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Public Satisfaction With U.S. K-12 Schools Falls to Record Low

Experts say the slide reflects pandemic learning losses, growing partisan disagreement and rising doubt about schools' ability to teach critical thinking or ready students for work.

FILE - The headquarters of the U.S. Department of Education, March 12, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
An image collage containing 1 images, Image 1 shows Rear view of a girl with braided hair in a classroom with other students and a teacher in front of a whiteboard
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Overview

  • The Gallup/Walton Family Foundation poll released Tuesday found just 32% of U.S. adults are satisfied with K-12 schools while 67% are dissatisfied, the lowest reading in Gallup's 27-year trend.
  • Democrats drove the recent decline with satisfaction down about 19 points since President Trump's second term began in 2025, while independents and Republicans also registered double-digit and modest drops respectively.
  • About two-thirds of parents with school-age children said they are satisfied with their own child’s education, a far higher rating than the national view but still a low point for parents in recent years.
  • When asked about specific outcomes, roughly 2 in 10 rated schools 'good' or 'excellent' at teaching critical thinking or preparing students for the workforce, while 44% gave high marks for preparing students to adapt to new technologies.
  • Analysts point to long-term effects from COVID-19 school closures, falling national test scores and heightened political scrutiny of curricula and federal education policy as drivers of public distrust, a dynamic that could sharpen debates over school choice and federal oversight.