Over 80% of New Mexico residents believe they need more public-school choices in their community (including 88% of parents!), and nearly three in four residents support New Mexico continuing to develop and open more public charter schools in the state.
That’s according to a recent statewide survey of New Mexicans that was conducted by Research & Polling Inc. and commissioned by the Chamber and several partner organizations working to ensure every New Mexico child is able to receive a high-quality education in a public school.
Support for developing more public charter school options is strong across the political spectrum, across ethnicities/ages/income levels and across the state. Seven of every 10 Democrats and Independents – as well as eight of every 10 Republicans – agree the state should continue to develop and open more public charter schools. Regionally, support is highest in the Albuquerque metro area (76%) and North Central New Mexico (76%). Support remains strong in the Northwest (66%), Las Cruces/Southwest (68%), and Eastern New Mexico (69%) as well. Interestingly, even 70% of union households support the growth of charter schools.
“It’s not surprising that New Mexico families – from every corner of the state – want more high-quality public school options,” said Chamber President and CEO Terri Cole. “For many children, public charter schools represent a lifeline to a better education and brighter future, and sadly, too many families who would like to attend a public charter school find themselves on long waiting lists. We need to meet this demand. Great charter schools have inspiring leaders who set high-achieving cultures and get tremendous results for their students; where this occurs, we should absolutely ensure they can serve more students.”
Unsurprisingly, parents of school-age children are among the most supportive of public charter schools. Seventy-seven percent want New Mexico to develop and open more public charter schools, and 78% believe charter schools improve public education.
The survey also found strong opposition to past proposals that would freeze the opening or expansion of charter schools. In particular, 74% of residents in the Albuquerque metro area would oppose a policy stopping the opening of new public charter schools, with nearly half (48%) saying they would strongly oppose such a policy. Just 15% of the area’s residents said they would support such a policy.
In every corner of the state, more residents said they would view a candidate for office more favorably than less favorably if they support the expansion of public charter schools, with four times as many Albuquerque-area residents viewing such a candidate more favorably than less favorably.
Charter schools are public schools that are free to attend and open to anyone. Expanding access to them is part of the Chamber’s overall portfolio of work to improve public education, one of our top three policy priority areas.
Pollsters interviewed 506 New Mexicans in late August and early September of this year. The poll has a margin of error of 4.3%. The survey was commissioned by New Mexico Kids CAN, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools, Public Charter Schools of New Mexico, Excellent Schools New Mexico, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and Teach Plus New Mexico.
