Voters Want Safe and Welcoming Schools for All. Will Policymakers Listen?

By Anne Hyslop, Director of Policy Development at All4Ed

When it comes to K-12 education, Americans agree far more than they disagree, even on so-called “culture war” issues dominating the news and President Trump’s executive actions since taking office in January. That’s one of the overarching takeaways from the newest findings in All4Ed’s 2024 election exit poll, OpinionatED: Voters’ Views on Education in 2024.  

Of more than 20 different potential focus areas for K-12 schools, the highest priority for voters was ensuring schools are safe and welcoming for all children. In fact, despite the political rhetoric targeting LGBTQ+ students and immigrants during the presidential campaign, roughly three-quarters of voters said it’s important to ensure schools are safe and welcoming for every child—no matter how they learn, what language they speak at home, where they are from, or whether they are transgender or not. Moreover, half of voters didn’t just think this was important; they believe it is “extremely” important. 

How important do you think it is for K-12 public schools to focus on each of the following?

While it may not appear that way from the news headlines, most voters—whether they supported Kamala Harris or Donald Trump—agree it’s important to create a positive school environment for all students, “no matter their race or zip code.” Likewise, most Republican and Democratic voters agree it’s important for students to be prepared to work in diverse environments as adults. Voters, whether they are parents or not, recognize and value the benefits students gain when they learn in diverse classrooms, appreciating that diversity strengthens their children’s skills and abilities to navigate their futures. 

Voters across party lines are also worried about students’ mental health. More than 60% of Trump voters, 70% of all voters, and 80% of Harris voters said that addressing the youth mental health crisis was important. Focusing on efforts to improve students’ mental health was especially important to younger voters; Black, Latinx, and Indigenous voters; and mothers. 

President Trump says voucher and scholarship programs are growing because they “[offer] teachers and parents an alternative to classrooms that are micromanaged from Washington, DC.” But that’s not the alternative most teachers and parents want. Just 25% of parents and 19% of teachers would prefer the federal government to fund vouchers over public schools. And the U.S. Department of Education plays no role in what is taught in America’s classrooms.

How important do you think it is for K-12 public schools to focus on improving mental health care for students?*

Over three-quarters of all voters and two-thirds of Trump voters also said it’s important for students to receive an honest, accurate, and age-appropriate education—including the good and the bad of our history. This issue was particularly meaningful to young voters, who recently left our K-12 education system; 56% said it was “extremely important” to them. 

While there’s clearly a great deal of consensus across voting groups on these issues, voters said they trust Democrats more to create welcoming, safe school environments for students. This was especially true among young voters, college-educated voters, and Black, Latinx, and Asian-American and Pacific Islander voters.  

The results are clear. Voters share similar values when it comes to making sure schools are inclusive, safe, and welcoming for all. Political leaders just need to listen—and act accordingly.