Jul 30, 2019, 1:55 PM
(From T74) Teacher pay is the top education issue people hope to see addressed in the Democratic presidential debate July 30 and 31 in Detroit, according to a recent online survey published by The 74. Of the poll’s 12 possible topics, teacher pay received the greatest response, with 15%. The issues of teacher compensation and school funding have figured prominently in the campaigns of several Democratic candidates, including former vice president Joe Biden, Senators Kamala Harris and Bernie Sanders and former congressman Beto O’Rourke. Harris announced in March that she would give the average teacher a $13,500 raise, while Sanders proposes to set a $60,000 minimum starting salary.
A strong faction (12%) also feel that parental choice is a top concern, with respondents linking parents options to school accountability in their comments. Democratic candidates have criticized charter schools, including Sanders, who would ban for-profit charters and cut off federal funding to all charters pending an audit. Warren, Biden and O’Rourke, whose views were once more favorable, have now distanced themselves. The online poll ran from July 16 to July 24 and tallied 605 responses; respondents represented educators, parents and administrators.
More at The 74
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