Friday, August 8, 2008

The Reality of Education in the U.S.

A recent online teacher poll of the week asked: Do you feel
appreciated by your students? Yes 60.0% No 40.0% There were
a total of 435 votes. Only 60 percent of the 435 teachers
believed they are appreciated by their students. Perhaps it
is because so many of our students today have a bad
attitude about the classroom.

The most recent U.S. Census Bureau says that about 33
percent of women in the United States that are of the ages
between aged 25 to 29 had a bachelor's degree or more
education in 2007. This was compared with 26 percent of
their male counterparts.

In a report called the Educational Attainment in the United
States: 2007, it was clearly stated that among adults 25
and older, men remain slightly more likely than women to
hold a bachelor's degree at 30 percent compared to 28
percent. The percentage for women rose between 2006 and
2007 up from 27 percent, but for men, it remained
statistically unchanged.

It would appear from research that more education continues
to pay off as adults with advanced degrees typically earn
four times more than those with less than a high school
diploma.

The report also shows that in 2007, 86 percent of all
adults who were 25 years and older said that they had
completed at least high school; 29 percent had bachelor's
degree. More than half of Asians 25 and older had a
bachelor's degree or more (52 percent), compared with 32
percent of non-Hispanic whites, 19 percent of blacks and 13
percent of Hispanic adults.

The proportion of the foreign-born population with a
bachelor's degree or more was 28 percent, compared with 29
percent of the native population. However, the proportion
of naturalized citizens with a college degree was 34
percent.

Workers 18 and older with a bachelor's degree earned an
average of $56,788 in 2006, while those with a high school
diploma earned $31,071.

Among those whose highest level of education was a high
school diploma or equivalent, non-Hispanic white workers
had the highest average earnings at $32,931, followed by
Asians at $29,426 and blacks who made $26,268. Average
earnings of Hispanic workers in the same group was $27,508.

Among workers with advanced degrees, Asians made $88,408
and non-Hispanic whites made $83,785, higher average
earnings than Hispanics at $70,432 and blacks at $64,834).

Statistics also prove that as outside groups gets involved
in a child's life, assisting with their schoolwork, or
family issues, there is a much greater appreciation for
school, education and teachers as well.

SOURCE: Data is from the 2007 Current Population Survey's
Annual Social and Economic Supplement.

About the Author:

Kristin Gabriel is an author and social media marketing
professional with clients including Rocco Basile
(http://www.roccobasile.org ) of the the Basile Builders
Group based in New York. Basile is involved
with several charities including Children of the City and
the Joe DiMaggio Committee for Xaverian High School.