A new survey from Educational Testing Service (which has not yet been posted online by ETS but has already been reported in the USA Today) finds Americans souring somewhat on their public schools-and divided about the merits of No Child Left Behind. The percentage of parents who give U.S. public schools a grade of A is down six points from 2001, to 2 percent, and only 20 percent of parents give schools a B, down from 35 percent three years ago. But 45 percent of parents give schools a C, up from 33 percent in 2001. And Americans are equally divided on the merits of NCLB; thirty-nine percent have a favorable view and 38 percent an unfavorable. Of course, as Eduwonk notes, "there is less to these findings than meets the eye" since "the public tends to view things in the abstract less favorably than concrete examples they interact with regularly or ones close to home." However, the results of this survey do suggest that NCLB is having an effect on education perceptions-and the field is wide open for both candidates to seize the offensive on this issue in an election year.
"Parents take schools to task," by Greg Toppo, USA Today, June 21, 2004
"Mystery poll explained!," Eduwonk.com, June 24, 2004