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One teacher for every 20.2 students in the CNMI
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Posted on Nov 28 2008
A new report shows that the CNMI Public School System had one of the highest students-to-teacher ratios during the 2006-2007 school year.
The report, released this month by the National Center for Education Statistics, showed PSS had a total student population of 11,695 and 579 teachers, for a ratio of 20.2 students for every teacher.
The average among the 50 states, five U.S. territories and the Department of Defense dependents schools was 15.5 students for every teacher. The Guam Public School System did not submit numbers. California (20.9), Oregon (21.3) and Utah (22.1) had higher student to teacher ratios than the CNMI, while Arizona had the same ratio. Vermont had the lowest ratio at 10.8.
The report also broke down the student-to-teacher ratios by kindergarten, elementary and secondary levels.
PSS was above average in all categories, although only slightly at the secondary level. The nationwide average for secondary schools’ student-to-teacher ratio was 12. PSS had a ratio of 12.6 students per teacher. Virginia had the lowest ratio (5.8) while California had the highest (23.4). American Samoa had a ratio 17.3 at the secondary level.
At the elementary level, PSS had a student-to-teacher ratio of 24.7, more than the nationwide average of 20.2 students per teacher. At 11.5 students per teacher, Maine had the lowest ratio at the elementary level, while Utah had the highest ratio at 31.5 students per teacher. American Samoa had a ratio of 18.5.
PSS had one of the highest students-to-teacher ratios for kindergartens at 33 students per teacher. The nationwide average is 21.1. Kentucky had the highest students to teacher ratio at the kindergarten level with 42.6 students per teacher. Alabama had the lowest ratio at 11. American Samoa had a ratio of 24.7 kindergarten students to every teacher.
