We evaluate public opinion on the sufficiency of school funding and teacher salaries in the United States, using a representative survey (n = 12,151). Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020/2021), with schools and teachers having a reduced role due to homeschooling. While opinions are diverse for sufficiency of school funding, most…

The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the attitudes, subjective norms, and behavioral intentions of Maryland state legislators regarding a tuition-free community college education in the State of Maryland. All members of the Maryland House of Delegates and the Maryland State Senate were surveyed. The theoretical lens, which guides…

"Varying Degrees" is New America's annual effort to gauge opinions about education after high school. In the four years since the publication of this survey, there has been an economic boom. This year, that boom came to an abrupt and tragic end. Unlike previous recessions, this one has been caused by a global pandemic, and it is unclear…

Americans' opinions about higher education are complex. Understanding this complexity is important for learning how to talk about the value of educational pathways after high school and crafting thoughtful policy solutions to meet the needs of today's students. This is the reason we engage Americans every year, asking questions other surveys do…

While New America's second annual survey about perceptions on higher education shows that Americans believe pursuing education beyond high school is important for career growth and economic security, they still feel that higher education is not fine the way it is, and that government should do more to make it affordable. "Varying Degrees…

This poll was conducted between June 15-June 21, 2022 among a sample of 2,198 adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. Among the key findings are: (1) School parents were much more likely in June than in May to…

This poll was conducted between November 10-14, 2022 among a sample of 2,200 adults. The interviews were conducted online and the data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on gender, educational attainment, age, race, and region. Among the key findings are: (1) In November, economic issues dominated voting priorities at the…

Americans believe in the tremendous potential of higher education--but they also feel that higher education is falling short of that promise. New America's inaugural annual poll about perceptions of higher education reveals a gap between what higher education could, and should, be and what higher education currently is. "Varying Degrees: New…

A comprehensive exploration of 21st Century school politics, "Teachers versus the Public" offers the first comparison of the education policy views of both teachers and the public as a whole, and reveals a deep, broad divide between the opinions held by citizens and those who teach in the public schools. Among the findings: (1) Divisions…