Public Attitudes Toward Public Education

PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD EDUCATION Phi Delta Kappa and the Gallup organization surveyed a national sample of adults ages 18 and older from May 7 to June 10 on a wide range of issues involving American public education in their 44th annual poll on the topic. Among the questions: I What do you think are the biggest problems that the public schools of your community must deal with? Public School National Parents Lack of financial support 35% 43% Lack of discipline 8 3 Overcrowded schools Fighting/gang violence 4 Drugs 2 I Do you believe common-core standards would improve the quality of education in your community, decrease the quality of education in your community, or have no effect? National Totals Improve the quality of education 50% Decrease the quality of education 8 Have no effect 40 Don't know/refused I Are you in favor of or opposed to providing free public education, school lunches, and other benefits to children of immigrants who are in the United States illegally? National Totals Favor 41% Oppose 58 Don't know/refused 1 I In your opinion, what percentage of a teacher's evaluation should be based on how well his or her students perform on standardized tests-less than one- third, between one-third and two-thirds, or more than two-thirds? National Totals Less than one-third 35% One-third to two-thirds 40 More than two-thirds 23 Don't know/refused 2 I Suppose you were voting solely on the basis of a desire to strengthen the public schools. Who would you vote for in the presidential election this November- Barack Obama or Mitt Romney Republican Party Affiliation Democratic Party Affiliation National Independent Barack Obama 49% 8% 88% 41% Mitt Romney 44 88 7 46 Don't know/refused 8 46 13 I In your opinion, which is more important for the federal government to do in the next five years-balance the federal budget or improve the quality of the education system in the nation? National Republican Democrat Independent Balance the federal 60% 83% 37% 65% budget Improve the quality of education system 38 15 63 33 Don't know/refused 2 I Do you favor or oppose allowing students and parents to choose a private school to attend at public expense? National Totals Favor 44% Oppose 55 Don't know/refused 1 SOURCE: PDK/Gallup Poll