Parents’ involvement seen as key to better schools, N.J. poll finds

A new poll finds that some of the most frequently mentioned ideas for improving public schools do not top the list of what New Jersey voters consider the key to a better education.

Only about half of the voters surveyed in the Fairleigh Dickinson University PublicMind poll believe overhauling teacher tenure or providing more funds for education would bring about better schools. About 40 percent say giving parents vouchers is the way to go.

And 71 percent of voters believe the most promising way to improve New Jersey public schools is requiring more parental involvement, said poll director Krisa Jenkins.

“I’m not quite sure how that might manifest itself in any kind of curriculum. We simply put it on there as an option,” she said. “It was interesting that so many people chose that over some of the other perhaps more easily accomplished reforms in the education system.”

Jenkins says the findings show that a single remedy will not satisfy parents’ concerns.