs poses substandard educational op- portunities upon at least two million children and youth; many others are penalized by shortages in buildings and cquipment. 5. Total enrolments in teachers col- BUT, part of the enrolment in teachers cole leges have excoeded prewar cnrol~ leges is an overflow from crowded une ments and the number in teacher iverattias; high enrolments are often training has equalled the prewar in the states least in need of a new ΙΟ Οσο and larger supply; those in training will not be available in numbers for several years; often too few of those in tcacher training are prepering for elementaryeschool service, | Thure arc two bright factors in the picture whose significance will beccne inorezsingly apparent in the next fow years. First, the citizens who did so much between 1945 and 1947 to overcome the school crisis; they will continuc to work for better schools, Second, the teachers themselves who remained in service during the crisis; they heve takdn new courage from the laymen who came to the aid of the schools, Thru their professional organizations they will lift their own professional standards and join with all laymen in guaranteeing every child a fair start in life thru better education. Guid TADLE 2. - ESTIMATED UNERGENCY (OR SUBSTANDARD) CERTIFICATES, 1946-47 AND 1947-48 σσ ποτ -------ΠΙΒ-------Σ οἳ COL. Ἱ State Elementary Secondary Total Elementary Secondary Total in rural ΕΝ = ee ee ο. schools 1 2 3 σι inser: (ae: Alabama......... 6,126 1,509 9,43 8,125 1,509 9,635 #85 Ἀοοχθθθς okwaeay 600 75 675 370 30 400 90 Arkansas........ 1,445 ο 2,419 1,000 600 1,600 85 California...... 8,402 2,958 11,570 5,000 1,200 6,200 #70 Colorado,.cyecee. ? ? #2500 ? τσ 2,000 *80 Connecticut..... 300 76 376 267 46 313 32 Delaware...urese 102 28 130 &2 13 95 ΧΟΟ Dist. of Columbia 239 201 ο! 225 185 4108/ 0 Florida, Grp sods ? 2 3,000 2 ? 1,100 75 Georglasssesecae 2 τ 4,970 2 2 4500 90 Idahos Faw vca sakes 840 360 1,200 B40 360 1200 75 ο ο) Μην 2 2 4,800 5 7 4,000 80 πο καν 2 5 2,773 2 2 1,000 75 κο μμ 9 ? 4.000 τ ° 3,500 90 Καπβᾶβ.......... 2,866 567-3433 2,290 460 2,750 80 Κοπζηοσίγ.»..ε..... 4,877 300 5,177 4,700 300 5,000 90 Louisiana....... 7 ? 2,009 ? ? 1,500 90 Μπα orses 475 200 675 4,00 120 550 60 Ματγ]βπᾶ........ 1,034 537 1,573 1,028 452 1,480 35 Massachusetts.., ? ? #5003 ? ? *4002/ 3250 Michigan......0. ? ? 5,500 ? ? 51500 60 Minnesota,,..... 2,371 426 2,797 2000 350 22350 ο Mississippi..... ? ? 1,400 ? ? 250 90 Missouri........ 1,868 500 2348 1,300 500 29300 67 Μοπύβπα......... 1,000 *0 1,000 700 ο 700 85 Nebraske...... ie 2,450 706 3,156 1,800 450 2,250 90 Nevada,...... ite 50 0 50 40 0 LO 90 New Hampshire... 246 251 4979 128 58 186 75 New Jersey.,.... ? ? 1,512 4 ? *1,500 #50 New Mexico,..... 350 20 370 10 106 116 90 New Υοτκ,....... 1,353 1,200 2,553 1,407 1,250 2,457 25 North Carolina.. 2,500 500 3000 2,250 450 22700 95 North Dakota.... 768 2 770 ? ? #700 #90 θα. K000 2,500 §,50€ 4,900 1,500 5200 70 Oklahoma. νε σον ? ? 700 9 (9) *hOO 38ο Oregon..eeseecee 1,734 625 2,359 1,400 LOO 2,000 60 Penusylvania.... 2,108 1,200 3,308 2 3 3,000 70 Rhode Island.... ? ? 50 ? T ~ 40 50 South Carolina.. 1,284 228 1,512 1,275 205 1;500.' 90 South Dakota.... 1,020 255 1,275 1,000 250 1,250 90 Tamnesseée.,..... 4,500 800 5 390 3,300 200 3,800 95 TOMES. suorana 355 #425 1350 #850 7350 1,200 90 πμ. hp tO LTS 1,52} 873 273 1.096 τὸ ον ο μμ 596 119: 715 400 199... 700 > 45 Virginia.. e.s., 2,785 ΜΒ 3,248 1,183 164 1,14 97 Washington... ? ? 3,754 ? 7 549399 60 West Virginia... 1.968 516 2,484 1, 764 29k 1.258. 95 Wisconsin....... 3,000 500: 3,500 3,200 500° 3,709 90 Ἠγοπάπβ......... 231 58 239 200 μον 240 85 Pests lin νέο 127,016 101,612 er eee e e e neti i ee =p- * Estimated by ΝΙΛ Research Division, “icates in District and Massachusetts; estimate made of teachcrs with substandsra oveparation. - 11 - TABLA 4. - ESTLIATED AVERAGE SALARIES IN 1946-47 AND 1947-48 All instruc- Classroom teachers only¥/ State tional staffa 194 z 1947-48 T9L6— 47 1947-48 Elemen- gdlemen- Second- All Alabauld.sseeevserse $1,500 $1,800 % ; $1,400 $1, 2,000 1, Αγλλσαδι........-«« 2,505 3,000 2,390 2,884 2,460 2,800 3,200 2,940 ATKANSASyeseseveces 1,450 1,500 1,050 1,600 1,350 %1,100 1,600 *1,400 Οα]σοτηῖα......... 3,000 3,600 2,528 3,159 2,800 3,000 3,600: 3,300 Coloradoeesscesenes 31900 32100 ¥1,510 #2,210 1,700 1,730 *2,535 *1,950 Connecticut...esees *2,750 3,300 *2,400 2,970 *2,600 33,059 43,330 %*3,160 Delawar€seccesseeys 2,155 2,605 2,003 2,372 2,118 2,458 2,822 2,568 Floridassssessceses 1,939 2,715 1,760 2,062 1,883 2,451 2,873 2,636 θεοιρίβ........͵.... 1,800 1,800 ¥1,420 *1,950 1,650 %1,420 #1,950° 1,650 Tdahossecesnesseces l; 839 2,215 1,628 2,057 1,780 1,950 2,260 2,047 Illinois, ..sesesse #25350 #2600 1,750 42,340 ¥*1,950 «27002 #25420 #2,200 Ιηάίβηβ.........«.. ¥2,150 2,950 41,760 #2,360 2,145 2,460 %3,110 *2,830 LOWaseeessecqeqseee ¥1,800 ¥*2,000 ¥*1,480 ¥1,980 1,650 1,680 #2,030 31,820 KANSASsecueceereeee 1,866 2,100 1,496 2,245 1,780 1,690 2,500 1,980 Kentuckyescereaeee, 1,524 1,600 1,270 1,780 1,470 1,350 1,825; 1,540 Louislanaesseseacee 2,300 *2,600 %*1,620 ΤΩ, 250 1,882 %*1,920 *2,570 2,182 ἀαλπϑινεκενεένεννον 1,6 2,000 1,500 2,100 1,700 1,750 2,300 1,920 Μαλάκα νεο 2,486 3,900 2,266 2,546 2,397 3,100 3,350 3,200 Massachusetts...e.. 2,600 2,750 2,300 2,500 2,400 2,500 2,600 2,550 Michigan.seeseseqes 2,500 *3,050 *1,920 *2,570 2,340 2,420 *3,070 2,877 Μιπποδοῦα.......... 2,150 2,300 1,750 2,340 1,950 1,910 2,460 2,100 Wississippisessssse 950 1,350 730 1,020 850 1,130 1,420 1,250 μορουτὶ............ 1,800 #2,050 1,535 2,300 1,770 1,650 2,400 2,000 wiontanaescecesseres 1,900 2,700 1,650 2,160 1,800 2,450 3,050 2,650 Nebreska...... meere 1,660 1,800 1,440 2,100 1,610 1,575 2,300 1,770 Nevadasessccseeeees 2,100 ¥*3,100 *1,900 *2,200 2,000 2,700 3,250 3,000 New Hampshire..ee-e. 1,842 2,250 1,548 2,090 1,770 1,950 2,300 2,200 New ἄοτοογ......... %2,600 2,800 %2,350 %2,450 2,400 2,550 *2,650 32,600 New Ἠοκίοο......... 2,300 32,700 %2,120 %2,420 °2,235 .¥2,520 *2,850 2,450 New YOrkeessseeveee 3,300 3,500 %3,040 %3,160 %*3,100° 3,230 #3,370 33,30) North Carolina..... 1,711 2,015 1,560 1,810 1,646 1,850 2,140 1,948 North Ὀακοῦβ....... 1,500 1,600 1,250 1,620. 1,400 1,330 1,950 1,500 ONiOessesssasseeoee ¥2,540- 33000 *2,000 *2,600 2,187 #2,500 3,100 2,700 Oklahouwdessseseeeee ¥1,700 1,890 1,389 1,887 1,600° 15689 2,187 1,800 Orexgonesesecceesess 2,500 3,000 2,184 2,559 2,305 2,600 2,950 2,700 Pennsylvaniaesrsess 2,260 2,527. 1,800 2,400 2,200 2,100 2,600 2,400 thode Islandsssepse 2,400 2,700 2,020 2,290 %2, 200 #2, 4,50 #2,550 2,500 South Carolinasyere 1,260 #1,450 #950 130 1,200 1,187 1,650 1,375 South Lakotasesss+, 1,700° 1,800 1,500 2,000 1,600 1,520 2,200 1,700 Τθπη65588...... e. κ 1,460 1,785 *l,200 *1,680 *¥1,400 1,500 *1,980 #1,700 TOXESeceqeseceesess 1,950 2,700 %1,700 %2,050 1,750 . 2,400 2,600. «2,500 Utan, ο ] ee 2,248. 2,900 2,190 2, 190 2,190 2,513 2,813 2,813 Vernontececscecceee Χ]γβδ0. 42,250 1,346 2,024 1,600 *2,060 *2,140 #2,100 Virgindaesecessseee 1,90L 2,050 1,657 1,983 1,753 1,850 "2150: 1,956 Washingtoneeseseses 2,059 3,250 2,409 2,797 2,613 *3,070 43220 3,200 West Virginia..e.e. 1,672 2,340 1,485 1,750 1,540 2,000 2,610 2,200 WiSCONSIN.......5-. 2,100 2,225 1,800 2,400 2,000 ° 1,925 2,425 2,125 WYOMUNZeeeceeeeeees 1,882 2,300 #1,600 *2,100 31.800 2,030 #2425 #2, 225 : αἱ 2) 9] 298 ο 3 * astimatea by NwA kheseerch Division. af Including principals and supervisors. b/ wany of the figures in column 4 thru, 9 are medians rather than arithmetical means; coluzms 2 and 3 are approximations of the arithmetical means He D. Je averages showld now be ranked or compared directly amin the states. = a= TABLE 6. - ESTIMATED TYPES OF TEACHER SHURTAG! AND SATUS OF TEsCHER EDUCATION, 1947-48 ___iural shortage Urban shortage 1947-48 teacher train- State Elemen- Secondary __ Elemen- Secondary ing enrolment compared tary __ Regular special ane Regular Special with sh 1940-41 en: enrolment L 2 3 ο ο vd — 8g Alabama. ....... somea/ Somed/ τατος sT- Small Ῥοπιεξ/ Larger’ APL ZONA... eee, SOME Some Some Small Small Some Same Arkansas....... Large Some Large Small Small Some Same California..... Large Some Some Some Some Some Larger Colorado......,*Some Some ‘*Large “Small *Small Some “Same Connecticut,.,. Small Small Small mall Small Small Larger Delaware.....e. Some Small Small Small Small Small ' Larger District..ccess see axes PIA None Some Some Larger Florida.seeseese Some Some Some Small Small Small Larger Georgha..cesee. Some Some Large Small Small Some Larger Icaho.......... Large Some Large Small Small Some Smaller Tllinois....... Some Some Large Small Small Some Larger Indiana........ Small Small Some Small «Small Some Larger κο ος Some Some Small Small Some Larger Kansas.....e... Some Some Large Small Small Some Larger Kentucky....... Large Small Some Small Small Some Smallerb/ Louisiana...... Large Some Large Small Small Some Same Maine.......... Gome Small Some Small Small Some Smaller Maryland....... Some Small Some Some Small Some Larger Massachusetts.. Small Small Some Small Small = Small Larger Michigan....... Large Small Some Small “Small Small Larger Minnesota... ..e Large Some ` Some Small Small Small Smaller Mississinpi.... Some Some Large Some come Some Smaller Missourl....... Some Some Large Small Small Some Same Montana........ Large Some Large Small Some Large Smaller Nebraska....+«. Some Some Some Small Small Some Sane Νενϑᾶβ......... Some Some Large Small Some some Smeller New Hampshire,. Some Small Some Small Small Small Same New Jersey..... Some ‘ Some Some Small Small (Small Larger New Mexico...., Large’ Some Some Some Small ` Some Larger New York....... Some Some Some Some Small Some Larger North Carolina, Large Some Large small Small Some Smaller North Dakota... Large Some Large Small Small Small smaller Όπίο..........- Some Some . Some Small Small Some Larger Oklahoma.,..... Large Some Large , Small Some Large Smaller Oregon,...++++~5 Some Small Some Some Small Some: Larger Pennsylvania, .. Large Some Some Small Small Large Larger Rhode Island.,. Small Small Small Small small Small seme South Carolina. Large Some Large Small Small Some Smaller South Dakota... Large Some Large Small Small Some smaller Tennessee...... Some Small Some small Small -smail Larger 16χ85,.......'. Some Some , Large Small Small 3mail. Smaller ζο8Ππ.......».,͵ν Small Small. Some Small Small. .Small.. Larger Vermont,....+., Large Large Large Small Small. Some.. . Smaller Virginia,....., Large Some Large Small Small Some Smaller Washington..,.. Small -Small Some Small Small Small — Same West Virginia.. Some Small Some Stall Small Small. Smaller Wisconsin....,. Large Small Some Small Small Some | Smaller Wyoming........ Some Small mall Sone Small Some Smaller m * Estimated by NLA Research Division. a/ Terms used: "small" means "very small"; "some" means "considerable size"; "Large" means "very large." b/ "Larser" means "much larrer" and "smaller": means: "much smaller," mee e a a a aa ne ee