Nearly all (96 percent) of the respondents said they care "somewhat" or "very much" about the issue of charter schools.
More than half (54 percent) of the respondents said they think it's a good idea to encourage the creation of charter schools, while 35 percent disagreed, and 11 percent were not sure.
Asked whether charter schools will produce better results than regular public schools, most respondents (64 percent) said "some will, some won't," while 24 percent said "yes," and 12 percent said "no."
Half of the respondents said that competition from charter schools will prod other public schools to improve, while 30 percent disagreed, and 21 percent were not sure.
A solid majority (57 percent) of respondents said they believe it's a good idea to allow entities other than local school boards (such as county or state boards, or universities) to sponsor charter schools, while 29 percent disagreed, and 15 percent were not sure.
However, only 38 percent of the respondents said it's a good idea to allow any individual or group to make a charter proposal, rather than limiting that prerogative to select groups such as certified teachers, while 47 percent disagreed, and 16 percent were not sure.
Asked whether charter schools will undermine collective bargaining and lead to wider acceptance of noncertified teachers, 47 percent of the respondents said "yes, and we should avoid that," while 32 percent said "yes, and that's good," and 20 percent said "no."
Fewer than half (41 percent) of the respondents said we should concentrate on fixing existing public schools rather than creating new schools. Only 6 percent said that "creating new schools is the better strategy." Most respondents (53 percent) said "we should devote energy to both strategies."
"Charter schools may not be the answer to all the ills of education today, but in so many places either nothing is being done, or the wrong things are being done, so I think that experimenting with charter schools is a step in the right direction."
"The charter school in our town, which was started by parents, is a way for some parents to create the elite system that they want. Their ability to choose students based on either the student or the parents' participation or possibly higher economic [status] is elitist."
"I'm a regular public school teacher who's also a big supporter of charter schools. We need to work from both ends."
"The creation of charter schools leaves too many questions unanswered, such as whether building maintenance funds will be channeled off from public schools. The pie is only so large—to divide it even further could do nothing but harm to public schools."
"Charter schools offer a way to embrace diversity within public education and empower students, parents, and teachers. Let's not fight this as an organization. Let's get on the bandwagon and try to make it work."
"Much of the support for charter schools comes from opponents of public education, not reformers of public education. I expect that any apparent success by charter schools will be used to undermine, not to improve, public schools."
"I'm beginning my third year as a teacher in a charter school. Professionally, it's been the best experience of my life. My students benefit from that excitement and enthusiasm."
"My greatest concern about charter schools is the possibility that they will lead to further fragmentation of society, by people of like minds flocking to the same school and not being faced with having to get along with others and reach common agreements."
