Most Americans want the federal government out of education

Most American voters believe education decisions should be made locally and not by Washington bureaucrats, according to a new survey.

The Center Square poll, which surveyed 2,565 voters, found that only 11% of respondents think the federal government should set standards for curriculum, testing, and school choice. In contrast, 33% said local school districts should set education standards (including 41% of Democrats), while 27% favored giving that authority to the states.

Another 23% said parents should have the final say over education standards—a view supported by 32% of Republicans but only 13% of Democrats.

Federal vs. Local Control

President Trump has advocated for returning control of education to the states, seeking to shrink or even dismantle the Department of Education. Some of the agency’s responsibilities have already been transferred. Special needs and nutrition programs are moving to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Workforce development programs are shifting to the Department of Labor.

However, greater state control may not always mean more freedom for parents or students. Some states, like Washington, have passed laws preventing parents from opting their children out of classes promoting gender ideology.

Even homeschooling families face increasing scrutiny. In Illinois, for example, lawmakers have pushed to expand state oversight of homeschooling—posing a challenge to the 23% of Americans who believe parents should have the most control over education.

Homeschooling on the Rise

Homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the United States. In 2024, an estimated 4.2 to 4.3 million children—about 7.6% of the school-age population—were homeschooled, up from 3.7 million in 2023. The number has more than doubled since 2019, driven in part by pandemic-era changes in education. According to some projections, roughly 50% of American children are expected to be homeschooled by 2030.

California leads the nation with 547,561 homeschooled children (13% of all homeschoolers), followed by Texas with 440,666 (10.5%) and New York with 220,990 (5.3%).

Home education is gaining traction even in high-performing school districts. In 2022, more than 60,000 children were homeschooled in districts ranking in the top 20% nationwide for academic achievement.

Academic and Personal Success

Research consistently shows homeschoolers outperform their public school peers in nearly every area. On standardized tests, homeschoolers score over 30 percentage points higher in reading, language, and math. On the SAT, homeschooled students average 70 points higher in critical reading and 48 points higher in writing. In college, homeschoolers are more likely to earn higher GPAs than their public-schooled peers.

The trend holds across demographics: Black homeschooled students outperform Black public school students by 23 to 42 percentage points, and government data show that 41% of homeschoolers are Black, Asian, Hispanic, or other minorities.

Beyond academics, most homeschoolers report being more satisfied with life and work than their public-school counterparts—suggesting that freedom in education may foster not just achievement, but also happiness.

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