When students are hopeful, they do better in school and in life. Hopeful students have better grades and score higher on assessments. The Gallup Student Poll finds that about half of U.S. students are hopeful. Principals and other adults in a school should spread hope among students by creating excitement about the future, teaching students the…

A small school in southern Minnesota, strapped for funds and needing new math books and a fresh curriculum, flipped its classrooms and raised achievement and student engagement. The math teachers led and implemented the changes. Upon reflection, they found 10 good reasons educators should consider flipping their classroom. Among the most…

This is the latest in a series of polls sponsored by Phi Delta Kappa International with the Gallup organization. Some important findings of this year's poll include: About half of us believe teacher unions are hurting public education, but we're more likely to support teacher union leaders than governors in disputes over teacher collective…

The authors report the findings of the 41st Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes toward the Public Schools. The annual PDK/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes toward the Public Schools is unique because it's not an advocacy poll, but rather a thoughtful study of Americans' current perceptions of their public schools. Each…

Reports on a National Education Association survey of a sample of public school teachers. Areas covered include finance, job satisfaction, job security, student discipline, standardized testing, television instruction, censorship, and discrimination. (IRT)

Reports on a survey of school superintendent job satisfaction. (IRT)

According to the respondents (state department of education personnel), mainstreaming activities have progressed significantly since 1971, with only a relative minority, roughly one-fifth, of the districts lagging behind the others. (Author)

Although the margins were narrow, the group of Whites that consistently expressed greatest support for desegregation was the subsample of parents whose children were directly involved in an integration program. (Author)

Based on responses to opinionnaires, questionnaires, and public forums, the final report of the People's Forum on Education lists 15 specific areas that are primary concerns of the people of New Mexico. (Author/IRT)

This article presents a survey designed to investigate what young people know about history. The survey was administered to 2,000 high school juniors and seniors across all 50 states. The students were asked to "jot down the names of the most famous Americans in history," with the caveat that they could not include U.S. Presidents or First Ladies.…

Reports on a survey of Texas professors of education that shows professors differing considerably from teachers and principals in their perceptions of teacher concerns. (Author/IRT)

Reports the results of a nationwide survey of the organization of school systems with 50,000 or more students. The study examined whether each system was centralized or decentralized and, if decentralized, the structure of the decentralization, the reasons the district is decentralized, and the extent of community participation. (IRT)

School District 126 in Cook County (Illinois) conducts its own opinion polls to stay in touch with its constituents--and then puts the results to use. (Author)

Discusses the results of a national survey of public school superintendents and compares them with the results of the Gallup Poll. Notes the agreement among the various subsamples of superintendents and the disagreements between the administrators' opinions and public opinion. Argues for improved public relations efforts. (IRT)