62% of Registered Voters in D.C. Approve of How Rhee is Handling Her Job, Up Sharply from 55% Last Year
WASHINGTON, July 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --Today, DC School Reform Now (DCSRN), a non-profit organization committed to education reform in the District of Columbia, released -- along with several other groups -- new polling data on voter approval of local officials.
Voters indicated strong approval for how D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) Chancellor Michelle Rhee is handling her job. With an approval rating of 62 percent, Rhee is clearly gaining in popularity among District residents, with a 7% increase over a similar poll conducted in 2008. Among DC officials, Chancellor Rhee had the highest proportion of respondents (27 percent) who "strongly approve" of her job performance.
"Its clear from this new poll that Washingtonians' support for Michelle Rhee's efforts to reform the DC public school system continues to grow," said Anne Martin, Executive Director of DC School Reform Now. "The task before her certainly isn't an easy one and it's great to see that DC residents are showing patience and enthusiasm as Chancellor Rhee works hard to rebuild our long-suffering school district which is in desperate need of revitalization."
In addition, the poll results show education has become even more of a priority for DC voters, despite the recession, than it was this time last year. A plurality of voters (29 percent) identified "K-12 education and schools" as their top priority.
"Rhee's leadership couldn't come at a better time," continued Martin. "As this new poll illustrates, District residents are tremendously concerned about the quality of education their children are receiving from the DC Public School System and desperately want to see improvements. It's clear that Washingtonians see the Chancellor's efforts as a step in the right direction."
"The Chancellor has done a great job in dealing with student achievement, although she had to face many challenges," said Terry Goings, a board member of DCSRN whose three children graduated from Coolidge High School. "Rhee's management style of holding the adults that deal with our children accountable in DCPS sends a clear message to parents and students that their concerns are first. We have a long way to go, but thanks to Rhee's hard work, we are finally making progress."
In a joint effort with DC School Reform Now, the polling results were released by the Alliance for School Choice, the Black Alliance For Educational Options (BAEO), Center for Education Reform, DC Children First, Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, Friends of Choice in Urban Schools (FOCUS), Greater Washington Urban League, and the Heritage Foundation.
View the results of the poll here: http://dcschoolreform.org/images/pdf/forkintheroad.pdf
DC School Reform Now is a 501(c)3, volunteer organization of concerned residents who are committed to enacting school reform in the DC Public School System.
SOURCE DC School Reform Now
