Copyright© 2002 by School Services of California, Inc.

Volume 15                   For Publication Date: December 6, 2002             No. 24

By the Way . . .

Education Jobs Are on The Increase. The October payroll and employment report issued in November by the state Employment Development Department suggests that education jobs are important to the economy. Comparing October 2002 with October 2001, the report notes total non-farm employment in California declined by 23,100 jobs, or 0.2 percent. But government employment increased by 60,700 jobs, an increase of 2.5 percent. Most of that increase, or a jump of 52,200 jobs, occurred in local government, primarily education. On a yearly basis, only two categories outside of government, which is the category that includes education jobs, showed a seasonally adjusted increase in employment.

The current growth in education jobs could be in jeopardy due to the budget crisis. If there is no growth in private sector jobs, there are fewer workers to pay the income and sales taxes that support those education-government jobs.