Record low confidence in public schools

Confidence in U.S. public schools has dropped to the lowest level in nearly four decades, a Gallup Poll finds. Just 29% of those questioned had a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in public schools, 40% had some confidence, and 30% little or none.

When Gallup first measured confidence in public schools in 1973, 58% had a strong belief in the country’s education system. Since then, the number has steadily tracked downward.

The survey released Wednesday also found record lows in public confidence in churches or organized religion, banks and TV news.

The poll, based on interviews with 1,004 adults June 7-10, has a margin of error of +/–4 percentage points.