JerseyCAN Opens Enrollment for Activist Parent Fellowship and Virtual Training Program
September 21, 2023
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September 21, 2023New Monmouth Poll: New Jerseyans Are Souring On the Quality of Their Local Schools
A new Monmouth University poll on how New Jersey residents view their quality of life finds that more than six in ten people think NJ is a good place to live but they’re feeling less sanguine about school quality. While the overall index has remained mostly stable, the trend in how people regard their local school district is sinking: In April 2020, for instance, 73% of residents rated their school district either “Excellent” or “Good.” Last month that percentage dropped to 56%, a decrease of 23%.
The only other category to show significant change was “How safe do you feel in your neighborhood at night?” That percentage dropped during the same time period from 74% to 58%, a rate of decrease similar to residents’ views of local schools.
Patrick Murray, Director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, noted, “schools and safety have been hot-button topics for the past few years. It should come as no surprise that political clashes over these issues are having an impact on how New Jerseyans view their own quality of life in the state.”
Here is the trend for schools over the last 45 years:
How would you rate the job your local schools are doing – excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
| Trend*: | Excellent/Good | Excellent | Good | Only Fair | Poor | (VOL)Don’t know | (n) |
| August 2023 | 56% | 22% | 34% | 23% | 15% | 6% | (814) |
| January 2023 | 60% | 19% | 41% | 22% | 11% | 6% | (809) |
| April 2022 | 63% | 24% | 39% | 16% | 11% | 10% | (802) |
| May 2021 | 64% | 24% | 40% | 18% | 8% | 10% | (706) |
| April 2020 | 73% | 33% | 40% | 16% | 4% | 7% | (704) |
| September 2019 | 60% | 26% | 34% | 23% | 9% | 9% | (713) |
| February 2019 | 59% | 19% | 40% | 22% | 10% | 9% | (604) |
| April 2018 | 60% | 24% | 36% | 23% | 10% | 7% | (703) |
| July 2017 | 65% | 26% | 39% | 20% | 10% | 6% | (800) |
| July 2015 | 60% | 27% | 33% | 22% | 9% | 8% | (503) |
| February 2015 | 61% | 21% | 40% | 24% | 8% | 7% | (805) |
| September 2014 | 60% | 21% | 39% | 24% | 9% | 7% | (802) |
| April 2014 | 63% | 24% | 39% | 22% | 9% | 6% | (803) |
| February 2014 | 61% | 22% | 39% | 22% | 10% | 7% | (803) |
| December 2013 | 60% | 20% | 40% | 23% | 12% | 5% | (802) |
| September 2013 | 62% | 24% | 38% | 21% | 7% | 9% | (783) |
| April 2013 | 59% | 21% | 38% | 27% | 9% | 5% | (806) |
| February 2013 | 64% | 24% | 40% | 20% | 7% | 9% | (803) |
| December 2012 | 61% | 21% | 40% | 23% | 7% | 9% | (816) |
| September 2012 | 61% | 27% | 34% | 21% | 10% | 8% | (805) |
| July 2012 | 61% | 22% | 39% | 20% | 11% | 8% | (803) |
| April 2012 | 63% | 23% | 40% | 21% | 7% | 8% | (804) |
| February 2012 | 68% | 26% | 42% | 16% | 8% | 8% | (803) |
| October 2011 | 60% | 21% | 39% | 20% | 13% | 7% | (817) |
| August 2011 | 63% | 19% | 44% | 26% | 6% | 5% | (802) |
| May 2011 | 63% | 24% | 39% | 22% | 10% | 6% | (807) |
| December 2010 | 64% | 24% | 40% | 23% | 8% | 5% | (2864) |
| August 2004 | 61% | 24% | 37% | 17% | 12% | 9% | (800) |
| April 2001 | 64% | 21% | 43% | 21% | 6% | 9% | (802) |
| September 1999 | 62% | 18% | 44% | 21% | 9% | 8% | (802) |
| September 1998 | 62% | 20% | 42% | 23% | 9% | 7% | (804) |
| February 1996 | 60% | 20% | 40% | 20% | 11% | 9% | (804) |
| September 1993 | 52% | 16% | 36% | 29% | 14% | 5% | (801) |
| January 1992 | 53% | 15% | 38% | 26% | 15% | 5% | (800) |
| October 1987 | 60% | 14% | 46% | 23% | 6% | 11% | (500) |
| October 1986 | 55% | 15% | 40% | 26% | 10% | 9% | (800) |
| October 1983 | 59% | 16% | 43% | 23% | 10% | 8% | (802) |
| May 1978 | 52% | 12% | 40% | 25% | 12% | 11% | (1003 |
