Poll: Public Education, Poverty is a Top Priority

Communities In Schools and Public Opinion Strategies has completed a national poll of 1,200 likely 2016 voters focused on the issue of K-12 public education – an issue largely ignored during the current campaign, but one that ranks among one of the most important concerns for Americans today.

It is the first and most in-depth examination of K-12 public education issues during the campaign and takes the pulse of voters in swing states – Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Iowa, New Hampshire, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina.   

These key voters were asked to rate the influence of education and other domestic issues on their potential voting decisions;  highlight specific education issues they wish to hear about from the leading Republican and Democratic candidates; decide which party might do the best job in addressing those issues; and suggest an education question they’d liked posed to the candidates in upcoming debates.  

What did voters overwhelmingly tell us?

• 68% say improving K-12 public education should be a top priority for the next President  
• 76% believe it should be a top priority for all children to get a good education, no matter their economic circumstances. 
• 63% believe that student poverty is a barrier to achieving that goal.  
• 36% say they’ve heard the major candidates talk about these important issues