Alabamians continue to place public education at the top of their priority list for the state, according to the latest Public Affairs Research Council of Alabama survey.
The results show Alabamians highly value their public schools and want state leaders to keep investing in them. But when it comes to the CHOOSE Act, opinions are clearly divided.
The survey, conducted annually, offers a snapshot of voters who want better supports for teachers and classrooms, while still showing caution about how new school choice programs might affect public schools.
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Nearly three out of four respondents said the state spends too little on education. A majority also said they would be willing to pay higher taxes if the money went to schools, though no single tax — property, sales, internet sales or income tax — drew majority support.
Most said the state should use part of its education savings — built up during the last few years when receipts in the Education Trust Fund exceeded expectations — to meet current needs, like improving school facilities and updating the funding formula.
The survey was conducted over five months in late 2024 and early 2025 and prior to Alabama lawmakers approving the RAISE Act, which targets additional education funding toward groups of students with higher needs.
Teacher pay and benefits
Teacher pay and benefits topped the list of priorities if new, additional funding was provided. That was followed by mental health support, school safety, facilities and special education.
Responses to each question reveal differences in preferences based on education level, geographical location and whether the respondent has children in public school. PARCA also noted partisan differences, though the detailed breakdowns by party were not included in the published results.
Just over half of respondents said they’d prefer their children or grandchildren to be educated in public schools. Just under a third preferred private schools, 12% preferred homeschool.
Democrats and independents in large majorities preferred public school, while a plurality of Republicans chose private school, according to PARCA.
This year’s survey asked about the CHOOSE Act for the first time. The program provides families with up to $7,000 for private school tuition, public school tuition charged to out-of-district students , or other approved expenses, and up to $2,000 for homeschooling through state-funded education savings accounts.
Alabamians are evenly split: 45% support, 45% oppose and 9% are unsure.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was written by Trisha Powell Crain and originally published by the Alabama Daily News.
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