by Scott Foster, director of education marketplace & insights
Last month, my colleague, Matt Frendewey, summed up the nearly 40 survey research projects conducted last year by yes. every kid. and yes. every kid. foundation. with a blunt conclusion: when it comes to education freedom, voters are well ahead of policymakers. Public opinion has moved; policy has not. That disconnect represents both a political risk for lawmakers who ignore it and a major opportunity for those willing to act.
Matt is correct. The question now is no longer whether the K–12 system needs to change. It is whether leaders are prepared for how far voters have already moved. Many clearly are not.
In my nearly 16 years conducting public opinion polling, I have never seen an issue where political elites are so out of step with the public as they are on education freedom. Across age, race and ethnicity, income, geography, and party, Americans overwhelmingly support giving families more choices and control over how their children are educated.
This is not ideological. This is not a fringe idea. This is a mainstream expectation today.
Yet too many lawmakers continue to act as if education freedom is controversial or risky, usually at the behest of entrenched interests invested in preserving the status quo. The data makes it abundantly clear it is not.
yes. evey kid. foundation.’s latest national survey shows overwhelming support for education freedom and family-first policies like open enrollment, education savings accounts (ESAs), and education tax credits. These are not political gambles; these are among the safest votes available to lawmakers who actually listen to their constituents. If politicians truly followed public opinion, education freedom would be moving faster in every state.
Why the resistance? Because education freedom exposes three uncomfortable truths.
First, the system is rigid.
Americans understand that children are different and that one-size-fits-all schooling doesn’t work. Nearly three-quarters believe families should be able to customize their child’s education, yet only a small fraction think the current K–12 system allows that. Parents experience this mismatch daily, and their patience is wearing thin.
Second, the system isn’t accountable.
For years, accountability has meant testing, compliance, and bureaucracy. Americans reject that definition. By large numbers, parents say schools need to be accountable to them, not to bureaucrats and third-party interests. Testing means little when parents lack real options. Accountability requires the ability to choose—and to leave—when a school isn’t delivering. When switching is difficult or financially impossible, accountability is an illusion, and nothing ever improves.
Third, the system isn’t working for many.
Gallup reports that just 35% of Americans are satisfied with K–12 education, a record low. Additionally, only 21% believe the system prepares students well for today’s jobs. Despite this, opponents of education freedom insist the answer is doubling down with more of the same. That argument asks families to ignore the data and their lived experience—and they are no longer willing to do so.
Americans support education freedom because they want our children to be prepared for their futures, not because they want excuses. Majorities believe policies like open enrollment, ESAs, and tax credits will improve education overall.
As we celebrate National School Choice Week and the children who have freedom, let us not forget that the direction of public opinion on education freedom is unmistakable. Voters are ready for an education environment built around giving all families in every state choice, customization, and true accountability.
So, the only real question is whether lawmakers are willing to side with their constituents or continue protecting the status quo. With the midterms quickly approaching, that choice will be impossible to avoid, and lawmakers who ignore their constituents won’t just be defying public opinion; they’ll be betting against it. The data is clear. And the political consequences will be, too.
This piece is part of a broader effort to elevate education options and family empowerment during the national January conversation on education freedom.
