Public support is growing for teacher pay raises.
Support is also growing for charter schools and vouchers.
These are just a few of the findings from an extensive national survey released Tuesday by Education Next, a Cambridge, Mass., think tank.
A few key results:
- When told about average salaries in their state, 49 percent of respondents said teachers should be paid more, while 44 percent said salaries should stay the same and 7 percent said pay should decrease. A year ago, only 36 percent of respondents supported raises. And in states where teachers went on strike over salaries earlier this year, respondents are more likely to support raises.
- When told about local per-pupil spending levels, 47 percent of respondents said their schools should receive more money, while 43 percent said funding should stay roughly the same and 10 percent supported a funding cut. A year ago, only 40 percent of respondents supported a spending increase.
- Forty-four percent of respondents support charter schools, up from 39 percent a year ago. Thirty-five percent of respondents were opposed.
- Fifty-four percent of respondents support school vouchers, up from 45 percent the previous year. Republican respondents are more likely to support vouchers and charters.
- Asked about life after high school, 86 percent of respondents said they believe their children will be very prepared or somewhat prepared for college-level work.
Click here for the Education Next report, and click here for an interactive link.
Education Next is aligned with the Harvard Kennedy School.
