Parents Are More Optimistic About the Direction of Philadelphia Schools Than Three Years Ago
The 2025 Parent Poll finds strong support for a common enrollment system and funding school improvements, though opinions vary across demographic groups
Philadelphia, PA – Elevate 215 today released the results of its 2025 Parent Poll, showing a marked improvement in perceptions about the direction of Philadelphia schools. The poll also reveals strong consensus among parents regarding the key educational priorities they seek when choosing schools for their children.
“Philadelphia parents share a unified vision for the future of education—one where all children are prepared to succeed in the classroom and beyond. The findings reflect the progress we’ve collectively made as a city, with more parents recognizing the strides we’ve taken to improve school quality. Yet, the work is far from over. These insights should ignite our collective commitment to continue driving positive change, ensuring every school is a place where all students can thrive and reach their full potential.”
2025 PARENT POLL KEY FINDINGS
Perceptions on the Direction of Philadelphia Schools Have Improved, but Parents Remain Divided
- 50% of parents believe Philadelphia schools are heading in the right direction, while 50% feel they are heading in the wrong direction. [This marks a 14 percentage point increase from the 36% who thought schools were on the right track in the 2022 Parent Poll, and 64% believed the system was heading in the wrong direction.]
- 77% of parents feel their child’s school is on the right track, while 23% disagree. [This represents a slight improvement from the 73% who thought schools were on the right track in the 2022 Parent Poll, with 27% saying they were heading in the wrong direction.]
Teacher Quality, School Safety, and Instructional Practices Are Universally Prioritized by Parents
- The top three education priorities, rated as ‘very important’ by 90% or more of parents (the highest indicator), were Teacher Quality, School Safety, and Curriculum and Instructional Practices.
- However, beyond the top three priorities, support varied depending on race, income, location, and the type of schools children attend.
Strong Support for a Common Application and Enrollment System for Public District and Charter Schools
- A strong majority of parents (70%) agree that Philadelphia families would benefit from a common enrollment system, while 30% disagree.
- Low-income (87% agree) and Black (85% agree) parents show the strongest support for the system.
Nearly All Parents Agree that Improving School Quality Should Be the City’s Top Budget Priority
- An overwhelming 94% of parents agree that improving the quality of schools should be the top budget priority for the City of Philadelphia.
"This poll was designed to capture the diverse perspectives of Philadelphia parents, ensuring we heard from a wide range of voices across race, income, and neighborhood. Philadelphia’s families showed particularly strong backing for a common enrollment system, highlighting a local commitment to equity in education. The findings from this poll can be instrumental in shaping the conversation around education policy in Philadelphia, providing a roadmap for action moving forward."
On behalf of Elevate 215, Embold Research conducted the survey of 606 Philadelphia parents from April 2-20, 2025. Respondents were recruited via dynamic online sampling to obtain a sample reflective of the population. The modeled margin of error is 4.4%.
“As Elevate 215 works toward increasing the number of quality schools, our approach has always been family-focused and data-driven. To elevate Philadelphia’s schools, it is essential that we listen to the voices of families—those directly impacted by the effectiveness of our education system. The insights gathered, especially the important distinctions across demographic groups, will guide our initiatives and help ensure that our support is aligned with the needs of all communities.”
For more information on the survey findings view the Poll Presentation and Toplines.