Over 60 percent of Americans are supportive of expanding educational freedom for students nationwide, according to a new poll conducted by YouGov on behalf of yes. every kid. foundation.
All three of the school choice policies included in the poll received support from at least 60 percent respondents, being backed by as many three-out-of-four K-12 parents.
This survey also found that 57 percent of voters rated education as having an importance between eight and ten, with Black adults (72 percent), dads (71 percent), and Democrats (67 percent) doing so most frequently. K-12 parents (66 percent) and moms (63 percent) closely followed.
Nearly two-thirds of those surveyed also agreed with the statement that “all children benefit from families having more control and choices in K-12 education.”
Although over fifty percent of all demographic subgroups agreed with this statement, favorability appeared strongest among dads (72 percent), Republicans (72 percent), K-12 parents (69 percent), moms (67 percent), the poor (67 percent), and the working class (66 percent).
While just less than 40 percent of Americans believe that “families can customize a K-12 education plan that meets the unique needs of each individual child,” 70 percent feel that they should be able to do so.
Further supporting this point, the survey shows that just over half of Americans do not think that families have the “flexibility” they need within the K-12 education system to meet the needs of their children, and over 70 percent are supportive of school choice policies that would make this system more flexible.
A strong majority of 63 percent also indicated that they feel improving flexibility would improve the nation’s overall education.
Across the board, support for increased flexibility was about ten percent higher among K-12 parents than in the population overall. That said, members of this subgroup were also more likely to say they currently see a “great deal” or “some” flexibility in education today.
Concerning how to specifically achieve this increased flexibility, YouGov surveyed Americans on a range of policy options, including open enrollment, education savings accounts (ESAs), and education tax credits.
The most popular option for expanding educational freedom was an open enrollment policy, allowing students to enroll in any in-state public school regardless of where they live.
Support is even higher among K-12 parents at 75 percent, and nearly the same among both Democrats and Republicans at 72 percent and 70 percent respectively.
When phrased differently — asking respondents if they supported “giving every child in the United States the ability to attend the public school in their state that best meets their needs” — support for open enrollment shot up to 83 percent, a figure that was relatively consistent across a number of different subgroups.
ESAs were revealed by this survey to be the second most popular form of school choice, garnering support from 63 percent of respondents. Support rises to about 71 percent among K-12 parents.
For the purposes of this survey, ESAs were defined as programs that allow “families to use the state funding that would have gone to their child’s public school to instead access the education that best meets their child’s needs.”
“Families can spend this money on private school tuition, online education programs, tutoring, curriculum, therapies and other direct education needs of the child,” the survey explained.
Over 70 percent of Americans believe that ESAs should be available to all students regardless of their family’s income, remaining over fifty percent among all listed demographic subgroups, with Black and Hispanic Americans coming in the lowest at 60 percent 57 percent respectively.
The third and final form of school choice included on this survey — a tax credit giving families money to spend on their children’s education — received support from 60 percent of respondents and 76 percent of K-12 parents.
The margin of error for the survey’s full sample is +/- 3.42 percent.
“This year’s results reinforce a powerful truth: Americans’ commitment to educational choice, flexibility, and customization isn’t a passing trend but a steadfast conviction,” said Matt Frendewey, Vice President of Strategy at yes. every kid. foundation.
“Despite ongoing national debates, the data reveal a genuine and consistent belief in expanding educational freedom, rooted in a desire to create opportunities for all children,” Frendewey said. “This report is a testament to Americans’ firm support for policies that prioritize each child’s unique needs, allowing families to shape their educational paths. These are enduring values, transcending politics and grounded in a commitment to a brighter future for every student.”
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