A new poll out this week reveals strong and growing support for public charter schools. Pollsters queried 600 N.C. voters between January 22-23, 2023, asking a range of questions about K-12 education and political views. The John Locke Foundation commissioned the poll and released it Thursday, coinciding with National School Choice Week 2023.
Charter support up 10% over last year
Poll findings show nearly 69% of N.C. voters support public charter schools. That’s a 10% increase in charter support in just one year. Now, just 21.5% of voters oppose charter schools. Here’s the screenshot from the poll.
Screenshot from “Survey of Likely General Election Voters,” John Locke Foundation, January 26, 2023.
The poll also found real bipartisan support for charter schools. Among Democrats, for instance, 55% support charter schools while nearly 80% of Republicans do. Over 70% of independent voters also support charters.
Strong dissatisfaction with K-12 education
Despite strong charter support, however, most North Carolina voters are unhappy with the quality of K-12 education. The John Locke Foundation’s poll analysis notes:
Support for school choice programs is high in spite of – or perhaps because of – North Carolinians’ displeasure with the current state of K-12 education in the state. When asked about the quality of elementary through high school education, two-thirds of respondents said they are “dissatisfied.” Of those with at least one child currently enrolled in K-12, an even higher percentage (68%) said they were dissatisfied.
In addition, more than 8 in 10 voters believe parents, not administrators, should be the ones to choose a child’s school. Here’s another screenshot from the poll.
Screenshot from “Survey of Likely General Election Voters,” John Locke Foundation, January 26, 2023.
Lindalyn Kakadelis, the Coalition’s executive director, released this statement about the poll findings:
Public charter schools are part of the public school family. Parents want and deserve a choice in deciding the best educational environment for their children. That’s glaringly apparent from charter school enrollment – which increased three-fold in just the past decade – and from poll after poll.
Find the full poll results here. See an article in Carolina Journal about the school choice findings.
