A new public opinion poll commissioned by ASCD indicates that for improving education, Americans place their greatest faith in better teacher training. Released on September 17 in conjunction with the dedication of ASCD's new headquarters, the results of the poll shows that U.S. citizens rate teacher training as more important to improving schooling than funding, class size, or discipline.
Commenting on the study, Learning from the Past: Directions for the Future, ASCD's Executive Director, Gene Carter, observed, "These findings show that Americans understand that their teachers are a great resource who should be well-supported, prepared, and trained." Respondents favored more training (51 percent) and testing (50 percent) for teachers rather than firing poor performers (30 percent) or linking salary to student performance (18 percent), the poll showed.
Other findings reflect public backing for several teaching reforms even though they will cost money. Eighty-three percent of those polled prefer a class size of 20 students, rather than the current average of 23–24 students. When asked to identify the most important way in which public schools have improved in the last 25 years, respondents most frequently cited the emphasis on technology.
Asked for their top two choices of the best way to measure school success, half of those polled chose "the percentage of students who go on to higher education," and almost as many (46 percent) chose the "percentage of students who go on to successful employment." Less than a third chose test scores or graduation rates.
The poll was conducted by Global Strategy Group, August 20–31, 1998. More than 800 adults ages 18 and older participated in the telephone survey, which has a margin of error of +/- 3.46 percent.