Back to School ... By the Numbers

students started the fall 2011 semester on Thursday, another summer gone and another year of reading, writing and 'rithmatic under way.

What better time than now to look at what that means in dollars, cents and numbers as compiled by the government in the 2010 U.S. Census.

$7.4 billion: The amount of money spent at family clothing stores in August 2010.

55.5 million: The projected number of students who will be enrolled in the nation's elementary through high schools (pre-kindergarten - 12th grade) this fall.

77 million: The number of children and adults enrolled in school throughout the country in Oct. 2009. This includes students enrolled from nursery school to college.

74 percent: Percentage of children 3 to 6 who were enrolled and attended all day kindergarten as of Oct. 2009.

11 percent: Projected percentage of elementary through high school students (pre-kindergarten to 12th grade) enrolled in private schools this fall.

31.3 million: The average number of children participating each month in the National School Lunch Program in 2009.

7.2 million: The number of teachers in the United States in 2009. Almost 3 million taught at the elementary and middle school level. The remaining number included those teaching at the postsecondary, secondary, preschool, kindergarten levels, special education and other teachers or instructors.

$65,800: The average annual salary for the highest paid teachers in the country, public school teachers in California as of the 2007-2008 school year.

$36,700: The average annual salary for teachers in South Dakota, the lowest paid teachers.

9.21 billion: The nation's total apple production, in pounds, in 2010. There is a good chance the apples you send in the kid’s lunch were grown in Washington state, which accounted for more than half of the nation’s total production.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, Back to School 2011-2012