Go West Young Teachers

Mountain states are adding more teachers than the rest of the country, according to a Stateline.org analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data. North Dakota led the way in percentage increase in teaching positions between 2008 and 2010, followed by Montana.

Florida added slightly more than 20,000 elementary and secondary education jobs during the three-year period, a 6 percent increase according to Census data. The growth in education jobs was flat from 2001 to 2008.

But unpacking the numbers a bit shows that teacher jobs were added while districts cut those working outside the classroom.

Florida schools have reduced the number of education jobs the Census classifies as “other” by 4,458 since 2008, a 4.4 percent decline. Since 2001, Florida schools have reduced the number of education jobs the Census classified as “other” by 13,500 positions — a 12 percent reduction.