Satisfaction with public education at record low: Gallup

A Gallup poll released Wednesday found satisfaction with public education is at a record low as the Trump administration eyes shuttering the Department of Education.  

The annual Mood of the Nation survey found 24 percent are satisfied with public education while 73 percent are dissatisfied, the lowest since the poll began back in 2001.  

Only 16 percent of Republicans are somewhat or very satisfied with public education, compared to 30 percent of Democrats.  

The results come amid a fight about how public education will look in the future given the priorities of the Trump administration.  

The president is likely to take executive actions in the future to weaken the Department of Education, with the goal to one day completely eliminate it.  

“We're ranked number 40 out of 40 schools, right? We're ranked number one in cost per pupil, so we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, and we're ranked at the bottom of the list. We're ranked very badly. And what I want to do is let the states run schools,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday while speaking about ending the federal agency.  

Trump has also signed an executive order directing the federal government to prioritize and help states utilize federal funds to assist school choice programs.