Judy Jeffrey, Director of the Department of Education, spoke to the House Education Committee on the Condition of Education in Iowa 2008.

She provided each committee member with a pamphlet highlighting the statistics of the report.

Interesting facts about education in Iowa include:

• There are 364 school districts in Iowa.  In 1950, there were 19,452.
• Fifty-three districts are serving less than 300 students and five are serving less than 100 students.  Ten districts are serving 7,500 or more students.
• 98.1 percent of school districts offer full-day kindergarten.
• 76.6 percent offer preschool.
• Current K-12 enrollment is 472,628 students.  In 1972 there were 711,000.
• Of the 472,628 currently enrolled, 85.2 percent are white; 5.6 percent are African America; 6.5 percent are Hispanic; 0.6 percent are American Indian; and 2.1 percent are Asian.
• There are 34,823 full-time teachers in Iowa.
• 100 percent of Iowa teachers are certified.
• The average age of Iowa teachers is 42; 74 percent are female and 1.9 percent are minority.
• 27.9 percent of Iowa's teachers hold an advanced degree and the average years of total experience is 14.7.
• The average regular salary is $45,463.

Highlights at the 4th, 8th, and 11th grade levels

Each year the state produces a report card listing achievement results, teacher quality indicators, and schools or districts that did not meet achievement goals for two consecutive years.

The assessment shows that at the 4th grade level, the state average scale reading score is 225; the national score is 220.  The state average scale score for math is 243; the national average is 239.

At the 8th grade level, the state average scale reading score is 267; the national is 261.  The state average scale math score is 285; the national average is 280.

Progress has been made; however, there are still challenges ahead.