Fifteen years since the creation of the Louisiana Scholarship Program, a new poll finds only 30 percent of families are aware of the program. Despite the relatively low awareness, new research from Arc Insights found that 65 percent of parents support educational freedom and when asked to express what aspects of education parents want to control, 88 percent cited “what school my child attends.”
The new research, conducted during June 2023 and released by yes. every kid. foundation., paints a clear picture of parents who value varied educational options and portable education funding.
As policymakers think about creating new pathways for families, these insights demonstrate that families want control over where their children go to school, want to ensure access to the best teachers for their children, and that schools are imparting real-world skills.
Several notable themes emerge from the data:
Nearly half of parents are dissatisfied with education in the Pelican State overall, yet only one-quarter are dissatisfied with their own child’s educational experience.
Four-in-ten public school parents say their current public school was their only option, while almost two-thirds of parents are unaware that their state offers financial support for families to choose a better option. More than a third of parents are actively considering a new school today.
The survey also unearthed what motivates parent choices — private school parents, who reported that the reputation of the school (75 percent) and the values/beliefs of the school (64 percent) guided their decision most.
Of those who switched schools, 88 percent of parents said it was the right decision.
While many schools boast college going rates or test scores – families prioritize schools that provide their children with skills for the real world.
Few, if any, surveys exist to discern how and why Louisiana parents make decisions on how to educate their kids. With this poll from yes. every kid. foundation., leaders and policymakers in the Bayou State have a unique opportunity to empower these families with the decision-making they crave, but largely lack in today’s cookie-cutter education system.
