The 30th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools |
THE PUBLIC'S KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL SCHOOLS
The question of how well informed respondents feel about the local public schools was last asked in 1987. During this interval, the public feels it has become much better informed, with those rating themselves well informed rising from 15% to 31% and those rating themselves as fairly well informed rising from 39% to 42%. This means that 73% of respondents now consider themselves to be either well informed or fairly well informed about the local schools. It is somewhat surprising that those with no children in school feel almost as well informed as do public school parents. This is a major change since 1987. Groups most likely to consider themselves well informed include nonwhites (40%) and college graduates (42%).
The question:
Would you say you were well informed, fairly well informed, or not well informed about the local public school situation?
| National Totals |
No Children In School |
Public School Parents |
Nonpublic School Parents | |||||
| '98 | '87 | '98 | '87 | '98 | '87 | '98 | '87 | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Well informed | 31 | 15 | 29 | 12 | 36 | 25 | 23 | 16 |
| Fairly well informed | 42 | 39 | 41 | 33 | 44 | 51 | 39 | 47 |
| Not well informed | 26 | 41 | 28 | 48 | 20 | 23 | 33 | 34 |
| Don't know | 1 | 5 | 2 | 7 | * | 1 | 5 | 3 |
| *Less than one-half of 1%. | ||||||||
TOPICS:
Introduction to the Poll
Public Versus Nonpublic Schools
Grading the Schools
Effectiveness of Public Schools
Improving the Nation's Inner-City Schools
Politics and the Public Schools
Problems Facing the Public Schools
School Operation/Curriculum
Impact of Unions
The Public's Knowledge of Local Schools
Confidence in Institutions
Closing Comments
How to Order the Poll
Research Procedure
Sampling Tolerances
Design and Composition of the Sample
Conducting Your Own Poll
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