Voters Agree K-12 Education Is Off Track, Oppose Eliminating the Department of Education
By Marissa Farmer
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares for a second term, his proposal to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education has sparked renewed debate over the federal government’s role in education. Established in 1979, the Department of Education oversees key programs such as Pell Grants, Title I school funding, and special education initiatives. Abolishing the department has been a long-standing goal for some Republicans, and last week a Republican senator introduced a bill to do just that.
A new Data for Progress survey analyzed voter perceptions of the current K-12 education system and tested support for Trump’s proposal to eliminate the Department of Education.
The survey indicates that a majority of likely voters (62%), including parents of children under 18 (55%) and members of teacher households (58%), believe the K-12 education system is going in the wrong direction. Teacher households consist of voters who either are or live with current or retired K-12 teachers or administrators. Data for Progress also finds that voters across party lines agree the education system is going in the wrong direction: 50% of Democrats, 66% of Independents, and 70% of Republicans share this sentiment.
Although a central part of Trump’s education agenda involves closing the Department of Education, 53% of voters, including 75% of Democrats, 57% of Independents, and 31% of Republicans, oppose this action. Voters from teacher households and parents of a child under 18 also oppose eliminating the department by a -13-point and -5-point margin, respectively.
When asked whether the lack of funding for K-12 schools or “wokeness” and anti-American ideas pose the greater threat to public K-12 education, 52% of likely voters, including a majority of Democrats (70%) and Independents (53%), point to schools and teachers lacking funding and resources needed to support students. Moreover, 65% of respondents from teacher households and 56% of parents of children under 18 share this belief.
Voters across partisanship, including parents of children under 18 and respondents from teacher households, largely agree the K-12 education system is going in the wrong direction. Additionally, a majority of voters oppose eliminating the Department of Education and view a lack of funding and resources as a threat to public education. Therefore, lawmakers should prioritize education policies that address these gaps and prepare students for the future.
Marissa Farmer is a polling intern at Data for Progress.