We’re proud to have partnered with the Charles Butt Foundation in its fourth annual survey of public attitudes toward public education in Texas. Parents are broadly satisfied with the quality of their child’s education, the survey finds, and the vast majority of Texans say a teacher of theirs positively impacted their life.
Given that goodwill, the poll finds strong, bipartisan support for increasing state funding for public schools, including specifically to boost teacher salaries.
There are challenges: Just 39 percent of Texans would like to have a child of their own take up teaching in the public schools, down 10 points in a year. Three-quarters think public school teachers are undervalued or disrespected by society; 66 percent see teachers as overworked.
On school safety, 53 percent of Texans see at least a moderate risk of a mass shooting event at a public school in their community. Among parents, four in 10 see at least a moderate risk to their own child.
The survey also covers Texans’ views on vouchers, the effectiveness of the standardized STAAR test, students’ belonging and inclusion and the public’s engagement with local public schools. See the full report, topline and methodology here, as well as coverage in The Texas Tribune, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the Texas Standard, the San Antonio Report, the Texas AFT and in county newspapers across the state.