PDK Poll 2021: A Glimmer of Hope
-
Date PostedSeptember 20, 2021
-
CategoryNews
The 2021 edition of the PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, an annual survey on public opinion on public K-12 education, presents its first results that include the coronavirus pandemic and offers “a glimmer of hope.”
“… Despite the challenges of the pandemic,” the announcement from PDK reads, “Americans continue to have high opinions of their local schools and teachers in particular. Similarly, respondents are highly confident overall in their local school’s ability to handle potential challenges in the new school year.”
The 2020 poll was conveyed in March of that year and did not include pandemic-related questions. For 2021, PDK altered its survey, “zeroing in” on the pandemic and concerns about the 2021-22 school year.
Consistent with the history of the PDK Poll, respondents are more confident in and feel more favorable towards their local schools than to the national education system.
Another notable finding in 2021 is a distinction between the public’s views on social-emotional learning (SEL) and the views of educators. Parent and other adult respondents placed greater importance on academics; educators rate SEL roughly equal in importance to academic learning.
Data and summary information for 2021 and prior years are available via the PDK Poll website.
The PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools has been produced annually since 1969 to collect and analyze data on U.S. opinion about public education. PDK International works to “strengthen the teaching profession by providing evidence-based resources, services, and supports to the current generation of educators and encouraging young people to consider and plan for a career in education.”
“… Despite the challenges of the pandemic,” the announcement from PDK reads, “Americans continue to have high opinions of their local schools and teachers in particular. Similarly, respondents are highly confident overall in their local school’s ability to handle potential challenges in the new school year.”
The 2020 poll was conveyed in March of that year and did not include pandemic-related questions. For 2021, PDK altered its survey, “zeroing in” on the pandemic and concerns about the 2021-22 school year.
Consistent with the history of the PDK Poll, respondents are more confident in and feel more favorable towards their local schools than to the national education system.
Another notable finding in 2021 is a distinction between the public’s views on social-emotional learning (SEL) and the views of educators. Parent and other adult respondents placed greater importance on academics; educators rate SEL roughly equal in importance to academic learning.
Data and summary information for 2021 and prior years are available via the PDK Poll website.
The PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools has been produced annually since 1969 to collect and analyze data on U.S. opinion about public education. PDK International works to “strengthen the teaching profession by providing evidence-based resources, services, and supports to the current generation of educators and encouraging young people to consider and plan for a career in education.”
