Americans weigh in on public education in 44th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll
Biggest concern:
-
Common core standards:
Yes, they will make the U.S. more competitive and all schools more consistent. Respondents are split on whether new standards will improve the quality of their local schools
-
Achievement gap:
Readiness:
Evaluating teachers:
Yes, I volunteer in schools:
Charters, vouchers, parent option
- Americans not so sure high school grads are ready for work (more than 4 out of 10 say no)
- They feel good about teachers (7 out of 10)
- They are split about using students' state standardized test results in teacher evaluations
Biggest concern:
Funding – say 35 percent (number jumps to 43 percent of parent respondents)
-
Common core standards:
Yes, they will make the U.S. more competitive and all schools more consistent. Respondents are split on whether new standards will improve the quality of their local schools
-
Achievement gap:
- 89 percent say it is somewhat or very important to close gaps for black and Hispanic students.
- 70 percent say quality varies a great deal or quite a lot between school districts
- 62 percent are willing to pay more in taxes to improve urban schools
- Can schools close the gap while maintaining high standards? More than 8 in 10 say yes
Readiness:
“Today’s high school graduate is ready for world of work”
- 38 percent are neutral about that statement
- 44 percent disagree or strongly disagree with that statement
- Interestingly, more agree -- 54 percent -- with a statement that says high school graduates are ready for college
Evaluating teachers:
Should standardized test scores be used to evaluate teachers?
- 52 percent say yes; 47 percent say no
What percentage of a teacher’s evaluation should be based on student's standardized test scores?
- 53 percent say less than a third; 40 percent say one- to two-thirds
- FYI: Washington state's new system links student growth to three of eight evaluation criteria; student growth data must come from multiple sources and can include a variety of materials, not just standardized tests. Use of growth data remains a study topic for the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Pilot)
Do you have trust and confidence in public school teachers?
- 71 percent say yes
Yes, I volunteer in schools:
- Total: 27 percent
- Public school parents: 58 percent
Charters, vouchers, parent option
- Yes or no on charter schools? 66 percent favor
- Vouchers? 44 percent favor
- Should parents be allowed to petition to remove leadership or staff? 70 percent say yes
All I can say is that if people are so concern with the way teachers are teaching then give them tests and evaluations that mater. Just quit cutting funding to our schools and start giving more to our children's educations or were going to have dumb kids!!
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