The 2010 edition of The Annual Condition of Education Report has been released by the Iowa Department of Education. Since Iowa released its first Condition of Education report more than 20 years ago access to quality preschool has significantly increased, the percentage of minority students has tripled, and while student enrollment has steadily decreased an increase is projected over the next five years.

In addition, indicators continue to point to the academic success of Iowa students, who are second in the nation on ACT scores, lead the nation on SAT scores, and are well ahead of the national average on Advanced Placement exam scores. Other highlights from the report include an increase in the state’s per-pupil spending on instruction as well as an increase in teacher salaries.

"Education must look forward. We do so in good times and bad. Iowa, like the entire nation, has faced historic economic challenges in recent years. But even in times of tight budgets and spending cuts, we have worked to preserve our historic support of education," said Kevin Fangman, acting director of the Iowa Department of Education. "But we must also take a moment and look back to evaluate how Iowa's education system is serving all of its students. For more than 20 years the Condition of Education Report has helped meet that goal, providing valuable information on everything from enrollment to student performance, from our teachers to finances to our demographics."

Highlights from The Annual Condition of Education Report, which reports the most recent state education information through the 2009-2010 school year unless otherwise noted, include:

Iowa Schools and Teachers

• 507,662: The number of students being educated in Iowa’s public and nonpublic schools. Since its peak in 1972-1973 (711,000), enrollment in Iowa’s schools has steadily decreased, however public school enrollment is projected to increase by 2.2 percent over the next five years.
• 361: The number of school districts in the state; there were 362 in the previous year and 431 in 1990.
• 87.3%: The percent of districts offering preschool today, compared to only 43.6% ten years ago.
• 3,100: the number of Iowa teachers eligible to retire.
• $48,638: The average salary for teachers; Iowa is ranked 26th in the nation in teacher pay, up from 37th the previous year.

Iowa Students

• 87.2%: The Iowa public school graduation rate for 2009. This is the first year Iowa used a formula adopted by the National Governors Association to determine the high school graduation rate. The NGA's adjusted cohort formula was agreed to by the governors of all 50 states in 2005. Iowa is currently one of 20 states that have implemented the NGA formula, with the goal that all 50 states are using the same formula by 2012. Iowa, along with 30 other states, previously used a formula called the "leaver rate calculation."
• 17.6%: The percent of minority enrollment in Iowa, up from 5.5 percent in 1990.
• 37%: The percent of students eligible for free-and-reduced lunch, up from 26.7% ten years ago.
• 22.4: Iowa’s average ACT composite score in 2010, which is higher than the national average composite score of 21.1. Iowa has the second highest average composite score among states with more than half of seniors taking the ACT.
• 14,028: The number of Advanced Placement exams given in 2010, up from 5,591 ten years ago.
• 29,721: The number of students enrolled concurrently in high school and community college courses, up from 21,587 in 2006-07.

Iowa Education Funding

• $9,203: Iowa’s per pupil expenditure in 2008-09, up from $8,423 in 2007-08.
• 37th: Iowa’s national ranking among all states for the average total amount it spends to educate each student, up from 42nd in 2007-08.
• 70.4%: The percent of total general fund expenditures in Iowa public schools dedicated to student instruction in 2008-09; up from 69.5% in 2007-08.

The 2010 Annual Condition of Education Report is available here.

2010 Annual Condition of Education Presentation - This is acting director Kevin Fangman's presentation to the State Board of Education on the 2010 Annual Condition of Education Report.

2010-11-17