More students are taking Advanced Placement exams. Educational Climate Students in the United States receive more instructional time than students in seven European countries, according to a study completed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. School crime is declining. In spite of the recent highly publicized cases, overall the school crime rate decreased between 1993 and 1997. Teachers Public school teachers are well educated.
Teachers have strong backgrounds in academic disciplines.
Public school teachers are better educated than private school teachers. More students are going on to higher education. Especially noteworthy are the increases among black students and women. More young adults are completing 4-year college degrees. Particularly noteworthy is the rising rate among women, who are now more likely than men to complete a college degree.