Parents want their kids to go to their own private schools, as a way of avoiding government-imposed controls that can be burdensome and intrusive.
A new report from the National School Boards Association found that nearly two-thirds of parents want their children to attend private schools that are “committed to academic excellence, a quality education that prepares students for the workforce and is accessible to all.”
The report, which was released on Thursday, comes amid renewed concerns about school choice.
According to the report, more than 60 percent of parents in the U.S. say they want their child to attend a private school that is not state-run, or that is “commissioned by private or for-profit organizations.”
That includes 76 percent of non-religious parents, as well as 71 percent of religious parents, the report found.
In states that have expanded school choice, there has been increased pressure on parents to enroll their children in the public school system.
The National School Buses Association (NSBA) found that public school students were more likely to attend schools that offered free or reduced-price lunch, free or low-cost meals and other school services.
“These programs can be helpful to families that may not be able to afford private school or to families who have not yet been able to get into public schools,” the association said in a statement.
But the report also found that the percentage of parents who want their own children to enroll in their own school increased from 32 percent to 40 percent over the last two decades.
A study by the Center for American Progress found that private schools in states with the largest increases in private school enrollment have also seen the most dramatic increases in student achievement.
It found that from 1980 to 2014, the number of students in private schools increased by 5,900 students, while the number in public schools increased 7,700 students.
And in states where the number is the same, the share of students who are black has declined by 17 percentage points, according to the analysis by the center.
More on education:
