A new survey released earlier this month by the technology-based education company Stride, Inc. found a majority of Christian parents in the U.S. are concerned about the quality of education their children are receiving in public schools.
Many are also feeling schools no longer align with their beliefs.
The survey found that while more than half (58%) of Christian parents believe in and support public education, two-thirds (66%) are concerned about the quality of education their children receive in public school. Additionally, close to half (43%) of Christian parents feel that public education no longer reflects their personal values. In response, respondents revealed their interest in pursuing other education alternatives-especially if they included a virtual learning component.
“Given the challenges families have encountered in pursuit of quality education these last few years, it’s no surprise that many are frustrated and looking for options,” said Tony Bennett, Senior Vice President of School Management at Stride, in a news release on the findings.
According to the survey, an overwhelming majority of Christian parents are open to sending their child to either a private non-religious school (81%) or a private Christian school (75%). And, close to 50% of all Christian parents say they are likely to send their child to a private virtual school-whether that be non-religious or Christian.
“With online learning, families can access an education that not only meets their child’s academic needs, but one where they can create a learning experience aligned with their personal values,” Bennett added.
When selecting a school, Christian parents are evaluating the quality of teachers (72%), safety (68%) and academic excellence (61%), all three of which topped the list. Interestingly, alignment with one’s personal beliefs (31%), and spiritual or religious formation/practices (20%) ranked at the bottom.
Overwhelmingly, tuition and other related costs were the greatest barrier cited by Christian parents for not considering a private school for their children.
According to the latest Return 2Learn (R2L) tracker, some 1.2 million students have left public schools since the start of the pandemic. The data also shows varying degrees of changes in district enrollment, “with smaller declines in 2021–22 than in the first pandemic school year.”
For more information on Stride, visit stridelearning.com. {eoa}
