Most Coloradans believe the state’s public education system is in serious need of improvement, according to a recent Magellan Strategies survey .

The survey collected responses from more than 1,000 Colorado voters across the political, economic, and demographic spectrum. Participants were asked questions about their views on the state’s public education system, from universal preschool to publicly funded colleges and universities.

Nearly 60% of respondents said they believed the state’s public education system was headed in the wrong direction. When explicitly asked about schools in their area, 53% expressed the same sentiment, up six percentage points from the last time the survey was conducted in 2023, while 32% said their local schools are headed in the right direction.

According to Magellan, respondents who believed the state’s education system was in bad shape cited concerns about “woke ideology” and “indoctrination” in schools, as well as high teacher turnover due to low pay, and declining test scores. Others said they were concerned about overreliance on technology and standardized testing.

Conversely, respondents who said they were happy with Colorado’s public school system noted a high number of passionate and deeply motivated teachers and staff who “go out of their way for kids” and “prepare students for real life”, as well as rising graduation rates and open communication with parents.

School funding remains a concern

Many Coloradans expressed concerns about their local schools’ finances, with 53% saying their district didn’t have enough resources to provide students with a good education. Nearly half said they didn’t believe their district was efficiently managing its finances and taxpayer money. About 60% said they believed additional funding would help students get a better education, while 36% said more money wouldn’t make a difference.

Colorado schools did receive a funding boost this past year, but the state is still not providing districts with nearly enough money as it should.

The General Assembly’s 2025 School Finance Act increased per-pupil funding by $400, adding up to a $256 million increase in state spending for Colorado’s nearly 900,000 public school students, bringing total state spending to $10 billion.

Despite the state spending more on public education than ever before, it’s still about $16 million short of what lawmakers planned to spend when they implemented a new school finance formula in 2024.

When asked to name the biggest challenges facing public school districts in Colorado today the top three responses were attracting and retaining high-quality educators, adequately preparing students for the workforce, and increasing teacher pay to keep up with the cost of living

Most Coloradans support career and technical education programs

The state has made a concentrated effort to increase funding for career and technical education, or CTE, programs in recent years to provide better career opportunities for students who choose not to go to a traditional four-year college or university.

In August, the Colorado Community College System awarded over $2 million in grants to CTE and apprenticeship programs at community colleges and high schools across the state.

Over 80% of survey respondents said they would view their local school district more favorably if it offered career and technical education programs. In contrast, most respondents admitted they were unsure whether their district currently offers such programs.

While 62% of respondents said getting a college degree is essential, nearly 70% believed that getting a degree from a public university in Colorado is unaffordable — almost one-third estimated that the average graduate of a public university in Colorado has over $50,000 in student debt.

When asked whether career and technical education or college preparation were more critical for Colorado high schoolers, the vast majority of respondents said both were important, but 43% said they’d lean toward CTE if they had to choose.

Many respondents argued that college isn’t for everyone, with some calling it “a scam” and “a waste of time and money.” Others expressed concerns that artificial intelligence would take white-collar jobs, believing the trades will offer a more stable career path in the future.

On the other hand, respondents who advocated for a college education argued that having a college degree leads to better opportunities and higher pay, and that the college experience allows students to build critical thinking, communication, and life skills while gaining independence.

Most Coloradans have a favorable view of universal preschool

Of those surveyed, 71% said they had a favorable view of Colorado’s recently established universal preschool program, which provides up to 15 hours of free preschool for four-year-olds. When asked why, many said it made preschool more affordable for working families, helped kids grow and prepare for long-term success, allowed parents to stay in the workforce, and gave all kids “an equal start”, regardless of income.

Many of the 19% of respondents who viewed the program unfavorably used terms like “government overreach” and “socialism” to describe it. At the same time, some argued kids should stay at home until kindergarten and that preschool is more like daycare than education. Others expressed skepticism that the program is truly free, noting concerns about additional burdens on taxpayers.