New Survey of Black Parents Reveals Opinions and Experiences in Schools, Desires for Future

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Black parents believe core academic subjects are extremely important for students in Kindergarten through eighth grade, and prioritize independent thinking and core subject for high schoolers, a just-released national survey of Black parents finds. Bullying is the most common struggle their students face in school, and only a quarter of Black parents believe education should stay the same in the future as it is today.

The survey, conducted in early 2023 by EdChoice in partnership with Morning Consult, polled 1,311 Black parents of school-aged children to better understand their unique perspectives, experiences, concerns and preferences. The results were previewed and discussed during a panel discussion at SXSWEDU last week in Austin, Texas.

“One of the things that we don’t get to do as Black parents is be heard,” Janelle Wood, founder and CEO of Black Mothers Forum, Inc, said. “When I looked at this data, it definitely was reflective of what we’ve been doing all along. We knew that Black parents wanted a choice. … They wanted a safer and more supportive learning environment for their children. This is what this data shows. They are open to any educational opportunity or option other than the one they currently have sitting before them.”

The survey asked parents about a range of topics, from post-pandemic learning, to what they think is most important for their children to learn in school, to changes they’d like to see moving forward. The full results of the survey can be viewed here; an overview of the findings is here. Key takeaways include:

  • The Majority of Black parents believe there were important changes/lessons learned during the pandemic that should continue to be implemented, and only a quarter of Black parents believe education should stay the same as it is today.
  • The majority of Black parents think school choice policies like open enrollment, charter schools, school vouchers, and ESAs are fair.
  • Charter schools and open enrollment are seen as the most accessible school choice policies according to Black Parents. Only half of Black parents view education savings accounts and school vouchers as accessible.
  • Homeschooling receives broad support across all demographics, and those who support it believe it is a safer option than traditional schooling environments and allows children to have a more personalized learning experience.

“It’s really important for those of us who are interested in Black education to make sure that we have access to data, that we are included in samples, that we make sure the representation is there,” said Constance Lindsay, PhD. “[During the pandemic] I really had a problem with how data was used, how data was collected, and the absence of our voices in the data-collection process. What I think is so cool about this particular study is that it really is elevating that Black parent voice which is usually missing in these conversations.”

To learn more about the study or to be connected with someone at EdChoice, contact Chantal Lovell at Chantal@edchoice.org, or 989-251-8388.

EdChoice is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to empower every family to choose the learning environment that fits their children’s needs best. Learn more at edchoice.org.

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Vice President of Communications

Chantal Lovell Fennell

Vice President of Communications

Chantal is the Vice President of Communications at EdChoice, where she directs the organization’s communications efforts, and manages its brand and public relations. Prior to joining the EdChoice team, Chantal served as the Director of Policy Advancement at the State Policy Network, where she worked with state-based organizations to advance policy reforms. Before that, Chantal worked as the communications manager at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy in Michigan, and as the Nevada Policy Research Institute’s communications director. Prior to beginning her career in the policy advocacy movement, Chantal was a journalist in California, where she received awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association for investigative reporting, economic reporting, and features writing. During her time as a reporter, Chantal authored an exposé that resulted in the creation of one of the nation’s first-ever curriculum for high school students with high-functioning autism. Chantal was born and raised in Southern California, earned a Bachelors in Government from the University of Redlands and a Masters Political Science from the University of Nebraska.

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