Poll shows eroding school satisfaction

The Nashville Public Education Foundation released on Thursday a new poll showing deepening dissatisfaction with public schools during the pandemic.

Why it matters: Nearly half of the 500 voters polled in September said they thought Metro Nashville Public Schools had gotten worse over the last five years.

• "We believe satisfaction with school systems nationally is much lower than it's been in the last several years," foundation president and CEO Katie Cour tells Axios. "Ours is no different."

By the numbers: The poll found only one in five Nashvillians believe the city made decisions that put children first.

• 49% said schools were not doing a good job serving students from "disadvantaged communities."
• 66% said schools were underfunded, while 72% said teachers were underpaid.

Zoom out: School funding will remain a potent talking point for months to come. Gov. Bill Lee is planning a broad review of the state's oft-criticized funding model.

What they're saying: "Last year was the most challenging school year for public education throughout the country in modern history, and many of those challenges have continued due to the ongoing pandemic," Metro Schools spokesperson Sean Braisted said in a statement.

• "We have been planning throughout this crisis for how to accelerate student progress, and this year we have been implementing or expanding the programs to do just that which will boost public confidence and support for our schools."