When Americans are polled on education, the largest group of voters dissatisfied with public education is usually Republican voters.
But according to a new Gallup survey, a growing number of registered Democrats are disenchanted with the current education climate in the U.S.
Gallup survey shows that only 32% of Americans are pleased with the K-12 education system, with 66% not satisfied. That’s a record low.
In fact, Gallup says Americans’ satisfaction with the quality of K-12 education in the U.S. dropped by 11% over the last 2 years.
In 2026, Democrats (35%), independents (32%), and 25% of Republicans said they were completely or somewhat satisfied with K-12 education.
But beneath the numbers, more Democrats and independents are turning against the public education status quo.
“Although Democrats have often expressed higher satisfaction than Republicans with K-12 education dating back to 1999, Democrats are largely driving the recent drops in satisfaction. Since 2024, satisfaction among Democrats has fallen by 19%, including by seven points over the past year, while independents’ satisfaction is down 10 points,” said Gallup.
Why the low ratings from voters?
Gallup says among K-12 parents, 38% rate schools positively for preparing students to work effectively with others, 37% for college readiness and 34% for effectively using AI tools. Only 30% of those surveyed felt good about the education system when it came to preparing students to think critically (29%) and preparing them for the world of work (27%).
