Perspectives From the Public: Examining the Quality of K-12 Education
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By the VCU Wilder School Office of Research and Outreach
December 4, 2023
K-12 schools throughout the United States play a pivotal role in society. They provide students not only with factual information about our world, but also develop critical thinking skills, foster emotional intelligence, provide opportunities for students to explore their various interests and serve as a social outlet for many. However, opinions on the quality and usefulness of public education can vary greatly. To get a better understanding of how the public views our K-12 education system, the Wilder School Commonwealth Poll frequently includes education-related questions in our survey.
During the summer of 2018, the Commonwealth Poll sought public opinion on the extent to which public high schools in Virginia were doing a good job (or not) in preparing students for future work and education in various areas. This poll obtained interviews with a representative sample of 802 adults, ages 18 or older, living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline and cellphone from July 10 – 30, 2018. The margin of error was +/- 3.49 percentage points.
Key findings included:
- Fifty-seven percent of Virginians said that public high schools were doing a good job producing graduates in scientific fields,
- Forty-nine percent of Virginians said that public high schools were doing a good job preparing students for the workforce needs of the future,
- Forty-seven percent of Virginians said that public high schools were doing a good job developing students’ writing and communication skills,
- Forty-five percent of Virginians said that public high schools were doing a good job providing the skills useful to students in obtaining a job and
- Forty-five percent of Virginians said that public high schools were doing a good job preparing students to be engaged citizens.
Later, the January 2023 Commonwealth Poll found that more than four in 10 Virginians believe school-aged students in their community are falling behind their peers in other states in reading and math proficiency, and only 35 percent said that they believe school aged children are on track or ahead in reading and math proficiency compared to their peers in other states.
This poll obtained telephone interviews with a representative sample of 807 adults, ages 18 or older, living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline and cellphone from December 3 to 16, 2022. The margin of error was +/- 5.81 percentage points.
Political affiliation, race and age had the strongest impact on views of educational performance. Republicans, African Americans and those 35 to 54 years old believed children were falling behind in math and reading, while Democrats, Hispanics and those 18 to 34 years old thought that children were ahead or on track in math and reading proficiency compared to peers in other states.
“Virginians feel that our youngsters are not getting the basics of learning,” said L. Douglas Wilder, the 66th governor of Virginia. “Over 40 percent of respondents believe school-aged students are still falling behind their peers in other states in reading and math proficiency.”
What can policymakers and educators do to help keep students on track and inspire more confidence in our public K-12 schools? One option is to explore alternate methods of providing public education if and when the public is not satisfied with current offerings. In January 2022, the Commonwealth Poll found that more than half of Virginians (52 percent) supported increasing the number of charter schools (which are publicly funded but privately run) in the state, while 34 percent opposed an increase. While charter schools are becoming more popular across the country, they are also controversial, with some fearing that they lack oversight in their teaching methods and curriculum and pull funding from other public schools. Those who support charter schools say that they provide students with another option and can be more aligned with the values and learning styles of students; advocates for charter schools also say that their small, local focus and smaller bureaucratic structure allows them to better meet community needs than traditional public schools.
In addition, in July 2022, over half of poll respondents (56 percent) said that they would support allowing the establishment of college partnership laboratory schools in Virginia. With this type of school, public institutions of higher education as well as select private institutions of higher education would establish a public school with a specific focus.
While the importance of providing a high-quality K-12 public education for all students is clear, not everyone agrees on the best way to ensure this provision. By considering data from the Commonwealth Poll and other public policy polls, policymakers and educations will have access to the information they need to make decisions that are, ideally, reflective of the needs and wishes of those they serve.
Author: The Wilder School’s Center for Public Policy advances research and training that informs public policy and decisionmaking to improve our communities. Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of Wilder School faculty, we provide services including leadership development and training, economic and policy impact analysis, survey insights and program evaluation to clients in governments, nonprofits, businesses and the public, across Virginia and beyond. Twitter: @VCUWilderSchool
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Perspectives From the Public: Examining the Quality of K-12 Education
The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.
By the VCU Wilder School Office of Research and Outreach
December 4, 2023
K-12 schools throughout the United States play a pivotal role in society. They provide students not only with factual information about our world, but also develop critical thinking skills, foster emotional intelligence, provide opportunities for students to explore their various interests and serve as a social outlet for many. However, opinions on the quality and usefulness of public education can vary greatly. To get a better understanding of how the public views our K-12 education system, the Wilder School Commonwealth Poll frequently includes education-related questions in our survey.
During the summer of 2018, the Commonwealth Poll sought public opinion on the extent to which public high schools in Virginia were doing a good job (or not) in preparing students for future work and education in various areas. This poll obtained interviews with a representative sample of 802 adults, ages 18 or older, living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline and cellphone from July 10 – 30, 2018. The margin of error was +/- 3.49 percentage points.
Key findings included:
Later, the January 2023 Commonwealth Poll found that more than four in 10 Virginians believe school-aged students in their community are falling behind their peers in other states in reading and math proficiency, and only 35 percent said that they believe school aged children are on track or ahead in reading and math proficiency compared to their peers in other states.
This poll obtained telephone interviews with a representative sample of 807 adults, ages 18 or older, living in Virginia. Telephone interviews were conducted by landline and cellphone from December 3 to 16, 2022. The margin of error was +/- 5.81 percentage points.
Political affiliation, race and age had the strongest impact on views of educational performance. Republicans, African Americans and those 35 to 54 years old believed children were falling behind in math and reading, while Democrats, Hispanics and those 18 to 34 years old thought that children were ahead or on track in math and reading proficiency compared to peers in other states.
“Virginians feel that our youngsters are not getting the basics of learning,” said L. Douglas Wilder, the 66th governor of Virginia. “Over 40 percent of respondents believe school-aged students are still falling behind their peers in other states in reading and math proficiency.”
What can policymakers and educators do to help keep students on track and inspire more confidence in our public K-12 schools? One option is to explore alternate methods of providing public education if and when the public is not satisfied with current offerings. In January 2022, the Commonwealth Poll found that more than half of Virginians (52 percent) supported increasing the number of charter schools (which are publicly funded but privately run) in the state, while 34 percent opposed an increase. While charter schools are becoming more popular across the country, they are also controversial, with some fearing that they lack oversight in their teaching methods and curriculum and pull funding from other public schools. Those who support charter schools say that they provide students with another option and can be more aligned with the values and learning styles of students; advocates for charter schools also say that their small, local focus and smaller bureaucratic structure allows them to better meet community needs than traditional public schools.
In addition, in July 2022, over half of poll respondents (56 percent) said that they would support allowing the establishment of college partnership laboratory schools in Virginia. With this type of school, public institutions of higher education as well as select private institutions of higher education would establish a public school with a specific focus.
While the importance of providing a high-quality K-12 public education for all students is clear, not everyone agrees on the best way to ensure this provision. By considering data from the Commonwealth Poll and other public policy polls, policymakers and educations will have access to the information they need to make decisions that are, ideally, reflective of the needs and wishes of those they serve.
Author: The Wilder School’s Center for Public Policy advances research and training that informs public policy and decisionmaking to improve our communities. Drawing on the wide-ranging expertise of Wilder School faculty, we provide services including leadership development and training, economic and policy impact analysis, survey insights and program evaluation to clients in governments, nonprofits, businesses and the public, across Virginia and beyond. Twitter: @VCUWilderSchool
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