After a substantial drop in support for charter schools last year, the 2018 EdNext poll finds that public backing for charter schools has increased by 5 percentage points this past year, to 44%, with 35% opposed. Among teachers, however, support for charter schools has fallen from 40% to 33%. White respondents (42%) are nearly as supportive as black (46%) and Hispanic (49%) ones, but uptick in charter support is concentrated almost entirely among Republicans, whose support jumped to 57% from 47%. As a result, the charter debate has become increasingly polarized across party lines, with only 36% of Democrats now supporting their formation. To learn more about this finding and others from 2018, read the full poll essay here. Two interactive graphics are also available that explore the 2018 findings as well as trends in opinion over time.
— Education Next
