The Incredible Shrinking Teacher Layoff continues.

* Oceanside, California – “OUSD to rehire at least half of laid off teachers”

* Ann Arbor, Michigan – “The board recalled all 191 laid-off teachers…”

* Chicago, Illinois – “…only 1,200 teachers will be laid off, instead of the 2,700 originally projected…”

* North Carolina – “State budget saves 1,600 teacher jobs, cuts spending”

Meanwhile, Congressional Democrats are trying to revive a $10 billion edujobs bill – this time with offsets.

In this flurry of job-saving activity, the U.S. Census Bureau yesterday released its annual report on public education finances. The figures carry us through the 2007-08 school year, and the two-year-old statistics show in stark relief how we reached this point.

Enrollment dropped nationwide by more than 45,000 students, and there was virtually no inflation in 2008. Nevertheless, per-pupil spending rose 6.1 percent to $10,259.

That year, 21.3 million people worked in the public sector at all levels of government. Six million of them worked in the public school system.

We spend more than a half-trillion dollars annually on public education, and school districts hold an additional $377 billion in debt.

Contrary to the belief of some, that money doesn’t come from a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. It amounts to $3,635 a year from the paychecks of each and every working American.

So while politicians and the education establishment negotiate for more money in the names of parents and students, it’s well past time they acknowledged the concerns of those who don’t qualify for the status of “education stakeholder.” They’re expected to meekly cover every raise and ask no questions.