It's hard not to read the The 47th annual PDK/Gallup poll of the publics attitude toward public schools, and not come away with the conclusion that the public has rejected the corporate education reform paradigm in significant numbers.

Respondents overwhelmingly indicate that there is far too much emphasis on standardized testing, and that test scores are not the best way to judge schools, or teachers.

The public is also opposed to the use of student test scores in the evaluation of teachers

The "College and Career Ready" slogan isn't being embraced

A strong majority (about eight in 10) of Americans believe how engaged students are with their classwork and their level of hope for the future are very important for measuring the effectiveness of the public schools in their community.

Fewer rated the percentage of graduates attending college and getting a job right after high school as very important. Testing came in last as a measure of effectiveness with just 14% of public school parents rating test scores as very important, making it the last in the list of options.

64% of Americans and a similar proportion of public school parents said there is too much emphasis on standardized testing in the public schools in their community with just 7% believing there’s not enough.

When asked what ideas were most important for improving public schools in their community from a list of five options, testing ranked last in importance once again

So what do Americans think the biggest problems facing schools are, if it's not the nonsense corporate reformers have been saying it is? The number one problems schools face is financing.

Time and time again citizens tell politicians they want to see investment in education, and yet politicians in recent years have spent more time listening to anti-tax groups like StudentsFirst, and profiteers like Ohio's charter school magnates.