Support for school choice and parents’ involvement in education is high in latest poll

How do Americans feel about school choice? Strongly supportive, according to a new poll by the American Federation for Children and Invest in Education.

According to the poll, 75% of voters affirmed that parents should be in charge of their children’s education, including most Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.

In addition, 77% supported education-savings accounts (ESAs) which offer tax advantages for funds that go toward students’ education at a non-public school.

“As we mark two years since the beginning of the pandemic, there has been a seismic shift in how parents think about education,” Invest in Education President Luke Messer and American Federation for Children CEO Tommy Schultz said in a statement. “Voters are also prioritizing education freedom and standing ready to make their views known at the ballot box.” 

The poll’s results were reported exclusively by National Review, which describes the survey as representative, conducted via telephone interviews with approximately 1,000 people from Feb 14-17.

The survey focused on parental involvement, financing education, scholarships, and failing schools – key areas in the school choice debate. 

Indeed, when asked whether parents should be able to remove their children from underperforming public schools to enroll them in academically successful schools, voters overwhelmingly said yes – with 83% of respondents agreeing, including 75% of Democrats.

The poll’s findings are similar to those in a survey conducted by the American Federation for Children earlier this year. In that poll, 72% of respondents favored school choice, including 58% of Democrats and 82% of Republicans.

As the pandemic wanes, the numbers indicate clearly that Americans’ support for school choice remains strong.