Parents of U.S. public school students in grades K-12 are about evenly divided over the Common Core State Standards. Thirty-five percent view them negatively and 33% view them positively, while another third aren't familiar with them or don't have an opinion. This reflects a slight shift since April, when parents were slightly more positive (35%) than negative (28%).
Opposition has really solidified among Republican parents, while support among Democrat parents is described as "tepid."
The majority of Republican parents -- 58% -- now hold a negative view of Common Core, up from 42% in April, and leaving just 19% viewing it positively. Additionally, significantly more Republicans now have a very negative view of Common Core than a somewhat negative view, 35% vs. 23%...
...Meanwhile, Democratic parents remain in favor of Common Core by about 2-to-1, with 48% viewing it positively and 23% negatively, similar to their views in April. However, unlike Republican opposition, which is relatively strong, Democrats' support is tepid, with most supporters saying they have a somewhat rather than a very positive view of it, 37% vs. 11%.
Gallup then notes that Common Core is playing a huge role in governors' races across the nation, mentioning both Rick Scott and Jeb Bush in Florida and the trouble they are both in due to Common Core:
Common Core has been an issue in many of the gubernatorial elections taking place this November, the outcomes of which could affect how the standards are implemented -- if at all. In New York and Connecticut, the rollout of Common Core has become an issue for the Democratic governors who supported it, and has given some ammunition to their Republican challengers who oppose the initiative.In Florida, meanwhile, Republican Gov. Rick Scott has said he is opposed to Common Core but has received flak for not waging political war on the initiative. His stance is further complicated by former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush's support for the standards -- a rogue stance for a prospective 2016 GOP presidential candidate. In some states, an attempt to repeal Common Core is underway -- such as Pennsylvania, where vulnerable Republican Gov. Tom Corbett has reversed his support for the initiative. (Emphasis added)
While parents' attitudes about Common Core have soured a bit since April, most of that shift comes from solidifying opposition among Republicans. This likely means that leaders in Republican states will continue to feel grassroots pressure to resist the standards, even if implementation proceeds apace elsewhere. However, without a larger proportion of Democratic parents backing the initiative, it's conceivable that serious repeal efforts could take hold anywhere.
Gubernatorial candidates of both parties and potential presidential candidates are having significant difficulties when it comes to Common Core,
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