Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/274063
Know & Tell Take note C O M P I L E D B Y M I K E M Y S L I N S K I W E C OM B T H E M E D I A DA I LY for the best quotes and statistics about public education. If you discover a quote or stat you think we should highlight, send it along with your name to editor@cta.org. The new U.S. high school graduation rate unveiled Feb. 14, the highest nationwide rate in American history, as reported by the U.S. Department of Education. 80 P E RC E N T The number of California districts honored for improving student AP exam access. As a result, the number of students from low-income backgrounds taking at least one AP exam tripled. 29 D I ST R I C T S Number of charter school students in California, which leads the nation in the opening of new charter schools, according to an industry report. 519,000 ST U D E N T S Amount of wealth owned by the 85 richest people in the world — the same as owned by the entire bottom half of the world's population, according to the British humanitarian group Oxfam. 110 trillion D O L L A R S "VERGARA DISREGARDS THE BENEFICIAL PURPOSES OF THE STATUTES UNDER ATTACK AND IGNORES THE FULL CONTEXT OF PROBLEMS CONFRONTING OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SOCIETY. THE CASE RELIES ON VARIOUS MYTHS, INCLUDING THE MYTH THAT CALIFORNIA TEACHERS HAVE A 'JOB FOR LIFE' AFTER A TWO-YEAR PROBATIONARY PERIOD." —CTA Chief Counsel E M M A L E H E N Y , analyzing the deceptions in the Vergara v. State of California lawsuit attacking teachers' due process rights, in a column published Feb. 12 in the Daily Journal legal trade newspaper. "UNFORTUNATELY, THE DISTRICT IS INTENT ON BUILDING THEIR RESERVE FUND AND BREAKING TEACHERS' BACKS FINANCIALLY, BASED ON FAULTY FINANCIAL ASSUMPTIONS. ULTIMATELY, IT IS THE STUDENTS AND THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY WHO WILL SUFFER." —Alpine Teachers Association President G AY L E M A L O N E , explaining why ATA members went on strike Feb. 20. "It is my honor to accept this award in the name of the American public school teacher. It is my honor to say to you: Well done! You labor in the vineyards, and you bring home a good harvest.'' —Bay Area teacher K I M B E R L E Y G I L L E S , accepting the NEA Member Benefits Award for Teaching Excellence last month at the annual NEA Foundation gala in Washington, D.C. (Read more on page 52.) "Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don't." —P E T E S E E G E R , American folk music icon and champion of social justice, who died on Jan. 27 in New York of natural causes. He was 94. Quotes & Numbers Improved national ranking of California in the number of high school graduates who scored at least a passing 3 out of 5 on an Advanced Placement exam last year (up from eighth place). 6 P L A C E th The Numbers 18 M A R C H 2 0 1 4 Educator 03 Mar 2014 v2.0 int.indd 18 3/6/14 10:52 AM