New poll shows strong, bipartisan support for public charter schools across Alabama

Alabama voters don’t always agree — but on public education, the message is clear: parents want more options, and they support public charter schools as part of a strong public education system.

A new statewide poll of registered voters shows that support for public charter schools outpaces opposition by more than 30 points across Alabama. That support spans race, geography, and political affiliation, including strong backing from Black voters, Independents, Republicans, parents, and voters in Alabama’s largest media markets. Even among Democrats, support exceeds opposition — underscoring that charter schools are not a partisan issue, but a parent-driven one. 

Public charter schools are tuition-free public schools. They are held to the same academic standards as traditional public schools but are given flexibility to innovate, focus on community needs, and respond to families. Voters understand this distinction — and the data reflects it.

Perhaps the strongest point of agreement is parental choice. Two-thirds of Alabama voters believe parents should have the right to choose where their child attends school, even if families cannot afford private education. That agreement holds across Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike — a rare point of bipartisan consensus in today’s political climate. 

Voters also agree on a simple matter of fairness: if charter schools are public schools — and they are — then education funding should follow students to the public school they attend. Nearly two-thirds of voters support this idea statewide, with particularly strong agreement among parents, women under 55, and voters in Birmingham and Mobile, where the most charter schools exist. 

Yet access to charter schools remains limited. Although Alabama has more than 700,000 public school students, only about 9,000 currently have access to a public charter school. And approximately 2,000 are on waitlists to get in to a public charter school. At the same time, a majority of parents say they would consider sending their child to a charter school if one were available in their community. That gap between support and access represents both a challenge — and an opportunity — for our state. 

The poll also tested common messages about charter schools, and one stood out clearly: giving parents more options. When voters heard how charter schools expand choice and help families find the right fit for their children, support remained strong and opposition declined, particularly among voters who were previously unsure. In other words, when Alabamians have clear, factual information about charter schools, support grows. 

Alabama’s students are not one-size-fits-all. Our public education system shouldn’t be either. Public charter schools are not about replacing traditional public schools; they are about expanding opportunity, empowering parents, and ensuring every child has access to a high-quality public education that meets their needs.

Alabama voters are ready for that future. Now it’s time to meet them there.

This article first appeared in Alabama Daily News on 1/29/26: https://aldailynews.com/new-poll-shows-strong-bipartisan-support-for-public-charter-schools-across-alabama/