Poll shows more North Carolinians care about education

According to a recent survey by the good folks at Public Policy Polling, more North Carolinians consider education to be the state's top issue. Despite all the talk about the economy, the percentage of voters naming education as their top issue has more than doubled since last year. Increased public awareness of educational issues could be one explanation for North Carolina's recent spike in private school enrollment.

Among the poll's most interesting findings is the demographic to whom education matters most. Concern is greatest among young African American males who are self-described liberals. These results indicate a growing awareness of the achievement gap for low-income and minority students in our state's public schools. For African-American males, the statistics are particularly troubling. Studies show that fewer than half earn high school diplomas in four years, and black males are expelled at three times the rate of white male students. In light of such disparity, is it any wonder why educational reform groups refer to the parental school choice movement as a tool for social justice?

All in all, this survey quantifies what we already know: North Carolina's parents are concerned about their children's education. Home schooling and private schooling both are growing in our state, and legislation to raise the cap on charter schools recently passed in the NC House of Representatives. As concern about education grows, we can expect to see a steady push for more parental school choice and options for all of North Carolina's children.