Political Party and Educational Researcher Support for Educational Policies

• In Event: Roundtable Session 42
  In Roundtable Session: The Politics of Education in Theory and Practice

Abstract

This study reports the results of two samples to similar survey items. A sub-sample of the general public responded to polling items by using a smartphone app. The other sample was made up of academics, educational researchers with opinions about school problems and policies. The survey items were organized around the general areas of: Goals of education, judgments regarding school performance, teacher preparation, teacher evaluation, problems with education, funding of education, policies, and change agents. The comparisons and conflicts of opinions identified in this study often get played out in the political policy arena; however, the Democrats from the general public were more in line with the experts in educational research.

Authors

• Gregory J. Marchant, Ball State University

• Kristine Ann David, Ball State University

• Tony Bacos, Show of Hands