Nebraska’s Opinion on K-12 Education and School Choice
September 17, 2009

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This statistically representative survey of 1,200 likely Nebraska voters illustrates public opinion on a wide range of K-12 education issues. The underlying theme of the Friedman Foundation’s Survey in the State series is to measure voter knowledge and attitudes toward public institutions and policies, innovative ideas, and the state’s K-12 education system.

Nebraskans have shared with us their views about “school choice,” which includes school vouchers, tax-credit scholarships, charter schools, homeschooling and virtual schools. Nebraska is the thirteenth state to be surveyed in our series.

An overarching theme emerging out of the survey results is a major disconnect between parental schooling preferences and actual school enrollments.

• 44% of K-12 parents say they would like to send their child to a private school.2 In reality, however, approximately 12% of Nebraska’s K-12 students attend private schools.
• 11% of parents say they would like to send their child to a charter school. The state of Nebraska does not have a charter school law.
• 21% of parents said they would choose a regular public school for their child. Approximately 88% of Nebraska’s K-12 students attend regular public schools.

View Research Publication at  http://www.edchoice.org/downloadFile.do?id=389