We know, we know: There are surveys and then there are surveys, and we take them all with a grain of salt. But here's another one we thought worth considering: According to a new report from the National Center for Education Statistics (which is part of the U.S. Department of Education and has a credible rep), the vast majority of teachers from the 1993 cohort targeted by NCES were happy with their jobs - at least the ones still there a decade after they started.

Even more striking: Fewer than 1 in 5 teachers had changed professions within four years of getting their bachelor's degree, a turnover rate much lower than commonly reported for teachers and relatively low compared to other professions. "I understand why schools and school districts are upset about losing teachers, but it is part of the normal sorting process" in a dynamic job market, NCES Commissioner Mark Schneider told Education Week.

- Ron Matus, state education reporter