Survey: Voters dissatisfied with K-12 achievement results, want choice and local decisions

(The Sentinel) – A pre-election poll of 1,000 registered voters nationwide by the yes. every kid. foundation found overwhelming discontent with the direction of public education today but even greater support for open enrollment, which allows students to attend the school of their choice. 

Open Enrollment is debuting this school year in Kansas.

This summer, yes, every kid. sponsored an event in Topeka at the historic Brown v. Board of Education Museum, which called for an end to school boundaries and true open enrollment.

The findings of the survey:

• Voters believe education is off track. By nearly 2:1, voters say K-12 education is headed in the wrong direction (56% vs. 31%).
• Republicans have an opportunity to lead on education. While Democrats have historically been more trusted on education, the gap is closing: 47% of voters now favor Democrats, while 42% trust Republicans on the issue.
• Local control matters. Three-quarters of voters believe the federal government should fund schools, but only 28% think it should dictate spending. Only 12% cite the U.S. Department of Education as who they trust most to decide how federal K-12 education money is spent.
• There is support for federal block granting K-12 funds. A majority (55%) favor block granting federal funds to states. Support grows to 59% with more information.
• Public school open enrollment is immensely popular. With 58% in favor, nearly twice as many voters support ending assigned school zones as those opposed, saying every child should access the best public school for them.

The group’s Vice-President, Matt Frendewey, offered this comment on the survey results:

“Voters want less federal control and more flexibility in education. They trust states, communities, and families—not Washington—to make the right choices for students. This is a call to create policies that empower families and give every child the opportunity to thrive.”