The Iowa Department of Education has released its Annual Condition of Education Report for 2009. The report shows that student enrollment statewide continues to decrease while the state's student population has become more diverse.

Since the report was first released more than two decades ago, more four-year-old children are attending preschool and more high school students are taking higher-level courses.  In addition, Iowa students continue to do well on many indicators of achievement.

Report Highlights

• There are currently 362 school districts statewide; there were 364 in 2007-08 and 431 in 1990;
• In 2008-09, there were 510,916 students statewide being served in Iowa's public and non-public schools.  Enrollment peaked in 1972-73 (711,000).  Since then, enrollment has decreased in Iowa by more than 25%.  Based on the most recent enrollment projections, there will be a 2.2% increase in public school enrollment over the next five years, but a 4.2% decreased in nonpublic enrollment.
• The minority enrollment across the state stands at 15.5%; it was 5.5% a decade ago;
• There are 3,000 teachers statewide eligible to retire today;
• Iowa is ranked 37th in the nation in teacher pay with the average teacher salary of $45,664;
• 82.9% of districts offer preschool today.  Only 43% did in 1998;
• In 2008-09, there were 39.9% of students enrolled in higher level math (pre-calculus, calculus, trigonometry, statistics, and Advanced Placement mathematics); only 19.1% in 1990;
• Iowa's average ACT composite score in 2009 was 22.4, which is higher than the national average composite score of 21.1.  Iowa has the second highest average composite score among states where more than 50% of seniors took the ACT.
• The Iowa public school graduation rate for 2008 was 88.7%, which is a decrease from 90.5% in 2007.  Due to implementation of a data tracking system using a unique student identifier, students can now be followed through their high school years providing Iowa with a more accurate system for tracking graduation rates;
• Iowa spends $8,432 per pupil.  This ranks Iowa at 42nd in the nation among all states for the average total amount spent to educate each student.
• 69.5% of total general fund expenditures in Iowa public schools were dedicated to student learning in the classroom in 2007-2008.

The full report can be seen at www.iowa.gov\educate.