Public school parents overwhelmingly approve of the education their children receive, with 75 percent deeming that education either good or excellent, according to a nationwide poll conducted by Hart Research Associates for the American Federation of Teachers. The poll, released in September, also found that 79 percent of parents were satisfied that public schools are helping their children achieve their full potential.

According to the poll, 71 percent of parents prefer “a good quality neighborhood public school,” compared with 29 percent of parents who would rather have “more choices of which schools I can send my children to.”

“These results match what I hear from parents and communities across the country,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “It’s striking that the agenda being pushed by Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to defund public education and divert resources to vouchers and other privatization schemes — even when they are cloaked as ‘choice’ — is completely at odds with parents’ educational priorities.”

The results are the latest in a recent series of polls showing a growing public preference for public schools. A Gallup survey also released in September found support for public schools was up by 6 percentage points from 2016 and an Education Next poll conducted in May and June showed public support for charter schools fell by 12 percentage points over the previous year.

Education Week, Sept. 12