Education: A Vital Issue in Election 2000

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

I. Importance of Education

KEY POINT:The public ranks education as one of the most important issues in this year's presidential campaign, with 91% saying it is "very" or "extremely" important.The educational issue may be based on perceptions of problems as much as it is on reality. Parents of school-aged children are quite satisfied with the quality of education their children receive, but much less so with the educational system in general in the country. Similarly, Americans give higher grades to the schools in their local community than they do to schools nationally.

Gallup polls conducted over the past year generally show that Americans believe education to be one of the most important issues to be discussed in this year's presidential election -- more important than even the economy and health care. In fact, half of the public believe education is an "extremely important" issue, a significantly greater percentage than for any other issue mentioned.

At the same time, education does not stand out above all other issues in terms of its salience to voters this year. In the public's response to open-ended questions, education does not dominate its concerns, but rather is at the top of a widely disparate list of concerns. For example, in response to a question asked in July, 12% of Americans said that education was the single most important issue in influencing their vote for president. This ranked it at the top of all issues, along with the economy, followed by health care (9%) and Social Security (8%). Similarly, Americans were slightly more likely to mention education (12%) than any other topic when they were asked in another July survey to name the single issue they thought it would be most important for the new president to address when he takes office next January.

"Now I am going to read a list of some of the issues that will probably be discussed in this year's presidential election campaigns. As I read each one, please tell me how important the candidates' positions on that issue will be in influencing your vote for president -- extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not important." [RANDOM ORDER]

August 4-5, 2000

"And of all the issues I have just read, which is the single most important in influencing your vote for president?"

July 25-26, 2000

The American public generally gives higher grades to the state of education in their local communities than they do to the education system in general across the country. Similarly, parents give higher grades to the education their children receive than they do to the educational system nationally. This type of local-versus-national disparity is often noted in survey research, and also pertains to such issues as health care and crime.

A Gallup survey conducted for the international educational associationPhi Delta Kappahas shown for years that the grades Americans give to schools in their local communities are much higher than grades they give to schools nationally. Forty-seven percent of national adults give the schools in their communities a grade of A or B, while only 20% give an A or B grade to schools across the country.

Additionally, a Gallup poll conducted August 24-27 of this year shows that 61% of the public is either "somewhat dissatisfied" or "completely dissatisfied" with the quality of education in this country, while 36% are "completely satisfied" or "somewhat satisfied." Dissatisfaction appears to be growing, as opinion was more evenly divided on the quality of education in this country in 1999, when 47% were satisfied and 51% were dissatisfied.

Opinion is dramatically different, however, on the quality of education one's own children receive. In the same poll, 78% of parents of school-aged children say they are either completely satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the quality of education their (oldest) child is receiving, while only 18% express any sort of dissatisfaction. In contrast to the education numbers for the country as a whole, parents' satisfaction with their children's schooling has remained relatively stable during the past year.

"Students are often given the grades A, B, C, D, and FAIL to denote the quality of their work. Suppose the public schools themselves, in this community, were graded in the same way. What grade would you give the public schools here -- A, B, C, D, or FAIL?"(Gallup/Phi Delta Kappa Study)

"How about the public schools in the nation as a whole? What grade would you give the public schools nationally -- A, B, C, D, or FAIL?"(Gallup/Phi Delta Kappa study)

"Overall, how satisfied are you with the quality of education students receive in grades kindergarten through grade twelve in the U.S. today -- would you say completely satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied or completely dissatisfied?"

II. What Does the Public Want Done to Improve Education?

A. Alternatives to the Current Public School System

Most Americans state that they support reforms to the existing public school system rather than alternatives to the existing system. When given the choice between reforming the existing public school system or finding an alternative system as a way of improving public education, Americans in the current education survey -- conducted annually by Gallup for Phi Delta Kappa -- opt for reforming the existing system by almost a two-to-one margin, 59% to 34%. Similarly, when asked which they would prefer -- to improve the existing public schools or to provide vouchers to pay for private and church-related schools, Americans choose the former option by 75% to 22%.

While Americans are opposed to replacing the existing public school system, they are receptive, by varying degrees, to several non-public-school alternatives, including charter schools, home schools, and attendance at private and church-related schools by means of government vouchers for paying tuition.

More than seven in ten Americans (74%), however, believe that such publicly funded non-public schools should be required to take students from a wider range of backgrounds and academic ability levels than is now generally the case. Americans also believe that these schools should also be accountable to the state in the way public schools are accountable (76% to 21%).

In the current Gallup/Phi Delta Kappasurvey, among the 49% of Americans who know what such schools are, about seven in ten favor the idea of charter schools. At the same time, the public believes that charter schools, specifically, should be accountable to the state in the same way the regular public schools are accountable.

By a margin of 57% to 36%, Americans believe that home schools are a bad thing for the nation, although the percentage saying "a bad thing" has declined considerably since the first measurement in 1985, when the figure was 79%. At the same time, nine in ten Americans (88%) feel that home schools should be required to maintain the same level of educational quality as the regular public schools do. Virtually the same percentage, 92%, would require home-schooled children to take all the state and national assessment tests public school students are required to take each year.

"In order to improve public education in America, some people think the focus should be on reforming the existing public school system. Others believe the focus should be on finding an alternative to the existing public school system. Which approach do you think is preferable -- reforming the existing public school system or finding an alternative to the existing public school system?"

"Which one of these two plans would you prefer -- improving and strengthening the existing public schools or providing vouchers for parents to use in selecting and paying for private and/or church-related schools?"

"Have you heard or read about so-called charter schools?"

"As you may know, charter schools operate under a charter or contract that frees them from many of the state regulations imposed on public schools and permits them to operate independently. Do you favor or oppose the idea of charter schools?"

B. Vouchers

Gallup and Phi Delta Kappa have been asking the public about vouchers, an idea that originated in Europe, since 1970. To investigate this complex and controversial subject, eight questions, each containing slightly different wording, have been used. All of the questions have shown increasing support for vouchers as the public gradually became more accustomed to the idea.

Today, support for vouchers ranges from 41% to 52% in favor, depending on whether the question mentions vouchers that pay part of the tuition, allorpart, orallof the tuition. Based on the findings, the public appears to be more receptive to the idea of partial payment than to the other options.

Gallup has also investigated the public’s support for vouchers that would provide parents with tax credits rather than direct tuition payments. The findings reveal that the public is more supportive of vouchers based on tax credits than of those that pay tuition directly. Again, the same situation occurs as is true for tuition payments: Americans supportpartialtax credits by a larger majority, 65% to 34%, than they do total tax credits, 57% to 41%.

"Which one of these two plans would you prefer -- improving and strengthening the existing public schools or providing vouchers for parents to use in selecting and paying for private and/or church-related schools?"

"A proposal has been made that would allow parents to send their school-aged children to any public, private, or church-related school they choose. For those parents choosing non-public schools, the government would pay all or part of the tuition. Would you favor or oppose this proposal in your state?"

C. Testing

For several decades in the Gallup/Phi Delta Kappa surveys, the public has, by percentages of 70% and more, backed the use of standardized national achievement testing for measuring both student academic progress and for grade promotion including high school graduation.

Moreover, the public by 71% to 25% would favor the federal government administering a voluntary national program that would routinely test fourth and eighth graders to measure the performance of the nation’s public schools.

At the same time, Americans appear to have some reservations about achievement testing, particularly about the amount of testing in their local schools.

For example, the public is divided on whether, on an overall basis, there is too much or too little achievement testing in the local schools. Forty-three percent say there is about the right amount and the remainder is roughly split between those who think there is too much and those who feel there is too little testing.

Americans, by 68% to 26%, also believe that examples of public school students’ work offer a better way to measure their academic achievement than do their scores on standardized local and state achievement tests.

"Now, here are some questions about testing. In your opinion, is there too much emphasis on achievement testing in the public schools in your community, not enough emphasis on testing, or about the right amount?"

"In your opinion, should the primary use of tests be to determine how much students have learned or to determine the kind of instruction they need in the future?"

"In your opinion, which is the best way to measure student academic achievement -- by means of test scores or by classroom work and homework?"

D. Teachers

The following finding reveals the special importance of teachers in the school reform movement: When Americans are asked which one of four possibilities offers the most promise for improving the public schools in their communities, more than half (52%) answer "a qualified, competent teacher in every classroom." The next most frequently mentioned response, with only 19%, is "a free choice for parents among a number of private, church-related, and public schools," followed closely by "rigorous academic standards," with 17%.

As a way to attract and retain good teachers, the public favors increased pay for all teachers, by a margin of 62% to 37%, while as many as nine in ten are in favor of increased pay for teachers who demonstrate high performance.

As regards demonstrated performance, moreover, more than eight in ten (85%) feel that it is either very or fairly important that increased teacher pay should be tied to the scores their students receive on standardized achievement tests.

The public is divided as to whether teacher unionization has helped, hurt, or made no difference as regards the quality of education in the nation. About a quarter (27%) say it has helped, another quarter (26%) say it has hurt, and the remaining 47% say it has made no difference or they have no opinion. The percentage who feel unionization has hurt educational quality, however, has declined from 38% to the aforementioned 26% over the last 25 years.

"Of the following four possibilities, which one do you think offers the most promise for improving the public schools in your community: rigorous academic standards; a qualified, competent teacher in every classroom; the elimination of social promotion (that is, moving students from grade to grade to keep them in their own age group); or free choice for parents among a number of private, church-related, and public schools?"

E. Government Influence and Funding

By a margin of about two to one, Americans would like the federal government to have less influence (61%) rather than more (33%) in determining the education programs of the local public schools. The current numbers are virtually the same as those obtained in two of three previous surveys since 1986.

In a similar vein, in the current survey 49% say the federal government has too much influence on the decisions that affect the local public schools, compared to 16% who feel the feds have too little influence, and 29% who say about the right amount.

In regards to determining how federal money should be distributed to the states, seven in ten Americans (71%) think the states should be given flexibility or leeway in how the money should be spent, while 23% think the money should be specifically designated for particular programs.

"Now, let's focus on the decisions made that affect the public schools in your community. As I name a specific group or individual, please tell me whether you think that group or individual has too much, too little, or just about the right amount of say in the decisions that affect the local public schools."

"Thinking about the future, would you like to see the federal government in Washington have more influence or less influence in determining the educational programs of the local public schools?"

An April study also found that Americans, when asked specifically what it is that the federal government can do, were more likely to mention funding and money than any other specific topic:

"What action by the federal government do you think would be most effective in helping to improve public schools in the United States today?" [Open-ended; Record up to three mentions]

 "What do you think are the biggest problems with which the public schools of your community must deal?"