The quality of a student's education depends largely on the qualifications of his or her teachers. Minnesota students benefit from an experienced, highly qualified teaching force.

•  Minnesota has the highest percentage of public school secondary teachers who majored in the core academic subjects they teach (86 percent), according to Education Week's “Quality Counts 2005” report. The U.S. average is 64 percent.

•  About 96 percent of Minnesota teachers are considered “highly qualified” under the No Child Left Behind Act.

•  Minnesota is No. 1 in the nation in the proportion of seventh- through 12th-grade public school math teachers with majors in their field, according to the Council of Chief State School Officer's State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 2003.

•  Minnesota also is No. 1 in the proportion of seventh- through 12th-grade public school science teachers with majors in their field, according to the Council.

•  Minnesota has produced the second largest number of National Teachers of the Year – four, behind only California with six.

•  The number of Minnesota teachers earning certification from the prestigious National Board of Professional Teaching Standards has increased by two-thirds since 2000.

From the Minnesota Department of Education, 2006-07, and the National Center for Education Statistics:

Degrees held, Minnesota teachers vs. national average

Bachelor's degree: MN – 48.9%, U.S. – 53%
Master's degree: MN – 50.8%, U.S. – 42% 

Number of years teaching

5 or fewer: 21 percent
6-10: 23 percent
11-16: 18 percent
16-20: 12 percent
21-25: 9 percent
26-30: 8 percent
31 or more: 9 percent