Survey: Most Michigan parents comfortable sending kids back to in-person school
(The Center Square) – A recent poll commissioned by the K-12 Alliance of Michigan found nearly 80% of Michigan public school parents approve of the quality of their child’s education as the new school year gets underway.
The Glengariff Group, Inc. sampled 600 parents statewide on Aug. 23-26, and the poll has a margin of error of +/-4.0% with a 95% level of confidence.
The survey found:
69% of parents approve of how their school supported their child during the COVID-19 pandemic last school year;Parents are split nearly 50/50 on whether they believe their child fell behind academically last year, but of those parents who do, 60% believe their school has the resources and support needed to put their child back on track;More than 75% of parents surveyed are largely comfortable sending their child back to the classroom this fall, with majorities believing new COVID-19 related health protocols are necessary and that schools should return to remote learning if there are significant spikes in COVID-19 cases in the state.
“School districts have worked tirelessly over the past 18 months to protect the health and well-being of students while also working to ensure they have the best quality education experience, both inside the classroom and via virtual settings,” Ken Gutman, president of the K-12 Alliance of Michigan and superintendent of Walled Lake Consolidated Schools, said in a statement. “We know the large role the community has in the success of our students, and we look forward to continuing to work together to support the academic, social and emotional health of Michigan’s children. “
School districts are starting the school year with a significant but temporary budget increase thanks to a mix of School Aid Budget passed by the legislature this summer and federal stimulus dollars.
About 78% of parents surveyed supported those temporary funding increases being made permanent and nearly 25% of parents wanted more individualized tutoring for students. In comparison, just over 20% selected more options for skilled trades training, and 18.5% wanted more nurses and counselors to improve students’ mental and physical health.
“As educators, we are immensely grateful for the funding support we received from Lansing and Washington this year. Schools need every penny of that funding to keep their doors open and children in the classroom where they perform best,” Erik Edoff, vice president of the K-12 Alliance of Michigan and superintendent of L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, said in a statement.
“It’s going to take a great effort for our schools to remediate the challenges brought on by the pandemic and the critically important programs we are implementing this year can only remain in place if Michigan takes the steps to rethink our funding formula and continue to invest in our students’ needs once again. It’s gratifying to know our parents believe in the importance of that as well.”
The survey follows 2021 statewide assessment scores showing a decline in the number of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards compared to 2019 after a year of virtual learning and disruptions from COVID-19.
Only 28.6% of students tested proficient or above in sixth-grade math, down from 35.1% in 2019. In third-grade math, 42.3% of students tested proficient, compared to 46.7% in 2019. About 42.8% of third-graders passed the English language arts test, down from 45.1% in 2019.
In 11th-grade math, proficiency dropped from 36.3% in 2019 to 34.5%, while eighth-grade math proficiency rates dropped from 41.4% in 2019 to 36%. Only 15.6% of students tested proficient in fifth-grade social studies, down from 17.4% in 2019.
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