New Poll Finds Strong Support for Expanding School Choice and Open Enrollment

Governor Bill Lee speaking in February after signing the Education Freedom Scholarship Act (Photo by Governor Lee)

A new poll by the TennesseeCAN Action Fund found Republican voters in Tennessee support increasing access to a variety of school choice options.

The December survey of 635 likely Republican primary voters across the state, conducted by Anchor Research, found that 61 percent of those polled support expanding the state’s Education Freedom Scholarship Program beyond its existing 20,000-cap limit. TennesseeCAN was a strong supporter of the program last year when it passed, allowing families to use taxpayer dollars for private school expenses.

The poll comes as lawmakers are considering expanding the program during this year’s legislative session that begins on Tuesday. 31 percent of Republicans polled in the survey don’t support expanding the Education Freedom Scholarship.

Support for Open Enrollment and Charter Schools

Respondents provided even more support for a public-school choice proposal that’s expected to see discussion this year.

68 percent of respondents said they support Tennessee adopting open-enrollment policies that allow parents to send their children to public schools across district or county lines without paying tuition. Just 26 percent oppose open enrollment.

TennesseeCAN’s poll also found Republican voters support expanding public charter schools. 62 percent support expanding the number of high-performing charter schools, and 58 percent support increasing funding for these schools to address facility challenges. Charter schools are free public schools operated by a nonprofit organization under a charter issued by a school district or the state.

Strong Support for Accountability

The polling also echoed prior polls from other organizations that have found strong support among Republican voters for school accountability.

87 percent of those surveyed support the state’s School Letter Grades system that provides an annual A-F grade for public schools. 75 percent support state testing to measure learning.

“Heading into this year’s election, this poll sends a clear message: voters strongly support expanding school choice while demanding accountability and transparency in public education,” said TennesseeCAN Action Fund Executive Director Chelsea Crawford. “Families want options, taxpayers want answers, and voters are ready for reforms that produce results for kids.”