Only 14 percent of Republicans and 29 percent of independents express a lot of confidence in public schools in a new Gallup poll. That compares to 43 percent for Democrats.
Overall, only 28 percent of those polled had "a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the institution," down from 32 percent last year. Confidence peaked in 2020, early in the pandemic, then fell.
Partisan gaps have widened, writes Lydia Saad. The fall in confidence was much steeper for Republicans.