Loss of Teaching Jobs - American Austerity

The chart below show the loss in teaching jobs over the course of the recession - around 300,000. Keep in mind that the population has been growing, which means a higher teacher to student ratio. This will have an adverse effect on American education. On a macro view, this is an example of the American austerity program. In total (Federal, State and local) government, spending has gone down over the past few years. This is because state and local governments cannot run deficits and so have to balance their budgets - which means job cuts. The United State's governments have been enacting an austerity package.