Throughout the year, my colleague Scott Foster and I are busy looking into what families and parents think, what they believe, and where they stand in relation to various education policies.
There’s one clear message across the country: families, not systems, should drive education.
From Iowa to Idaho and Georgia to South Carolina, polling shows broad agreement that parents deserve more flexibility and control over how and where their children learn. Together, these results point to a national realignment already reshaping education policy.
Below is a rundown of a national poll and a few state polls we’ve conducted late this summer and into the fall. To view all of these and more, visit: yeseverykidfoundation.org/insights
National: Trust Shifts to Families
A new national survey of registered voters finds 57% of voters say K–12 education is on the wrong track. And, mirroring similar reports from Democrats for Education Reform, Republicans (42%) and Democrats (44%) are statistically tied on who’s most trusted to handle education issues.
Public frustration cuts across party lines and parents are eager for something different.
- 74% say the system must become more flexible.
- 63% believe funding should follow the student.
- 62% would accept less funding for more freedom.
Nearly all voters—92%—agree education begins in the home, and 93% believe parents should take more responsibility. It’s a mandate to empower families, not bureaucracies. Read the full poll here.
Iowa: Voters Back $4,000 Education Tax Credit
Iowa voters want lawmakers to expand education freedom and establish a new $4,000 K–12 tax credit for families.
By the numbers:
- 75% back education freedom.
- 64% support the tax credit (only 25% oppose).
- 73% want lawmakers to keep pushing forward on reform (only 7% who say stop).
- 84% say improving K–12 should be a top priority for the next governor.
- 74% of K–12 parents are interested in using a tax credit.
The top messages driving support among Iowa voters:
- Access to quality options (54%)
- More freedom, less overreach (53%)
- Taxpayer savings (50%)
Iowa voters overwhelmingly support leaders who empower families and recognize education as a top issue heading into 2026. Find the poll memo here.
Idaho: Families Reward Leaders Who Deliver
In Idaho, voters overwhelmingly back the state’s new Parental Choice Tax Credit and lean into trusting families.
- 82% support education freedom (61% strongly).
- 64% approve of the new education tax credit.
- 77% of parents express interest, saying they would participate.
- 71% say it gives families more say in their child’s education.
Idahoans view choice as a tool for personalization, not polarization—and they notice which lawmakers make it possible. Check out additional details here.
Georgia: A Bottom-Up Revolution
Georgia Republican primary voters are calling for bold reform.
- 90% support school choice (73% strongly).
- 82% support the Georgia Promise Scholarship Act.
- 69% want it expanded to all students.
- 79% say improving K–12 should be a top priority for the next governor.
Education freedom is a winning issue and voters are rewarding leaders who treat families as partners, not passengers. Read the full poll results here.
South Carolina: Choice Becomes Campaign Currency
Travel north up I-95 from Georgia and you’ll find yourself in South Carolina, where education freedom has become a defining issue statewide.
- 87% of likely Republican primary voters support school choice.
- 73% are more likely to support a candidate who expands options.
- 79% back the Education Scholarship Trust Fund Program.
- 72% say President Trump’s support for universal school choice makes them more likely to support a like-minded candidate.
Education freedom has moved from policy debate to political expectation and voters are paying attention. Click here to read more.
The Bottom Line
Voters across the nation are aligned:
- Flexibility matters more than conformity.
- Funding fairness means dollars follow the child.
- Freedom is no longer partisan—it’s personal.
Families are leading. Policymakers are catching up.
And the education freedom movement has momentum on its side.
