On most policy questions, public opinion changes slowly, if at all.
But when new issues arise, important shifts can occur before opinion sorts itself into settled patterns. And, on occasion, critical events can jar opinion from settled patterns into a new equilibrium. …
Public debate over a nationwide effort to set common education standards has been raging in many states over the past year. … The controversy has had a striking impact on public opinion. Although a majority of the public continues to support the standards set by CCSSI, and supporters outnumber opponents by a two-to-one margin, trend lines show serious erosion in support. CONT.
Michael B. Henderson, Paul E. Peterson & Martin R. West, EducationNext