A new poll conducted for education non-profit Tennesseans for Student Success, shows strong support for public school choice and a generally positive view of public charter schools among minority Tennesseans in the Chattanooga and Knoxville media markets, including those identifying as progressive and moderate.
That poll was conducted by ARW Strategies this month involving 300 respondents with a 5.6 percent margin of error. A majority of those polled live in the two media markets and 68 percent identify as progressive or moderate.
Respondents overwhelmingly back public-school choice with 74.9 percent voicing support in the poll compared to only 14.6 percent not supporting. This support also extends to public charter schools for those who have an opinion on them.
41.3 percent of respondents had a favorable opinion of Tennessee’s public charter schools to 26.8% unfavorable. That net favorability of 14.5 percent was slightly higher than the net favorable rating for traditional public schools in the poll. Nearly 40 percent of respondents had no opinion of public charter schools which may be in part the result of both Knoxville and Chattanooga having only five charter schools combined in operation this school year. Additionally, 59 percent of those polled believe there should be more non-traditional public school options including public charter schools, magnet schools, and STEM schools in Tennessee.
When asked if parents would send there children to a school other than the one they are zoned for if they were financially able, respondents said they would be likely to at a 56 percent rate, compared to 32.3 for unlikely.
Respondents of the poll also stated they had cast their 2020 presidential ballots for President Joe Biden over Donald Trump 69-19 percent.
The poll also found that 29.5 percent of respondents cited education and children as the topic they want elected leaders to focus on. That’s 6 points higher than the 23.2 percent who listed price increases and inflation in the poll.
The Tennessee Firefly is a project of Tennesseans for Student Success.
