PDK/Gallup Annual Poll Shows Disconnect Between Parents Hopes for Students and Actual Outcomes

American parents overwhelmingly -- and more than any other time in history -- want their  children to attend college, according to an annual poll jointly conducted by Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa International. The PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools has been conducted since 1969. The 2010 findings are based on telephone interviews conducted in June 2010 with a national sample of 1,008 American adults.

This year, approximately 92% of parents stated they believe their child will attend college. Unfortunately, the reality is that probably only 30% will begin college and even less will graduate. Although the Poll did not distinguish between parents of students with and without disabilities, this overall finding again raises the issue that students with disabilities tend to drop out at twice the rate of students without disabilities. While that figure has dropped slightly over the last 10 years, it remains a significant concern.

Some new trends identified by the Poll are the increasing support for charter schools, and thoughts about teacher performance. When asked, 68% of parents polled stated they favored charter schools and while they believed teachers should be judged to some degree by student achievement, they believe the primary purpose for teacher evaluations should be to help teachers improve and not to fire them. CEC has been working over the last two years to understand how charter schools and pay for performance will impact students with disabilities and the professionals who work on their behalf. To view CEC’s recommendations on these two topics, among others, view our ESEA Recommendations.