Poll Finds Most Americans Back Grants for Parental School Choice

Americans broadly favor government “scholarships” for poor and middle-income parents to send their children to the public or private school of their choice, an Associated Press poll found.

President Bush has proposed a $500-million experimental program to give $1,000 scholarships that could be used at any school, including religious institutions. The poll found 63% in favor of the idea, 32% opposed and 5% unsure.

In the poll, 73% of those with family incomes under $25,000 support the scholarship plan, compared with 55% of those with higher incomes.

Supporters of Bush’s “GI Bill for Children” say public schools will be forced to improve if they have to compete with private schools for government money. Opponents, including teachers’ unions and Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton, say the plan is an election-year gimmick and that tax money should not subsidize parochial schools.

However, many Democrats, including Clinton, do support increased parental choice among public schools. In the poll, 68% said parents should be able to choose which public school their child attends.

The poll was taken Aug. 28-Sept. 1 by ICR Survey Research Group, part of AUS Consultant Cos. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.