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Seven of 10 parents: I'd like my child to become a teacher.

This is one finding from a PDK/Gallup Poll released Wednesday, which gauges Americans' views on public schools.

By Stacy Teicher Khadaroo | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

from the August 26, 2009 edition

The majority of Americans give their local public schools good grades, but they rate US schools as a whole lower, expressing concerns about everything from paltry funding to high dropout rates.

In a poll released Wednesday, 45 percent also give President Obama an "A" or "B" for his handling of school issues. "They support his positions on early-childhood education, merit pay for teachers, charter schools, and the use of stimulus money to save teachers' jobs," said William Bushaw, executive director of Phi Delta Kappa International (PDK), in a phone call with reporters. His group, a global association of educators, helped conduct the PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools.

Support for Mr. Obama doesn't necessarily mean smooth sailing ahead, however, when Congress eventually takes up debate over reauthorizing No Child Left Behind (NCLB). That's the major education law passed with bipartisan support in 2001 under President Bush.

A majority (66 percent) approve of giving annual tests in Grades 3 through 8, as NCLB requires. But overall support for the law has declined in recent years, with 28 percent now viewing NCLB favorably and 48 percent unfavorably.

John Wilson, executive director of the National Education Association union, attributes the low rating to two factors: "The funding that was promised under No Child Left Behind never happened; and [there were] unintended consequences of schools [being] labeled failing" because parents often had a different perception of the schools, he said during the press call.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans now favor charter schools, although many are confused about how they operate. Charters have much more flexibility than traditional public schools, but less than half of the public understands that they are indeed public schools and are not allowed to charge tuition or teach religion.

The favorable view of charters may be based on anecdotes or on support from the Obama administration, says Kevin Chavous, who is an advocate for school choice as a distinguished fellow at the Center for Education Reform in Washington. "Charters now are viewed as part of the solution.... It means we have to break out of this one-size-fits-all paradigm," he says.

Americans show a high regard for teachers: Seven out of 10 say they'd like their child to become a public-school teacher, the highest proportion in 30 years. And they believe that beginning teachers in their community should earn about $10,000 more.

They also have high expectations: Seventy-four percent say there should be national standards for teacher certification. And 72 percent favor merit pay, with support bridging political parties. The top criteria people say should be used in determining merit pay include advanced degrees, students' test scores, and administrators' evaluations.

A bipartisan advisory panel determined the questions for the poll, which was completed by a nationally representative sample of about 1,000 adults in June. The PDK/Gallup Poll has been tracking opinions on education annually since 1969.

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Schools try to do more with less

Budget cuts and demands for improved student achievement test public-school administrators more than ever. But read here about how some scrappy innovators are passing that test with an "A."

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