Survey: Parents value life skills, support for school choice

By Esther Wickham
The Center Square

Americans and parents continue to value career readiness and life skills for their children and continue to support Education Savings Accounts for school choice, according to a new survey released by EdChoice and Morning Consult.

The survey also found that across the nation, more parents like the use of artificial intelligence at schools.

The findings come from monthly surveys conducted in partnership with Morning Consult between March and May. Researchers surveyed approximately 2,250 adults and 1,300 school parents nationwide each month.

Bullying was the leading reason parents reported switching their child’s school, cited by 33% of respondents, while 24% said they changed schools because their child’s academic needs were not being met.

The survey also found growing support for technology in education. Sixty percent of school parents said they support the use of artificial intelligence in classrooms, an increase of five percentage points since November. Support for cellphones in the classroom also rose by five points.

At the same time, there is a big divide on using AI in the classroom. More private school parents – 77% of them, in fact – supported allowing their child to use AI for school work than public school parents. For the latter group, 53% liked the use of AI.

“Schools are trying to figure out how to navigate that intersection, and the tech is moving so fast,” Colyn Ritter, a research analyst at EdChoice, told The Center Square. “I think that ambiguity in that time spent trying to figure out what’s the best way to navigate AI in the classroom is probably wearing a little bit on the parents, and they’re concerned, saying, ‘Why is my child using AI in one class, and then they’re not in the next? What’s the policy here?’ Whereas a private school can meet quicker, and they can figure out the policy quicker.”

Parents appear divided on whether schools are adequately preparing students for life after high school.

Around 50% of school parents said students are prepared to work effectively with others and navigate adult life. About one-third of Americans overall said students are well prepared in those areas.

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne believes that AI cannot replace teachers, but it can help them accomplish more.

Because AI is an emerging technology, it must be used carefully, Horne said in comments provided by Rick Medina, the Arizona Department of Education communications director, to The Center Square.

Only 28% of school parents said earning a four-year college degree is important for building a career.

Respondents placed greater importance on developing a strong work ethic and gaining real-world job experience. More than half, 54% of school parents, said their child’s K-12 school is doing a good job preparing students for careers and the workforce.

The survey also highlighted that 53% of parents deem a strong work ethic as essential, while 43% emphasized the value of gaining real-world work experience. About 35% highlighted the importance of mentors and professional connections and 30% of technical training programs.

Horne also emphasized the importance of preparing students for multiple pathways after graduation, including college and workforce entry. Career and Technical Education remains a major focus for the Arizona Department of Education.

“We have made it a priority to expand Career and Technical Education in Arizona, with the goal of helping students who do not choose college obtain a skill that will enable the student to get a well-paying job out of high school,” Horne told The Center Square.

Ritter said some parents may also be questioning whether increased public school spending has translated into better educational outcomes

“Public school spending has gone to the point where in New York, they’re spending $30,000 a kid. Do those parents feel like they’re getting a $30,000 education?” Ritter said.

Support for Education Savings Accounts for school choice has continued to be a bipartisan issue, and according to the survey, 77% of self-identified MAGA supporters and 75% of liberals and progressives expressed support for ESAs.

Ritter told The Center Square that the growing interest in ESAs reflects parents’ desire for more flexibility in how and where their children learn.

Unlike traditional vouchers, ESAs can often be used for a range of educational expenses, including homeschooling and private school tuition, among other things.