A new national poll released Monday by The University of Connecticut found that only 38 percent of the residents in the Northeast who were surveyed last month about new national standards for public schools think they are “good policy.”
The remainder of those surveyed think the standards that are being implemented in 44 states — known as Common Core — are either “not good policy” (46 percent) or they are “not sure” (16 percent) whether they are good policy.
When it comes to the effect of Common Core on education, the Northeast residents were evenly split on whether its impact would be positive, negative or have no impact.
Common Core is most popular among residents surveyed in the West (51 percent), while the South has the most residents who think it’s bad policy (60 percent).
Nationwide, Democrats are more likely to favor the standards, “while Republicans and conservatives are far more wary,” said UConn Poll Director Jennifer Necci Dineen.
The biggest problem facing public schools, however, is not Common Core, according to the nearly 1,000 residents surveyed nationwide. In the Northeast, 6 percent of those surveyed called Common Core the biggest problem facing public schools, while 30 percent pointed to budgets for education. Five percent reported the lack of parental involvement as the chief challenge; 1 percent cited poverty; 6 percent said safety; and 4 percent pointed to overcrowded schools.
“Americans also believe schools are generally doing a good job despite financial hardship,” the press release accompanying the poll reported.
The survey was conducted from April 22 to April 30, and the margin of error was plus or minus 3 percent for the sample as a whole, though larger for subgroups.