American Families Want More School Choice

A new survey of likely voters in five key swing states found that respondents, especially nonwhite Americans, tend to favor expanded school-choice options.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping across the country, school closures have been one of the biggest challenges America has faced. As a result of the economic fallout from shutdown orders, some schools have had to close down permanently. Many have transitioned fully to online learning, a particular difficulty for working parents, and others have attempted to pioneer safe ways to reopen schools for in-person class this fall.

Against this backdrop, public debates over school choice have taken on a new sense of urgency, especially as objections from teachers’ unions and policies from local government have rendered many public schools unable to reopen. A new survey commissioned by the Manhattan Institute suggests that, in five key swing states, Americans are taking a new look at how increased school choice might benefit their families.

The poll was conducted by Rasmussen Reports between late August and early September, surveying about 5,000 likely voters in five key swing states: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Carolina. The survey found that between two-thirds and three-quarters of those voters support publicly funded K–12 school choice.