ASCD Responds to 2010 Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll and Gallup Student Poll

Statement from Gene R. Carter, Executive Director, ASCD
August 26, 2010

The importance of teacher quality is the undisputable theme of this year's Phi Delta Kappa (PDK)/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools. In the 42nd annual poll, the American public clearly indicates that improving the effectiveness of our educators is critical to improving the education of our students. Consider that

• Americans believe the most important national education program should be improving the quality of teaching, which they rate significantly higher than developing better standards, creating better tests, and improving the country's lowest-performing schools.
• Over 70 percent of the American public believes quality of work and not a standard scale should determine teacher pay, and 60 percent believe the primary reason for evaluating teachers should be to help them improve their ability to teach.
• More Americans believe that having teachers spend more time learning new ways to teach would have a greater effect on student learning than having students spend more time in school.

Research supports public opinion on the importance of teacher quality; study after study shows that the most important school-based factor affecting a child's academic success is the effectiveness of the classroom teacher.

At ASCD, we believe that it's time for education policymakers at the national, state, and local levels to catch up with research and public opinion and make improving the quality of our nation's teachers a top priority. ASCD's legislative agenda calls on Congress to support systemic approaches to the career development of educators, including their preparation, induction, mentoring, coaching, ongoing professional development, and evaluation. ASCD also believes that education policy must support teacher leadership and facilitate creative ways to retain and use effective, experienced educators and school leaders throughout their entire careers.

We will be hard at work over the next several months to make sure the public's request for improved support for our teachers is reflected in the impending reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Meanwhile, results from the Gallup Student Poll, which queried nearly 450,000 U.S. students in the 5th through 12th grades, affirms the importance of ASCD's Whole Child Initiative, which is committed to the development of children who are healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged. The poll found that 23 percent of students are disengaged in school—they are just going through the motions and are failing to maximize their learning potential. Almost 15 percent of students are actively disengaged, meaning they are undermining learning for themselves and others.

Such statistics underscore the critical importance of engaging students through relevant, personalized, and challenging school work and ensuring that each and every student has the support of a caring adult.

To learn more about the PDK/Gallup poll, visit http://pdkpoll.org. 

To learn more about the Gallup Student Poll, visit www.gallupstudentpoll.com.

Contact Information  

• Barbara Michelman, communications director, 1-703-575-5621 or e-mail 
• Melissa Mellor, communications specialist, 1-703-575-5637 or  e-mail