Did you happen to catch the results of Sunday’s Des Moines Register’s Iowa Poll? For the first time in the poll’s history, a question about Iowa’s AEAs was included. Here’s a snapshot of the results:
- When asked about their feelings toward Iowa’s Area Education Agencies 56% of Iowans have a favorable view, compared with just 20% who hold an unfavorable opinion. (Twenty-four percent said they were unsure.)
- The 56% favorable rating for AEAs is higher than for any elected official tested in the poll.
- And at least 50% of all partisan groups give AEAs a positive rating: 63% of Democrats, 59% of independents and 50% of Republicans.
- AEAs also earn 50% favorability or higher across Iowa’s four congressional districts, as well as every income bracket and all age groups.
Given how complex our work is and the fact that the general public is not really our primary audience, there is a lot to celebrate in these results! Clearly the Iowa AEA “brand” is strong and the majority of Iowans are hoping to keep us around!
And don’t forget, we received incredibly positive results on this year’s Iowa AEA Customer Feedback Survey as well. The final sample size included over 5,900 responses and represents the 327 public, and 183 accredited nonpublic schools served by Iowa’s AEAs.
I believe these findings highlight the importance of our efforts and the positive impact we’re making in our schools and communities. Let’s continue our commitment to excellence as we navigate the tough days ahead. Keep showing up and continue doing the work that we know makes a difference with our local schools. You are appreciated!
Reach out if you have any questions. Please find several resources below that we discussed earlier and that can be found on our staff website under Resources > Legislative Updates, Resources & FAQs. We’ll be in touch with more information as soon as possible.