To recognize National Teacher Appreciation Week and Day (May 4-8 and May 5, 2026), the U.S. Census Bureau released statistics highlighting educators nationwide.
Quoting President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 proclamation, the Bureau emphasized that teachers at all levels, from preschool through postsecondary, deserve national gratitude for their wisdom, sacrifice, community service, and dedication to students.
According to the 2024 American Community Survey estimates, there are 911,503 postsecondary teachers, 560,800 preschool and kindergarten teachers, 2,305,485 elementary and middle school teachers, 936,000 secondary school teachers, 318,642 special education teachers, and 409,843 other teachers and instructors—an additional 25,994 work as tutors.
The education workforce is broad and diverse, comprising not only teachers but also 143,256 librarians and media collections specialists, 14,536 library technicians, 775,970 teaching assistants, and 103,593 other educational institution and library workers.
Shifting focus from educators to students and innovation, Georgia Institute of Technology shared a video of first-year biomedical engineering Ph.D. student Ignacio Montoya seen walking in a self-balancing exoskeleton, an apparatus that recently earned first place at the College of Engineering’s FAIR Tech Student Innovation Competition.
According to the LinkedIn post, thirteen years ago, Georgia Tech was the last place Ignacio walked before his spinal cord injury.
Today, he’s back, redefining what is possible. Ignacio’s research and passion focus on shifting the physiatric paradigm from passive care to active participation, helping prevent long-term health decline caused by inactivity.
Similarly, to celebrate educational milestones, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, announced on LinkedIn that this spring the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC will reach a landmark: 500 program graduates have earned a Ph.D.
The milestone highlights the program’s success as the nation’s original model for increasing diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
UMBC has maintained its position as the national leader in producing M.D./Ph.D. graduates.
Between 2014 and 2024, UMBC alumni accounted for 15 percent of all such dual-degree recipients nationwide, far outpacing any other institution.
Continuing the theme of student impact and recognition, NASA announced in March that second-grader Lucas Ye’s design, "Rise," was selected by the Artemis II crew as their Zero Gravity Indicator.
The announcement was made at Kennedy Space Center, where Artemis II commander Reid Wiseman and his team explained they personally chose the design from a shortlist of 25 finalists.
Rise, a round white plush with a hat depicting the Earth, a galaxy, and rockets, was inspired by the iconic Earthrise photograph from Apollo 8.
The design was chosen from over 2,600 entries submitted from more than 50 countries in the Moon Mascot: NASA Artemis II ZGI Design Challenge.
The Museum of Flight, which aims to be the leading educational air and space museum in the world, explained on social media that during takeoff and landing, astronauts are strapped into their seats and cannot necessarily feel whether their bodies are being pulled towards Earth by gravity. They can get hurt if they expect to be weightless but are not!
When astronauts see their zero-g indicator float, they know they’ve left Earth’s gravity. You can see a zero-g indicator at the Museum of Flight.
Career Communications Group has announced that educators, STEM leaders, and community partners now have free access to Free AI Certification.
CCG, a leading talent development company, is opening access to an AI Certification program designed for middle and high school students, along with structured Teacher and Student Guides to make implementation straightforward in classrooms, after-school programs, or workforce initiatives.
The practical, test-and-learn framework introduces students to:
- Core AI concepts and real-world applications
- Ethical use and responsible innovation
- Hands-on exposure aligned with future workforce skills
For educators, the guides provide a pathway to integrate AI into curricula, with no advanced technical background required.
If your goal is to prepare students for a rapidly evolving digital economy, this is a ready-to-deploy starting point. Access the program and materials here.