Happy parents, unequal opportunities

Parents across the Northwest are sending a surprisingly clear message about their children’s education: many are satisfied with their schools, but too many students still lack access to opportunities that help them succeed.

A new nationwide survey of more than 23,000 parents — including hundreds in Idaho, Montana, and Washington — reveals a complicated but important story about education in our region.

First, the good news.

Parents in Idaho and Montana are among the most satisfied in the country with their children’s schools. In Montana, 51% of parents say they are very satisfied with their child’s school, well above the national average of 47%. Idaho parents report similar confidence, with 48% saying they are very satisfied.

Even more telling, roughly seven in ten parents in both states say they would send their child to the same school again if given the choice.

Those are strong numbers — and they reflect the hard work happening in classrooms across the region.

But the survey also shows something important: satisfaction with schools does not necessarily mean students have access to all the opportunities they need.

In fact, some of the largest gaps appear outside the classroom.

Take tutoring. Nationally, about 24% of students received academic tutoring in the past year. In Washington, participation meets that national benchmark. But in Idaho and Montana, tutoring participation falls far behind — just 15% in Idaho and 16% in Montana.

That gap matters. Research consistently shows that tutoring can significantly improve student learning, particularly when students are struggling academically.

The same pattern appears with summer learning opportunities.

While 41% of Washington students participated in summer programs, only 34% of Idaho students did. Montana sits closer to the national average at 39%, but even there participation declined slightly compared to last year.

These programs are not just about keeping kids busy during summer break. They are a critical tool for preventing learning loss and helping students stay on track academically.

At the same time, the survey highlights a major difference between Washington and its neighboring states: parent engagement.

Washington parents are far more involved in their schools’ decision-making and information systems. Thirty-one percent report reviewing school performance data, compared to just 22% in Idaho and 19% in Montana. Washington parents are also significantly more likely to attend school meetings.

That level of engagement may help explain another finding: Washington students are far more likely to participate in extracurricular activities. Sixty-three percent of Washington students participate in organized sports, compared to 60% in Montana and 52% in Idaho.

Extracurricular activities, arts programs, and sports are often overlooked in education policy debates. But they play a crucial role in student development — building teamwork, leadership skills, and community connections.

The lesson from this survey is not that one state is doing everything right or another is doing everything wrong.

Instead, it shows that education opportunity is uneven — even in places where parents are generally happy with their schools.

Parents in Idaho and Montana may like their schools, but their children still have fewer academic supports outside the classroom. Meanwhile, Washington families appear to have greater access to activities and engagement opportunities, even though overall satisfaction with schools is somewhat lower.

If policymakers want to improve education outcomes across the Northwest, the goal should be simple: expand opportunity.

That means making tutoring more accessible. It means expanding summer learning programs. And it means ensuring families have clear information and meaningful ways to engage with their schools.

Parents across the region are telling us they value their schools.

Now it’s time to make sure every child has access to the opportunities that help those schools succeed.