A new poll of voters with school age children released by TN Parents for Public School Options found strong support for public charter schools from across racial and pollical affiliations.¶
That poll of 400 parents across the state last month by Public Opinion Strategies found 58 percent of respondents believe charter schools produce better results than traditional public schools, including nearly two-thirds of voters of color. A Comptroller analysis found more than 90 percent of charter students in Tennessee, are students of color.¶
Both Democrats (57 percent) and Republicans (58 percent) shared the opinion that charters produce better results. Just 12 percent of respondents though charters produce worse results.¶
Additionally, charter school parents expressed a 94 percent teacher satisfaction, higher than traditional public schools (84 percent) or private schools (91 percent).¶
“Public charter schools are providing new and unique educational opportunities, open to all students, in communities across Tennessee," said Tennessee Charter School Center CEO Elizabeth Fiveash. "It's exciting to see Tennesseans recognize the benefit these flexible, yet highly accountable, public-school options can offer through school environments tailored to the needs of local communities."¶
The poll also found 83 percent of parents support having access to charter schools and 77 percent support providing them with equal state funding.¶
In Tennessee non-profit organizations typically apply to local school districts to start new charter schools. This process has become a challenge for potential charter operators in Nashville, where school board members have denied every application for three straight years. The poll found 75 percent of respondents support giving charter school operators the ability to apply directly to the state, bypassing school districts that may have political biases.¶
TN Parents for Public School Options is a coalition of parents and education advocates in Tennessee partnering with the Tennessee Charter School Center, Nashville Charter Collaborative, and parent organizations like the Memphis LIft and Nashville PROPEL.¶
