A new study by the American Federation for Children, conducted by Beck Research shows national support for school choice is overwhelming.
“This year, the concept of school choice is favored by a 69%-to-25% margin, which is the second year in a row with an increase, but support for Education Freedom Scholarship Legislation outpaces the general concept,” a memo in support of the study reads. “An incredible 78% back the federal tax-credit scholarship program, including 83% of both African-Americans and Latinos.”
School choice support overall:
“Generally speaking, would you say you favor or oppose the concept of school choice? School choice gives parents the right to use the tax dollars designated for their child’s education to send their child to the public or private school which best serves their needs.”
- 69% of all respondents support school choice as a concept.
- 68% of African Americans
- 82% of Latinos
- 71% of Millenials
- 82% of Republican Primary voters
- 48% of Democratic Primary voters
Education Freedom Scholarships proposal:
“The Education Freedom Scholarship is a federal scholarship tax credit that allows individuals and businesses to donate to in-state non-profit scholarship granting organizations that would provide scholarships for students to attend public, private, or career and technical schools of their choice.”
Total support for a federal scholarship tax credit was 78% ( up 9% from last year)
Again, support among minorities and young people was overwhelming. 83% of African Americans and Latinos support the idea, as do 78% of Millennials.
Democratic primary voters were much more in favor of scholarship tax credits than school choice at 67% and 77% of Republican primary voters supported the idea.
Kansas voters support accountability and choice
A December 2019 public opinion poll conducted by SurveyUSA on behalf of the Sentinel’s parent company, Kansas Policy Institute, found strong support for accountability among Kansas registered voters.
Asked if school districts should be required to provide legal certification that they’ve allocated sufficient money to instruction or in-the classroom spending for students to have the opportunity to achieve at grade level, 73% said yes and only 9% said no. Support for this type of accountability is strong across all geographic and ideological lines.
A plurality of voters also believes public schools be held accountable for the academic outcomes of their students, by allowing students in schools that are performing below grade-level to take their funding with them to a school of their choice. 44% said yes, 29% said no, and 27% aren’t sure.
