What Do Americans Think of Public Schools?

We are constantly bombarded by media portrayals of public schools in peril.  As a result, only 19% of respondents to a Gallup Poll in 2012 gave the nation's public schools an A or B grade. 


However, the closer to the schools in question the responders are, the more likely they are to approve of them.  When responding to the question about their local schools, respondents gave 48% of the schools an A or B.   And, when asked about their children's public school, 77% gave their school an A or B grade.  


The lesson is clear.  The more a citizen knows for himself or herself about the school, the more likely their opinion will be positive.  The more a citizen relies upon the media to form their opinion about public schools, the less positive they are.   Given the bombardment of anti-teacher and anti-school media stories, that's not really a surprise.

http://langleyeducator.weebly.com/uploads/1/5/3/1/1531550/when_talking_education_april_26_2013.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2013/07/19/five-basic-lessons-on-public-education-short-and-long-versions/