North America: Trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2024, North America's trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers) fell 0.21 percentage points on 2023 (from 98.57% to 98.36%).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.06 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 0.36 percentage points in 2004 and the biggest yearly fall was 0.43 percentage points in 2022. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2015 to 2024 the straight-line trend is downward, about 0.14 percentage points a year. A straight line explains 80% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

What this measures

Trained teachers in secondary education are the percentage of secondary school teachers who have received the minimum organized teacher training (pre-service or in-service) required for teaching in a given country.

Limitations: This indicator does not take into account differences in teachers' experiences and status, teaching methods, teaching materials, and classroom conditions - all factors that affect the quality of teaching and learning. Some teachers without formal training may have acquired equivalent pedagogical skills through professional experience. In addition, national standards regarding teacher qualifications and pedagogical skills may vary.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a weighted average.

All 26 values

Trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers) in nearby economies

• Bahrain — 100% (2024)
• Oman — 100% (2024)
• Qatar — 100% (2024)
• Saudi Arabia — 100% (2024)
• West Bank and Gaza — 100% (2023)

More education data for North America

• Primary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Secondary education, duration (years) — 6 (2025)
• Primary education, pupils — 26.2 million (2024)
• Secondary education, pupils — 28.14 million (2024)
• Secondary education, teachers — 1.89 million (2024)
• School enrollment, preprimary (% gross) — 70.3% (2020)
• Tertiary education, academic staff (% female) — 51.24% (2024)
• School enrollment, secondary (gross), gender parity index (GPI) — 0.98 (2020)
• Secondary education, general pupils — 27.5 million (2018)
• Secondary education, vocational pupils

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is North America's trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers)?

98.36% in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1999?

It is down 1.55 percentage points from 99.91% in 1999. The highest value was 99.91% in 1999 and the lowest 98.36% in 2024.

Is the latest change in trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers) unusual for North America?

In 2024, North America's trained teachers in secondary education (% of total teachers) fell 0.21 percentage points on 2023 (from 98.57% to 98.36%). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (2000 to 2023), the average change was −0.06 percentage points and a typical year strayed about 0.19 percentage points from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.8 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator SE.SEC.TCAQ.ZS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Data API, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), uri: https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/resources, note: The data are obtained through the UIS API. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

Want to ask your own questions of data like this? Try AnalyzeIt: upload a file or ask about public data in plain words, and every figure comes with its working.