Even as American students continue to post underwhelming results on international exams, most parents are pleased with the education their child is receiving.
A poll from Gallup released Thursday found that 75 percent of parents would describe themselves as somewhat or completely satisfied with their child’s education. Last year, 67 percent of parents said the same, the lowest since 1999.
The positive results come in a year when groups of parents around the country have rallied against the Common Core State Standards, a new set of math and reading benchmarks designed to make sure kids around the country are on the same track. The standards, which were adopted in a majority of states, are currently undergoing implementation around the country.
In another recent poll conducted by PDK/Gallup, 62 percent of parents said they oppose the standards being taught in their community. Reasons for opposition to the standards vary. Some conservative-leaning parents have called the Common Core an example of federal overreach, since the federal government incentivized states to adopt the standards. Others take issue with high-stakes standardized tests associated with the Common Core.
Forty-seven percent of parents from another recent Gallup poll said they had heard a great deal or a fair amount about the Common Core. Only 19 percent said they had heard nothing at all. Last year, 55 percent of public school parents said they were uneducated about the standards.
Just as parents’ reported satisfaction with their child’s education came up from 2014, the American public reported more favorable opinions on education overall. Compared to last year when 45 percent of Gallup respondents said they were satisfied with the American K-12 education system, 48 percent said they were satisfied this year — the highest level since 2004.
Once again, the results come even as other polls show that general support for the Common Core has plummeted. A recent poll from the Harvard education journal Education Next, found that 53 percent of respondents expressed support for the Common Core in 2014, compared to 65 percent in 2013.
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