TOP 15FINDINGS

By the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice

edchoice.org/NationalSurvey2015

SCHOOLING INAMERICA SURVEY

FROM THE

2015

@edchoice

How many people rank education as the No. 1 issue facing America?

One out of six

1

@edchoice

How do Americans rate the federal government’s

performance in K–12 education?

Fair/Poor

Good/Excellent

77%

20%

2

@edchoice

Do Americans roughly know how much we spend per pupil on K–12 education?

The national average per-pupil spending amount is nearly $10,700.

Do

Don’t

3

14%

86%

@edchoice

How do public school parents rate their local public schools?

A or B C D or F

4

47%34%

17%

@edchoice

Which school type do Americans say they would prefer their children attend?

5

vs. actual enrollments:

PRIVATE SCHOOL

PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHARTER SCHOOL

HOME SCHOOL

41%36%

12%

9%

9.4%83.8%

4%

2.8%

PRIVATE SCHOOL

PUBLIC SCHOOL

CHARTER SCHOOL

HOME SCHOOL

@edchoice

What do Americans think about school vouchers before

hearing a definition?

6a

Favor Oppose

39%26%

@edchoice

After hearing a definition of school vouchers, do

Americans’ opinions change?

6b

Favor FavorOppose Oppose

61% 63%

33% 30%

General Public School Parents

@edchoice

How many Americans are unfamiliar with the concept of school vouchers?

Ourestimate:

35%

7

@edchoice

What are Americans’ top two reasons for supporting vouchers?

8

1.2.

Access to schools havingbetter academics (38%)

More freedom and flexibilityfor parents (28%)

@edchoice

What is the top reason people say they oppose school vouchers?

9

57% said because they “divert funding away from public schools”

That statement assumes the only destination for funding should be

public schools, which could be why our opponents use such phrasing. We believe education funding should follow students.

@edchoice

What do Americans think about education savings accounts (ESAs)?

10

General Public School Parents

66% of split-sample respondents said ESAs should be universal

62% Favor 63% Favor28% Oppose 27% Oppose10% Don’t Know /Refused

10% Don’t Know /Refused

@edchoice

What do Americans think about tax-credit scholarships?

11

Favor FavorOppose Oppose

60% 61%

29% 27%

General Public School Parents

@edchoice

What do school parents think of testing?

12

48% of school parents say kids spend 16 days or more—nearly one in 10 days of the school year—on standardized testing

47% of school parents say the amount of time spent on standardized testing is “too high”

@edchoice

When it comes to state government intervention in schools with low student

performance, how many Americans rate each of these solutions as useful for families?

13

said supply vouchers/scholarships

said convert them to charter schools

said replace personnel

said close the school

41%

26%

25%

18%

@edchoice

What do Americans think about Common Core State Standards?

14

General Public School Parents

50% Favor 47% Favor40% Oppose 46% Oppose10% Don’t Know /Refused

7% Don’t Know /Refused

Strongly Favor Strongly Oppose19% 24%

@edchoice

How do education interest groups influence voters with their

endorsements of political candidates?

15

POSITIVELY NEGATIVELY

VS.

Teachers’ Union

Teachers’ Union

Parent Advocacy

Group

Parent Advocacy

Group

46%25%

50%

16%

For more on this report, visit

edchoice.org/NationalSurvey2015

To contact the author,Research Director Paul DiPerna,

email paul@edchoice.org.