According to a new Gallup poll, most Americans remain dissatisfied with the quality of their K-12 education. In fact, in the poll conducted August 1-20, 55% of respondents said they were “completely or somewhat dissatisfied,” while only 43% said they were “completely or somewhat satisfied.” While this is an improvement from the record low of 36% satisfaction in 2023, it is still one of the worst figures ever.
Gallup has been tracking public opinion about education in the U.S. since 1999. Satisfaction in 2024 is below the 25-year average of 45%.
Meanwhile, only 9% of Americans say they are “completely satisfied” with the quality of K-12 education, while 21% say they are “completely dissatisfied.”
Political leaning appears to influence satisfaction, with only 33% of Republicans satisfied with their education, compared with 53% of Democrats. The satisfaction gap between Democrats and Republicans was 20 points, the widest ever.
In addition to the quality of education, parents are also concerned about safety at school, with 44% of U.S. adults with elementary, middle, and high school-aged children saying they worry about their oldest child's personal safety at school — one of the highest levels Gallup has recorded in the past 25 years.
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While the Gallup poll doesn't explain why parents are so unhappy with the current state of education, the new poll data coincides with a dramatic shift in how K-12 education is delivered, with many parents opting for homeschooling, private education and public charter schools over standard public schools.
This comes at a time when many public school districts are doubling down on controversial curricula, offensive library books, and policies that promote critical race theory, LGBTQ doctrine, and other social agendas that are at odds with many parents.
In Alaska, roughly one in five public school students is currently homeschooled, while private and public charter schools are facing growing enrollment and long waiting lists.
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