Understanding Satisfaction with Schools: The Role of Expectations

Abstract

Using a nationally representative survey, this article examines how citizen satisfaction with one public institution, public schools, is shaped by normative expectations regarding what goals schools ought to pursue. We expand extant literature on the role of expectations in shaping satisfaction, which typically focuses on performance expectations, by exploring goal expectations. Using a constant sum allocation exercise, we find that individuals typically express one of two distinct preferences for what goals schools ought to pursue—an academic focus versus a well-rounded focus. We then show that individuals holding these different goal expectations express different levels of satisfaction when viewing the same school performance data. Our results suggest that policies disproportionately focusing on a single goal or expectation may alter public satisfaction, which could negatively influence ongoing support.