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Poll: Voters Want Broader School Choice
A new poll by Pulse Opinion Research, commissioned by Unite PA and the Independence Town Hall Tea Party Association, offers interesting information on public opinion on school choice.
The state-wide voter poll in advance of last week’s election by a nationally-respected polling firm with an established methodology more accurately shows current voter views than an unorthodox survey funded by special interests.
The findings show that there is greater support, and little opposition, to scholarship tax credits, such as the Educational Improvement Tax Credit. This is not surprising, as support for the EITC has grown over its 10-year history, with an expansion of the EITC passing the Pennsylvania House earlier this year by an overwhelming 190-7 vote.
The results also show that voters would prefer broader school choice programs—that are available for all students—by a wide margin. This is also consistent with other studies of public opinion on school choice.
Unfortunately, over the last year, many lawmakers have tried to appease the educational industrial complex by making school choice proposals smaller and more targeted. This makes little sense, as the educational establishment opposes every school choice initiative and defends the status quo at every turn. Government unions and other special interest groups spend millions in lobbying to defend the tens of millions they get from school districts at taxpayer expense.
Fortunately, the experience of school choice programs in other states, and with the Educational Improvement Tax Credit in Pa., is that once enacted, they always expand. Why? School choice works. Public support grows where choice programs exist because voters can see the benefits, as do parents who demand more options for their children.