60% of Colorado Voters Say Public Schools Are Off Track Despite Record Spending

By Marissa Ventrelli | Colorado Politics

Most Coloradans believe the state’s public education system is in serious need of improvement, according to a recent Magellan Strategies survey .

Meanwhile, the minority of respondents who view the state’s public educational system favorably praised teachers and noted improved outcomes.

The survey, conducted by Magellan Strategies, collected responses from more than 1,000 voters across the political, economic, and demographic spectrum. Participants were asked questions about their views on the state’s public education system – from universal preschool to publicly funded colleges and universities.

Nearly 60% of respondents said they believed the state’s public education system was headed in the wrong direction. When explicitly asked about schools in their area, 53% expressed the same sentiment, up six percentage points from the last time the survey was conducted in 2023, while 32% said their local schools are headed in the right direction.

Notably, rural residents view the public school system more negatively, with 74% saying it’s headed in the wrong direction, though a majority of respondents in small towns (55%), suburban (57%) and urban (52%) communities agree with that view.

Respondents who believe the state’s education system is in bad shape said schools focus too much on “political or social agendas,” including gender identity or diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, instead of core academics. They also worry about “indoctrination.”

“The most common theme across the state was frustration with perceived political or social agendas in classrooms,” Magellan Strategies said, adding many of the respondents described schools as “emphasizing” woke ideology, DEI and transgender issues.

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