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://dcschool
reform.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