American Teacher: An Index

Percentage of students of color in US public schools: 35
Percentage of teachers of color in US public schools: 15
Percentage of male teachers in US public schools: 16
Economic benefit, per student's lifetime earnings, of a good teacher: $20,000
Economic benefit, per class, of a good teacher: $400,000
Avg. starting, and ending, salary for US teachers: $37,000; $57,000
Percentage of teachers in US who leave the profession within 5 years: 45
Cost of teacher turnover, in dollars per year, to the US economy: $7,340,000,000
Percentage of teachers in S. Korea, Singapore, and Finland, respectively, who leave the profession each year: 1, 2, 3
Rank of student achievement in S. Korea, Singapore, and Finland, respectively: 1, 2, 3

I saw a great movie last month, American Teacher, produced by author-educator-filmmaker Dave Eggers, and his partner at 826 Valencia, Ninive Calegari, that was simultaneously maddening and uplifting. The documentary spotlights five teachers, and was the latest in the education-as-movie genre to stir teachers, parents, and policy wonks in the debate over how to fix our public schools. The film was different, however, in its direct call-to-action: we need to recruit, develop, and pay our teachers more. More than any other factor - more than class size, more than technology, more than charter school autonomy - a quality teacher at the front of the classroom is the single most important factor that improves student achievement.

The movie is screening again November 21st at The Roxie in San Francisco, and I encourage all who care deeply about our students, our education system, and our future, to watch it. You may just want to join the conversation, and become a teacher yourself.