Satisfaction With K-12 Education Hits New Low
Story Highlights
- 32% of Americans satisfied with the quality of U.S. K-12 education
- K-12 schools rated worst on teaching critical thinking skills
- Record-low 66% of K-12 parents satisfied with child’s education
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans’ satisfaction with the quality of K-12 education in the U.S. has slipped to 32%, a new low in Gallup’s 27-year trend and down 11 percentage points over the past two years. At the same time, dissatisfaction has risen to a record high of 67%.
Satisfaction has averaged 44% since 1999. After peaking at 53% in 2004, it has only been above 50% once, at 51% in 2019.
Overall, 8% of U.S. adults are completely satisfied and 24% somewhat satisfied with the quality of K-12 education, while 36% are somewhat dissatisfied and 31% completely dissatisfied. These findings are from an Aug. 3-24 Walton Family Foundation/Gallup telephone poll.
Currently, 35% of Democrats, 32% of independents and 25% of Republicans are completely or somewhat satisfied with K-12 education. Democrats’ and independents’ satisfaction levels are record lows by three points and one point, respectively. Republicans’ satisfaction was lower only in 2023, during the Biden administration.
Although Democrats have often expressed higher satisfaction than Republicans with K-12 education dating back to 1999, Democrats are largely driving the recent drops in satisfaction. Since 2024, satisfaction among Democrats has fallen by 19 points, including by seven points over the past year, while independents’ satisfaction is down 10 points and Republicans’ is down six points.
