PTA Poll Shows Parents Oppose
Tests as Only Measure of Progress

The National PTA released a poll Feb. 24, 2004 that shows, among other things, most parents don't think standardized test scores should be used as the only factor in measuring annual progress in student learning.

Poll results also show:

• Nine in ten public school parents said that education issues are important in choosing a political candidate.
• More than half (55%) of the respondents ranked school funding as a top issue facing public schools.
• Some 85% said the federal government should provide more funding for education.

The National PTA and Ipsos Public Affairs released the poll results. The PTA reported that parents are seeing classrooms with wall-to-wall desks and are opening their wallets to save art and music programs. Additionally, an overwhelming 93 percent of public school parents said that education will play a major role in their decision about which candidate to support in this election year.

In the national telephone poll of 800 public school parents, more than half of the respondents (55 percent) ranked school funding as a top issue facing public schools today -- eclipsing both school safety and quality. Additionally, 85 percent of parents believe the federal government should provide more funding for education.