CER Press Release
Washington, DC
December 9, 2013

Majorities of Americans support education policies that promote accountability, according to a nationwide survey released by The Center for Education Reform.

“It is rare to find an issue that 86 percent of Americans can agree on, but in education, it’s accountability,” said Kara Kerwin, president of The Center for Education Reform. Eighty-six percent of respondents to the survey of America’s Attitudes Towards Education Reform think that public schools should have the ability to fire a poorly performing teacher.

“This in-depth look at attitudes towards education confirms that everybody understands that if those responsible for educating our kids are not performing at their job, they need to be held accountable, and schools should have a hand in enforcing that accountability,” said Kerwin.

“Establishment forces and special interests realize the tide of public opinion is turning in favor of increased accountability and access to educational options, which is why their stranglehold over a failing education system can finally start to diminish,” said Kerwin. “What is clear from these results is that the American people want power and they want options. It’s time for policymakers to listen to public opinion and recognize the deficiency of the status quo.”

The survey results released today come on the heels of a social media campaign to #DeliverthePromise and set the record straight on widespread support for transformational school reform. This body of data entitled “Public Support for Accountability in Schools,” is the first in a series of analyses on America’s Attitudes Towards Education Reform to be released in the coming weeks.