PPIC Poll: Californians Support Major Educational Changes and Increased Funding if Coupled With These

Before we go further into the data of this survey, which is broken down with many cross tabs, this is the framework that the PPIC puts all of their findings into as to education:

Is frustration with California’s faltering education system so profound that residents are simply disengaging from the vital issue? Although they continue to be deeply critical of the quality of K-12 education in the state, and of state leadership on the issue, the number of residents ranking education and schools as the most important issue facing California has fallen to its lowest point in three years, according to a survey released today...

In the past decade, voters have faced education related measures on just about every ballot and have passed nearly $45 billion in school related state bonds. Perhaps as a result of this spending, a majority of Californians (56%) today believe that the state ranks at or above the national average when it comes to spending per pupil (in reality California ranks 29 out of 50 states). In April 1998, only 42 percent of Californians believed that the state ranked at or above average in per pupil spending. Is a perception of greater investment changing views about education quality? Residents today (53%) are about as likely as they were in 1998 (49%) to say that test scores for California students rank below average or near the bottom compared to other states. “While education remains a critical issue for most Californians, they clearly see a lack of progress and appear to be questioning the return on all the investment and activity of recent years,” says PPIC President and CEO Mark Baldassare. “The Governor has declared 2008 the ‘Year of Education Reform’. The question is, does the public have the will – and the faith in state leaders – to tackle this complex and controversial issue?”

• Most Californians and likely voters do not approve of the way that the Governor and the legislature are handling education.
• The most common response is that in the last two years, the schools have stayed about the same, and those who think there has been a change are more or less divided about whether the schools are better or worse.
• An overwhelming amount (87%) want changes with a strong majority (57%) saying they want major changes.
• They support additional funding if funds are spent more wisely.
• They are concerned about the drop-out rate, teaching children with limited English language skills, and teacher quality as problems.
• More believe California spends less than the national average than above the average, although the most common response is that we spend an average amount.
• Most believe our student test scores are below the national average and only 2% think we are "near the top."
• Most give their local schools an "A" or "B" and only 13% a "D" or "F"
• 11% think their local schools receive "more than enough funding", 33% "just enough," and 48% "not enough," and the perception of "not enough" rises to 57% amongst public school parents.
• Teachers narrowly, followed by their local school districts, lead for who is trusted to make decisions on how to allocate resources to improve student performance at their local school, with the state and principals at much lower levels.
• 72% believe there should be a high school exit exam which must be passed before graduation. This number has not changed significantly since 2002.
• 79% are concerned that students in lower-income area have a higher failure rate on the exit exam with 72% favoring smaller English and math class sizes taught by fully credentialed teachers until they pass the exam even if it costs the state more money.
• 88% are concerned about the higher drop-out rate in lower income areas and 72% favor increasing the number of schools support staff such as counselors, mentors, and social workers to improve graduation rates in lower income areas, even if it costs the state more money.
• 81% are concerned that English language learners score lower on standardized tests than other students and 73% favor providing extra assistance to these students, even if it means they receive more assistance than other students.
• 85% are concerned that schools in lower-income areas have a shortage of good teachers compared to wealthier areas and 76% say the state should provide additional training and professional development for teachers in those areas even if it costs the state more money. 67% favor paying higher salaries to attract and retain teachers in these areas.
• 96% believe it is important that their local public school prepare students for college, 81% very strongly, while 98% of public school parents believe this.
• When asked the most important goal, 32% say preparing students for college, followed by 16% to prepare students for the workforce, 16% to teach students life skills, 15% to prepare students to be good citizens, and 13% to teach students the basics.
• 90% feel it is important that the state collect and make available information about local K-12 public schools, including resources and student performance. 95% favor increased funding for this.
• By a margin of 66% to 28% all adults would vote for a bond for school construction if their local school district placed one on the ballot, while the proportion drops to 58% of likely voters with 37% voting no.
• Increasing property taxes for local schools fails 44% to 53% amongst likely voters and all adults are split on this.
• 68% of all adults favor raising the top rte of the state income tax paid by the wealthiest to raise additional state revenue for additional K-12 funding, while 29% oppose this. Amongst likely voters there is support by 64% to 34%.
• Raising the sales tax is another matter with all adults and residents opposing this by two to one.
• If new state funding becomes available, 74% favor schools in lower-income areas getting more of this funding to pay for teachers and classroom materials and only 21% oppose this, and the results are strong (70% to 26%) amongst likely voters. Similar results, (79% to 17%) are found for using this state funding to improve school facilities in lower-income areas.

We will have further analysis of the poll, but would appreciate your comments and observations. There is no substitute for reading the actual poll results, which are available online.