(The Sentinel) – Nearly three out of four teachers support Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) in America, and optimism among educators about their profession is increasing, according to results in the annual survey of Teachers and K-12 Education published by EdChoice, a leading proponent of School Choice.

Over 1,000 teachers in 35 states educating 1.25 million students were surveyed on a variety of classroom issues, such as curriculum, discipline, and job satisfaction, as well as ESAs, which re-direct state support for a student to parents, allowing them the freedom to make the best educational choices for their children.

This month, Texas became the 18th state to approve School Choice, funded by ESAs. Kansas has limited School Choice with Open Enrollment and tax credits for scholarships for low-income students. But Universal School Choice with ESAs in the Sunflower State has been elusive. We asked Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins why the Legislature has not brought the ESA question to a vote, given the overwhelming support for it among classroom professionals in this year’s survey. We received no response.

Dave Trabert, CEO of Kansas Policy Institute and The Sentinel, says many legislators in both parties don’t want to vote on ESAs because they fear repercussions from education administrators will make it harder to get re-elected.

“The answer is simple: many legislators in both parties know outcomes are low and have gotten worse, but they are more concerned about getting re-elected than getting kids educated. Many administrators oppose ESAs while refusing to acknowledge the achievement crisis and take corrective action. The evidence is in plain sight. They won’t abide by state laws on spending at-risk funds or the building needs assessments. The State Board of Education is not only aware of these violations, but it also perpetuates its own legal violation by not having an accreditation system based on academic improvement.

“Many Republican legislators ask leaders in both chambers not to make them vote on bills opposed by education administrators, and their wishes are often granted. School choice and education accountability measures are approved in committee, but are left in a drawer to die, along with the hope for many students to get the education they deserve.”

Legislators who shy away from voting on school choice are certainly not representing their constituents’ wishes. A statewide public opinion pollconducted last December by SurveyUSA on behalf of Kansas Policy Institute found 78% of Kansas parents and grandparents with children in public school favor ESAs, and only 17% are opposed.

Other survey findings

The EdChoice teacher survey also found that only half of teachers think their district is going in the right direction, and much lower percentages believe districts in their state and the nation are going in the right direction.

• Roughly two-thirds of teachers feel a “sense of purpose” and “hopeful” when thinking about the future. Nearly one-third say they feel “overwhelmed.”

• Teacher support for closing the U.S. Department of Education falls along party lines, with 58% of Republican teachers in favor, but only 21% of Democrats.

• A large majority of teachers also think it’s important for students to learn about the U.S. Constitution and its founding principles, and that the United States is a fundamentally good country. Only one-third subscribe to the notion that the U.S. is a fundamentally racist nation.