Poll Highlights American Attitudes About Education

The results of a poll conducted by Phi Delta Kappa International and Gallup were released today, revealing current American attitudes towards education, at both the high school and college levels.  The majority of respondents were in favor of increasing funding for and access to education at all levels.

According to the poll, 

 
• Americans increasingly believe that young people should not only finish high school, but that many of them will need to go to college to be successful.
 
• 87%  of respondents said they favor allowing students to earn college credits while still in high school.
 
• Americans favor an increased use of federal funds to finance public schools and also to support young people who have the desire and academic ability to attend college.
 
• 86% or respondents favored more state and federal student financial aid for students who have the ability and desire to attend college but not enough money.
 
• Americans are losing faith in standardized tests and believe there are better ways to measure a child's academic and other skills.
 
• Americans continue to have little faith in No Child Left Behind, with only 1 in 5 thinking it works well at is, and most respondents believing that American students continue to struggle to compete with other countries in terms of math, science, and reading ability.
 

 So if you wish your high school would offer more Advanced Placement credits and that colleges would place less emphasis on ACT and SAT scores, you are not alone.  The results of this survey serve to put more pressure on colleges, universities, high schools, and state and federal governments to provide more sources of financial aid to students, as well as to do more to ensure that students are attending college and getting the education they need.