New Survey Reveals West Virginia Families’ Dissatisfaction with Lack of School Choices
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: October 15, 2024
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
Amanda Kieffer, VP of Communications & Strategy, Cardinal Institute for WV Policy
PHONE: (304)-541-9551| EMAIL: [email protected]
New Survey Reveals West Virginia Families’ Dissatisfaction with Lack of School Choices
Charleston, W.Va. – The Cardinal Institute in partnership with 50CAN and Edge Research has released a new survey of 402 West Virginia parents and guardians of school-aged children, revealing concerns over school quality and satisfaction, career readiness, and educational outcomes.
“Given the seismic transformation of West Virginia’s — and America’s — education system over the last five years, the need for data and information is more critical than ever,” said Garrett Ballengee, President and CEO of the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy. “This polling represents, perhaps, the most comprehensive look into West Virginians’ opinions and perspectives in, at least, the last five years on the state of education in our state. Across all income and parental education levels, there is an understanding that we can and must do better for future generations,” Ballengee continued.
As part of a nationwide effort to evaluate the current education landscape, the survey reached 20,000 respondents from July 8 to August 22, 2024. In West Virginia, the survey garnered responses from 402 parents and guardians of K-12 children, prominently from low to middle-income households.
The survey shows that West Virginia parents are engaged but are less satisfied with their schools than the national average. According to the survey results, nearly two-thirds of West Virginia families reported dissatisfaction with their child’s school, trending below the national average. Additionally, only 29% of West Virginia parents are confident their child will be well-equipped to succeed in the workforce while only 28% feel their child is prepared for college.
“This polling reveals that West Virginia families are increasingly dissatisfied with the state’s education system, particularly due to limited school choices and a lack of tailored options for their children’s needs. However, the data also shows that parents remain highly engaged and are eager to contribute to their children’s success,” said Tiffany Hoben, Director of Education Partnerships and Strategy for the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy.
Despite education reforms to expand school choice options, such as the Hope Scholarship Act in 2021, approximately half of West Virginia respondents feel they did not “have a choice in what school their child attends.” Compounding this feeling of disempowerment is a lack of understanding around school budgets and school performance. Only 16% of West Virginia parents reported familiarity with how schools make budget decisions, and only 25% reported reviewing information about how their child’s school performance compares to others.
“By increasing academic transparency and inviting families to collaborate more closely with schools, we can work together to provide the best possible outcomes. With widespread concern that students are not fully prepared for college and the workforce, this is a pivotal moment for West Virginia to lead by expanding educational options and implementing innovative solutions to better equip students for future success,” Hoben continued.
A digital copy of West Virginia’s survey report is available at www.cardinalinstitute.com/research/. To view the nationwide report, survey questionnaire, and complete data set, visit www.50can.org.
Founded in 2014, The Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit dedicated to researching, developing, and communicating effective free-market public policies for West Virginia.
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