New National Poll: Parents Flunk Trump on Education

Share

National Parents Union survey shows President Trump & Education Secretary Linda McMahon receive low grades while teachers earn the highest marks 

June 25, 2025, Washington, D.C. — A new poll from the National Parents Union (NPU) released today finds that parents across the country are giving President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon poor marks for their handling of public education. The poll reveals that while parents remain optimistic about classroom instruction, they are deeply concerned about failures at the national level and are calling for stronger support to prepare students for life beyond school.

Overall, more than a third (35%) of the parents surveyed gave the president an “F”, while only one-in-five said he earned an “A”. Secretary McMahon’s grades also struggled as 53% of parents graded her with a “C” or lower and just 28% gave her an “A” or “B”.

Even among parents who consider themselves to be Republicans, 29% gave Trump between C-F. Secretary McMahon fared even worse with GOP respondents as 44% gave her a C-F. 

“President Trump has failed America’s kids and now parents are returning the favor,” said Keri Rodrigues, President of the National Parents Union. “It turns out that political stunts and foolish ideas like gutting public education funding are not extremely popular among parents, even those who probably voted for Trump. And Secretary McMahon should be embarrassed by a report card like this. It’s not just bad marks, it’s an indictment of her failed leadership and proves she’s not up for the job.”

One of the brightest spots in the parent report card are teachers, as the poll shows that educators earned the highest marks this school year as nearly half (47%) earned an “A” and 34% earned a “B”.

Among the other key findings: 

  • A strong majority of parents believe their schools are doing well teaching children how to read at grade level.
  • Parents generally believe schools have met overall expectations this school year and are doing a good job providing a clear picture of students’ academic level. 
  • There is room for improvement when it comes to pathways to college and careers as well as teaching children practical skills they will need as an adult. 
  • A sizable number of parents also remain concerned about the lack of adequate mental health support resources in schools.

 

For more information or to schedule an interview with NPU leadership, contact: [email protected]

National Parents Union Survey
Survey of N=1,516 parents of public school students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade
Online survey, sample from Lucid online sample exchange
Field Dates: June 1-3, 2025
Margin of Error: ± 2.6 Percentage Points

Click here for toplines.

###

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARENTS UNION
With more than 1,800 affiliated parent organizations in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico, the National Parents Union is the united, independent voice of modern American families. We channel the power of parents into powerful policies that improve the lives of children, families and communities across the United States. https://nationalparentsunion.org/