WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, the American Federation for Children released its 6th annual nationwide survey of public opinion on school choice in honor of National School Choice Week next week. Results demonstrate that national support for school choice remains high and is growing.
As it relates to charter schools, 58 percent of Democratic primary voters, 60 percent of Millennials, 62 percent of African Americans, and 65 percent of Latinos surveyed confirmed they would be less likely to support a presidential candidate who aims to eliminate all federal public charter school funding.
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools President and CEO Nina Rees released the following statement:
“The American Federation for Children’s poll is a strong reminder that despite the increased negative rhetoric from opponents of charter schools, support for school choice is growing and communities care deeply about their right to choose the best school for their child. It is not a coincidence that families of color, particularly African American and Hispanic families, support greater school choice, including greater access to high-quality public charter schools in their communities. The data is clear — nearly 80 percent of parents want the option of choosing which public school their child attends. Stanford CREDO’s study shows low-income Hispanic students and low-income African American students stand to receive additional days of math and reading instruction each academic school year in an urban charter school. We must remember that parents vote with their feet, and support for charter schools is growing.”
