Number Saying Public Schools Are Doing Well Falls 8 Points Since August

Publication Date: 12/09/2025 5:00 AM CST

Number Saying Public Schools Are Doing Well Falls 8 Points Since August

Publication: 12/09/2025 5:00 AM CST

Member Content

The content you are trying to access is currently only available to Gold Circle Members. If you are a member, please log in to view.

To learn more about becoming a Gold Circle Member, please refer to our membership page.

Full Toplines: RESTRICTED

Full Crosstabs URL: RESTRICTED

Toplines are free for use after embargo, if any. Crosstabs are confidential and not for public release. However, you may cite specific demographic data from these reports.
For any data released, please cite Napolitan News Service.

Public Content

Half (51%) of registered voters rate the public schools in their area as Good or Excellent regarding the way the schools teach students to read, write, and possess other basic skills needed to get a good job, and function as an adult in society.
- This is down 8 points from August, but up 2 points from March.
- Fewer (17%) rate the schools as Poor.
- Six in 10 Democrats (60%) rate their public schools as Good or Excellent. A plurality (48%) of Republicans say the same.
Almost half (49%) agree that everyone who graduates from public high schools in their area can read, write, get a good job, and function as an adult in society.
- One third (35%) disagree, and 16% are not sure.
- Democrats (52%) and Republicans (48%) are fairly aligned in their agreement on this topic.
In some states, non-profits have been established to provide scholarships for children to attend schools other than their local public schools. Individual donations (not taxpayers) fund the scholarships.
- A large majority (80%) favor these scholarships, with 39% Strongly favoring them.
- Eighty-five percent (85%) of Republicans and three quarters (76%) of Democrats favor the scholarships.
- Most voters with children at home (86%) favor the scholarships.
Recently, the federal government created a $1700 tax credit for people who make contributions toward such scholarships for children. The tax credit is only available for contributions to state-approved non-profits that distribute the scholarships, not to individual children or schools.
- A majority (61%) of voters favor the tax credit, with 19% Strongly favoring it.
- Just 26% oppose the credit, with 8% Strongly opposing it.
- Two thirds (67%) of Republicans favor the tax credit for scholarships, and 59% of Democrats favor it.
- More voters with children at home (72%) than those without children at home (57%) favor the credit.
- A plurality of voters (44%) say the $1700 credit is an appropriate level, and 31% say it should be increased.

This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, December 3-4, 2025. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.