Poll shows low support for taxpayer-funded religious schools

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FILE-Students, faculty and family members pray over the Junipero Serra High School Space Team. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

A new poll shows that fewer Americans support allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools, but a majority of respondents admit they favor letting religious chaplains provide support services for public school students.

This survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research reflects Americans’ stances when it comes to religious expression in schools, which can differ among groups. The poll consisted of 1,158 people conducted between June 5-9.

Chaplains in schools are popular, but not teacher prayer

Why you should care: According to the AP poll, roughly 6 in 10 Americans admit that religious chaplains should be allowed to provide support services for students in public schools, but most don’t think teacher-led prayer or a mandatory period during school hours for private prayer should be allowed in public schools. In 2023, Texas became the first state to allow chaplains. Following that, legislators in several states considered similar laws. 

Americans oppose tax-funded religious charter schools, but are open to vouchers

Dig deeper:

Respondents in the poll say they are more likely to oppose allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools than to favor it. Roughly 4 in 10 are opposed, while about 25% are in favor and 33% are neither in favor nor opposed.

The survey found that Americans are more divided on tax-funded vouchers that help parents pay for tuition for their children to attend private or religious schools of their choice instead of public schools. Similar shares of respondents oppose and favor this; about 25% are neutral.

Meanwhile, some Americans didn’t show support for allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools among any of the major religious groups, but about 4 in 10 white evangelical Protestants support it, compared with about 3 in 10 Catholics and Black Protestants and roughly 2 in 10 white mainline Protestants. The poll noted that large shares of all these groups neither favor nor oppose this idea. Most respondents oppose allowing religious schools to become tax-funded public charter schools.

Respondents share more views on religion and public schools

Big picture view:

Americans offered more opinions on religion and public schools in the poll with roughly 3 in 10 Americans sharing that religion has "too much" influence on what children are taught in public school. While two-thirds of white evangelical Protestants admit that religion has "too little" influence.

Half of respondents’ favor requiring public schools to provide parents with lists of books that are available to students, while about 33% neither favor nor oppose this and 14% are opposed.

Approximately 45% of Americans oppose religious exemptions for childhood vaccines that are required for students attending public schools, while roughly one-quarter are in favor and about 3 in 10 are neutral.

Meanwhile, more Americans say freedom of religion and church-state separation are "extremely" or "very" important to the United States' identity as a country, but 81% shared that religious freedom is important, compared with 64% who say this about separation of church and state.