Americans’ opinion of the quality of K–12 education in the U.S. has declined, with only around 43 percent saying it satisfies them, according to a new Gallup poll.
As a new school year begins, survey respondents who are parents have a slightly more favorable opinion of American grade-school education generally than those without children. Almost half of parents, 48 percent, say they are “completely” or “somewhat” satisfied with the quality of the nation’s K–12 instruction.
When it comes to their own children more specifically, however, parents are much more confident: Seven in ten report that they are satisfied with with the quality of their oldest child’s education.
Over the last 20 years, American parents have consistently reported being more satisfied with their own children’s education than with education in the country as a whole.
The Trump administration has worked to boost the school-choice movement, which advocates allowing public education funds to follow students to the private, charter, or home school of their choice, thereby lessening the federal government’s involvement in childhood education.
Parents who have fought to have more say in the intellectual influences on their children were ecstatic with the appointment of school-choice proponent Betsy DeVos as education secretary. Meanwhile, critics have blasted the administration’s agenda.