WHAT THEY SAID Survey results

Views from parents, teachers, students, principals, employers and college professors on public schools.
81 percent of teachers take parents to task for not making sure their children study hard and behave well.
85 percent of parents, 75 percent of teachers, 79 percent of employers and 79 percent of professors say students work harder if they know they will be tested.
More than 4 in 10 teachers say that in their schools, teachers spend more time trying to keep order in the classroom than actually teaching.
More than 8 in 10 superintendents and principals complain about keeping up with government mandates.
76 percent of superintendents and 67 percent of principals say they want more freedom to make decisions, especially when it comes to rewarding outstanding teachers.
83 percent of teachers say parents who fail to set limits and create structure at home for their kids are a serious problem.
98 percent of teachers say it's always the same group of parents who are helping out at school.
77 percent of students say their high school has problems with cursing in the hallways and cafeteria.