Parental Attitudes - Brief Article

School Administrator, June, 2001

The practice of social promotion has dropped 10 percent among schools nationwide in the last four years, according to a nationwide survey by the nonpartisan survey research organization Public Agenda.

"Reality Check 2001," a study of teachers, parents, students, employers and college professors on standards in their communities, also showed an increase in summer school attendance and more positive attitudes among parents about standards in public schools.

Public Agenda's report suggests no backlash to standards and testing exists among parents and teachers. The survey showed both groups back standardized tests as long as promotion and graduation decisions are not based solely on one test.

Among the findings:

* the number of teachers indicating their own schools practical social promotion has dropped from 41 percent to 31 percent over the last four years; and

* the number of parents who say local public schools have higher standards than local private schools has increased since 1998 from 22 percent to 34 percent.

The full text of the survey, funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, is available at www.publicagenda.org.