Vanderbilt Poll finds economic anxieties relating to education, ‘no clear direction’ on school voucher issue

A new poll from Vanderbilt University notes that parents are growing increasingly concerned about not having enough money to support their children’s education, among other findings.

According to the semiannual Vanderbilt Poll, which gauged Tennesseans’ opinions relating to public policy, worrying about not having enough in savings for things like retirement or their children’s education has increased 17 points to 59 percent. 

In addition, the poll noted that Tennesseans believe education should be a top priority for state government, with 17 percent selecting it above all other issues. However, analysts said there is “no clear direction on the school voucher issue,” with 47 percent in support of vouchers and 44 percent opposed. Seven percent said they were neutral on the issue of using public funds to allow students to attend private schools.

Misalignment between elected officials and voters

Aside from gauging Tennesseans’ views on education, the poll also found that the percentage of Tennesseans who identify as pro-choice has climbed from 37 percent in 2012 to 48 percent a decade later in May 2022, despite the state’s widespread support for Donald Trump and the Republican Party. The poll also noted some “misalignment” between the public and state government’s action and inaction on issues including gun reform and legalization of recreational marijuana, both of which have bipartisan backing.  

“While much ink has been spilled about what the election results mean about the electorate, these results suggest little change in the opinions of Tennesseans, which means the misalignment between voters and elected officials continues,” said John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll.

According to the poll, Tennesseans are also divided on whether the state is on the right track (50 percent) or the wrong track (46 percent). It said Tennesseans’ views also vary greatly by gender, with 60 percent of men believing the state is on the right track, compared to 41 percent of women. Independents were roughly split on their view of the direction of the state. In addition, 75 percent of “non-MAGA Republicans” view the state as being on the right track – five points higher than MAGA Republicans – while 80 percent of Democrats think the opposite.  

This latest poll saw a “notable increase” among Republican voters who support Donald Trump, from 46 percent in May 2024 to 60 percent now.  Nearly half of all Tennesseans identify themselves as “conservative” or “very conservative” – a figure which has changed little over the past decade.   

“On the face of it, this would seem to indicate Tennessee is becoming more conservative, but the basic way people describe themselves – such as ‘conservative’ or ‘very liberal’ – hasn’t shifted in a decade,” said Vanderbilt Poll co-director Josh Clinton, who holds the Abby and Jon Winkelried Chair at Vanderbilt and is a professor of political science.

“The shift we see is almost certainly a statement about how the MAGA brand has overtaken the Republican brand in the state – especially coming off of a successful election. The policies Tennesseans support and the opinions they express have not dramatically changed since we have been tracking the views of registered Tennessee voters.” 

For more information on the poll and other findings, visit news.vanderbilt.edu.