Trust of Teachers and Favorability of Public Education Slips Post-COVID

Albuquerque, NM – Post pandemic, New Mexico residents lost favor with the education system. According to the 2023 Garrity Perception Survey (GPS), 64 percent of residents trust teachers (a five percent decline from 2020) and 39 percent of residents have a favorable opinion of public education (a two percent decline from 2020).  The 2023 scientific survey of 408 New Mexico residents has a 95 percent level of confidence.

“The pandemic challenged both public education and the teaching profession; we anticipated a bit of a dip in favorability and trust,” said Tom Garrity; President and CEO of The Garrity Group Public Relations. “Trust of teachers dropped five points and favorability of public education slipped two points, when compared to the 2020 survey.” 

According to the 2023 GPS, residents who are more likely to have a favorable impression of public schools includes Democrats, those earning less than $60,000, living in Las Cruces/Southwest and those who have recently moved to New Mexico less than eight years ago. Residents who are more likely to trust teachers have a graduate degree or higher and live in the Albuquerque area or North Central New Mexico.

“People connect with people which is why trust of teachers is so much higher than favorability of public schools,” says Garrity. “Because teachers are a trusted source, administration of public schools will be well served to share important information through their teachers, as a partner in the communications process.”

From the soon-to-be-released 2023 Garrity Perception Survey Book: The public schools in New Mexico are in a precarious position. They need votes to pass needed bond and mill levy funding from those who are no longer engaged with the public schools.  Full insights from the 2023 Garrity Perception Survey Book will be available in August 2023.

About the Garrity Perception Survey

The 2023 Garrity Perception Survey measures New Mexico trust of 15 people/professions, favorability of 17 industries/institutions and how residents access news/information.  It is a scientific survey of New Mexico residents conducted by Research & Polling Inc. The survey has a 95% level of confidence.  All interviews were conducted between March 15 and April 2, 2023.

About The Garrity Group

The Garrity Group is a New Mexico public relations firm that helps small businesses to be heard and large organizations to be understood. Established in 1997 and based in Albuquerque, our team provides media relations, issue management, crisis communications, digital media marketing and event awareness.