PDK/Gallup Poll Reveals Americans’ Agreement and Difference on Education Issues

AACTE Sheds Light on Entry Requirements for Teacher Preparation Programs

(August 23, 2012, Washington, D.C.) – The 44th annual Phi Delta Kappa (PDK)/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools was released yesterday, highlighting Americans’ points of agreement and difference on education across the political spectrum.

The accompanying report, Public Education in the United States: A Nation Divided, showed split opinions on issues such as whether teachers should be evaluated based on students’ standardized test scores and whether parents should receive vouchers to help their children attend private schools. There were also several shared views, including that the Common Core State Standards can have a positive effect on public education. For the third year in a row, 75 percent of Americans again expressed trust and confidence in public school teachers.