Fordham recently published results from a parent survey on educational opportunity in Ohio. Produced in partnership with 50CAN and Edge Research, the nationwide survey collected feedback from more than 20,000 parents and guardians of school-aged children in all fifty states and the District of Columbia. In Ohio, the survey was completed by 408 parents. Here’s an overview of three significant takeaways from the Ohio-specific results.
1. Ohio parents have access to school choice and like it.
Over the last few decades, Ohio policymakers have consistently expanded school choice options for families. The most recent state budget, for example, broadened voucher eligibility, increased funding for charter schools, and improved transportation guidelines (though recent events prove there’s still plenty of work to do on that front). According to survey results, those efforts have paid off. On average, 68 percent of parents feel like they have a choice in what school their child attends, slightly higher than the national average of 65 percent. More than two-thirds (67 percent) say they would make the same choice again. It’s telling that the vast majority of Ohio parents say that they feel like they have a choice and would make the same choice again.
Even better, a whopping 71 percent of low-income parents in Ohio reported feeling like they have a choice compared to 61 percent nationally. Historically, economically disadvantaged families have the least amount of choice. That’s because high-performing districts require residency for enrollment, and real estate prices are typically beyond the financial reach of many families. Private school tuition is also steep. But in Ohio, options like charter schools (which posted stronger academic growth numbers than their district counterparts this year), private school scholarship programs, and open enrollment provide low-income families in all communities—urban, suburban, and rural—with more choices than they would have otherwise. Families can, and often do, choose to enroll their children in their assigned traditional public school. But Ohio parents saying they feel like they have options matters because choice shouldn’t be limited by income.
2. Few parents seem to be consuming Ohio’s information on schools.
Each year, Ohio’s school report cards offer families, stakeholders, and policymakers a wide variety of data about school performance and student outcomes. Unfortunately, survey results indicate that many Ohio parents may not realize they have a treasure trove of data at their fingertips. On average, only 28 percent said they reviewed information about their school’s performance compared to other schools. That matches the national average, but twenty-four states registered higher percentages. Even worse, there’s an alarming gap between families of different income levels. More than a third (34 percent) of middle- and high-income parents reported that they reviewed school performance data. But less than a fifth (18 percent) of low-income parents did so. That means low-income families are viewing school performance data at roughly half the rate of higher-income families.
It’s unclear what’s causing this gap. It could be that families are not aware of school report cards, let alone choosing to use them to compare school performance. But it’s also possible that they feel Ohio’s system is difficult to navigate or that online report cards aren’t as user-friendly as they could be. Either way, state and local leaders need to do a better job of communicating with parents, especially those in low-income communities.
3. Most Ohio parents don’t believe their children are ready for the next step.
Ensuring that students are ready for what comes after graduation is a top priority for families and one of the chief responsibilities of schools. But survey results show that Ohio parents have some concerns. Only 39 percent are “extremely confident” that their child will be well equipped to succeed in the workforce, and only 36 percent feel that way about college preparation. On the one hand, both numbers are higher than the national average, which is 34 percent for workforce preparation and 32 percent for college. That means Ohio fell into the top tier among other states. But on the other hand, only a third of Ohio parents believe that their kids are ready for the next step, whether it's work or higher education. That’s worrisome.
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Results from parent surveys like this are incredibly useful for policymakers. They pinpoint areas where policies and programs have been successful, like school choice expansion. They also identify areas for growth, like ensuring parents are aware of school performance data and prioritizing initiatives aimed at improving student readiness. Here’s hoping Ohio leaders pay close attention to these results as they head into budget season.
