Voter support for public schools over private school vouchers runs deep and across party lines according to a new survey from All4Ed.
Support for school vouchers is often a matter of how the question is asked. All4Ed’s survey gave respondents a choice between two statements:
We should increase funding to give parents vouchers so they can send their child to the school that best meets their needs.
We should increase funding to improve public schools so that they better meet the needs of students for the jobs and careers of the future.
Among Democrats, 82% chose the second statement. Among Republicans, support for the public school option was still high, with 58% choosing the second option. Among GOP voters only 34% chose the voucher option. This fits with election results, which found vouchers defeated, even in states that went overwhelmingly for Donald Trump.
When it comes to the Trump administration’s goal of eliminating the United States Department of Education, the majority of voters are not supportive. 18% of Democrats oppose eliminating the department, and only 39% of Republicans agree. Even Trump voters were split evenly between eliminating or keeping the department. Eliminating the department already looks to be a tough task requiring 60 Senate votes in favor. A lack of deep public support would not help.
Despite the support for public education, the survey also found that the majority of voters gave the government negative ratings on preparing students for either college or the workforce. Voters are not showing confidence in government’s pursuit of its decades old goal of college and career readiness.
Looking back at the election (the survey was taken between October 30 and November 5), 55% of voters said they heard too little about education from the candidates (3% said they heard too much). 19% supported decreased funding when it’s described as “tighten our belt,” but only 10% support it when it’s worded as “cut funding.”
There is a partisan gulf when it comes to approval of post-secondary education choices. While everyone shows high approval for two-year colleges, Democrats showed twice the approval level of Republicans for four-year colleges and universities and public colleges and universities.”
Voters strongly supported connections between high school and future employment, including apprenticeships and internships as well as partnerships “across schools, colleges, and employers to ensure students are prepared to navigate life after high school
The survey asked voters if they would be more likely to vote for a Presidential or Congressional candidate who made increasing funding for public education a campaign priority. Democrats overwhelmingly said yes to both (78% and 75%) while Republicans did not (22% and 18%)
One question highlights the impact of particular wording of survey questions. Asked what they would prefer is their state had a budget deficit that threatened funding for public schools, the majority favored more taxes on corporations and the wealthy.
All4Ed is a national non-profit advocacy organization “committed to expanding equitable educational opportunities for students of color, students from low-income families, and other marginalized groups.” Founded in 2001 as the Alliance for Excellent Education, they changed names in 2021. The group was founded by Dan Leeds, president of Fulcrum Investments, LLC, and with his wife Sunita, founder of many education reform-related organizations.
Funders for All4Ed include the Gates Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and the Joyce Foundation. Their list of national partners includes the Christensen Institute, the PTA, the AFT, ExcelinEd, iNACOL the National School Boards Association, the NEA, and the Data Quality Campaign.
The partners for the survey were Lake Research Partners and the Tarrance Group.