Education Post Poll National attitudes around education issues, improvements and institutions Conducted August 2014

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1 Education Post Poll National attitudes around education issues, improvements and institutions Conducted August 2014 Methodology Description: Douglas E. Schoen, LLC conducted two national phone polls with a nationally representative sample of 1,800 randomly selected individuals with either children or grandchildren between the ages of 3 and 18, with oversamples of and parents/grandparents. For more details on the demographics of those surveyed, please see details at the end of survey. 1

2 Generally speaking, is the education system in the United States headed in the right direction, or is it off on the wrong track? % 54% 49% 36% 29% 32% 13% 14% 15% Right Direction Wrong Track Generally speaking, is the education system in your state headed in the right direction, or is it on the wrong track? % 52% 49% 44% 39% 13% 12% Right Direction Wrong Track Not Sure How satisfied are you with the quality of education in your community? % 47% 3 27% 22% 19% satisfied satisfied 18% 16% dissatisfied 8% 9% 8% dissatisfied 2% 1% 2% 2

3 How satisfied are you with the number of conveniently located, quality school options that are currently available to you? % 48% 44% 3 29% 26% 19% 19% 17% 14% 6% 5% 7% 6% 3% 3% satisfied satisfied Not very satisfied Not satisfied at all How satisfied are you with your child/grandchild's school? % 37% 31% satisfied 54% 47% 49% satisfied 8% 9% Not very satisfied 3% 3% 2% 3% 4% 3% Not satisfied at all Do you believe your child/grandchild's school/schools need to get better? % 6 61% Yes, it needs to get better 33% 33% 33% No, I'm happy with my child's school as is 6% 7% 6% 3

4 How worried are you that your child/grandchild s education won t prepare your child/grandchild for success in today s world? % 26% 25% 49% 38% 54% 17% 27% 13% 8% 6% 7% 2% 3% worried worried Not very worried Not worried at all Favorability Here is an organization, institution or policy that has been in the news. Please indicate if you have a very, somewhat, somewhat, or very impression. Education Reform: Education Reform: 3% 42% 11% 3% 8% 43% 4

5 Education Reform: Teacher Unions: 3% 8% 9% 39% 41% 13% 15% 19% 33% Teacher Unions: Teacher Unions: 4% 14% 31% 11% 12% 22% 41% Traditional Public Schools in Community: 7% 3% 45% 5

6 Traditional Public Schools in Community: 6% 2% 15% 46% 31% Traditional Public Schools in Community: 1% 7% 47% Public Charter Schools: Public Charter Schools: 6% 13% 31% 5% 12% 36% 11% 36% Public Charter Schools: 5% 11% 12% 36% 36% 6

7 Standardized Testing: 8% 6% 32% 34% Standardized Testing: Standardized Testing: 4% 4% 13% 37% 42% 4% 9% 12% 37% 38% 8% Holding Teachers Accountable: 4% 6% 38% 44% 3% Holding Teachers Accountable: 8% 31% 4% 54% 7

8 Holding Teachers Accountable: Common Core State Standards: 6% 4% 9% 46% 16% 14% 16% 34% Common Core State Standards: 27% 12% 7% 29% 25% Common Core State Standards: 16% 28% 36% 8

9 Is going to college important for every kid or are there some students for whom learning a skill or a trade is just as good or important? % 49% 48% 43% 37% It's important for every child to go to college For some students it's just as important to learn a skill or trade 3% 4% 3% Recognizing that schools need to improve, on what scale do we need to make changes? % 38% 33% Our school system needs a complete overhaul 6 53% 56% There are some changes that need to be made 3% 5% 3% 4% 4% 3% The school system is Fine as is Here are some proposed ways to improve our schools. Please indicate if you think it will improve our, somewhat, will hurt our schools, or if it will not make a. Higher standards and a more challenging curriculum % 49% 51% 39% improve our schools 7% 5% 5% 7% 4% 9

10 Higher standards, even if it means more testing to measure progress % 46% 32% 46% 31% 52% improve our schools 21% 14% 13% 7% 2% 3% More accountability for principals and teachers % 51% 48% 42% 43% improve our schools 2% 2% 5% 7% 7% Expanding the number of public charter schools so parents have more options % 32% 45% 45% 41% 39% improve our schools 13% 9% 11% 12% 12% 8% 10

11 Teacher evaluations that use test scores, classroom observation and surveys from parents and students to determine promotions and better pay % 33% 43% 33% 46% improve our schools 9% 12% 6% 12% 15% 15% Teacher evaluations that use test scores, classroom observation and surveys from parents and students to help teachers improve % 52% 57% 36% 3 improve our schools 9% 8% 5% 7% 8% 4% Fair and periodic standardized testing that allows parents to know that their child is learning what they need to succeed % 44% 48% 45% 45% 33% improve our schools 6% 6% 4% 5% 3% 3% 11

12 Making big changes to schools that underperform year after year including new management, principals, and teachers % 55% 59% 32% improve our schools 7% 5% 5% 4% 5% 4% Reforming teacher tenure % 33% 47% 47% 44% 39% improve our schools 4% 7% 5% 16% 12% 9% Eliminating teacher tenure % 24% 18% 42% 37% improve our schools 23% 24% 19% 16% 18% 18% 12

13 Adding vocational education tracks to schools % 47% 41% 44% 36% 36% improve our schools 5% 12% 1% 5% 4% Please indicate if you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat, or strongly with the following statements: America is falling behind in achievement, jobs and competitiveness. We need to address this by supporting rigorous and challenging schools that prepare our kids for the jobs and careers of the future % 57% 53% Strongly agree 32% 29% 27% agree 11% 7% 5% 6% 2% 5% 2% 3% Strongly Our schools need to be more equal. Some kids get to go to good schools, with good teachers and resources, while others- - often low- income, disadvantaged students- - are forced to go to schools with less funding and less effective teachers. 8 72% % Strongly agree 32% 31% 21% agree 13% 5% 5% 1% 3% 3% 1% 1% Strongly 13

14 We need to open more public charter schools that are not bound by union rules so they can lengthen the school day, establish their own approach to discipline, have more flexibility with who they hire, and create a unique learning culture % 28% 47% Strongly agree 41% 41% 25% agree 15% 11% 12% 8% 7% 8% 9% 6% Strongly To really educate our children we need to understand that every child learns differently and use personalized learning and teaching to meet their individual needs % 63% 65% Strongly agree 31% 27% 14% agree 4% 4% 5% 1% 1% 2% 1% 3% 1% Strongly A good principal should have the ability to promote and reward good teachers and to counsel out ineffective teachers % 5 46% 41% 38% 38% Strongly agree agree 8% 5% 5% 1% 1% Strongly 4% 6% 5% 14

15 Education is the civil rights issue of our time. Education is a springboard for confidence and success, and we need to make sure that all families and all kids have access to the same opportunities regardless of race, background or income % 62% 67% Strongly agree 3 29% agree 4% 3% 3% 2% 1% 2% 1% Strongly I'm going to read you a fact about education in the US today. Please tell me if it is a very compelling, somewhat compelling, not very compelling or not compelling at all reason to support changing the status quo in our schools: Test scores for all 17- year- olds on a national test have not moved since 1992, and comparing 2012 results on an international test for 15 year- olds to 2009 results, the U.S. slipped from 25th to 31st in math; from 20th to 24th in science; and from 11th to 21st in reading % 51% 56% compelling 28% 22% compelling 8% 8% 6% 3% 6% 3% 5% 4% Not very compelling Not compelling at all Here is some language people have used to talk about improving education in our schools. After each statement, please tell me if is a very convincing, somewhat convincing, not very convincing or not convincing at all reason to support reforming and improving our schools. 15

16 We need new education policies to give our children a chance to successfully compete in an increasingly challenging world. We need thoughtful approaches such as public charter schools, fair evaluations that hold teachers accountable, and high standards to ensure that our kids go into the world prepared for success % 44% 45% convincing 38% convincing 9% 6% 7% 3% 4% 4% 6% 1% Let's stop playing politics with education and focus on getting the best results for every student. We don t have time for name- calling and excuses. We just want all students to have the opportunity to make the most of their potential % 67% 48% convincing 34% 18% convincing 8% 7% 6% 1% 2% 2% 5% 6% 4% We live in a rapidly changing world- - shouldn't our education system keep up? We need real reform- - public charter schools, higher standards for students, and increased accountability for teachers and principals for the results our schools produce % 53% 48% convincing 39% 37% 36% convincing 8% 8% 9% 2% 1% 3% 2% 2% 16

17 It's time to take a balanced approach to improving our schools. Let's give teachers a raise, and reward the most effective educators, while also extending the trial period before teachers receive tenure, and reforming laws that force schools to let teachers go based on seniority, rather than effectiveness. Together we can work to both give the teaching profession the respect it deserves, and make sure that our children are receiving a high quality education from effective and passionate educators % 39% 38% convincing 32% 31% 3 convincing 22% 15% 17% 9% 3% 5% 5% 4% 5% Ensuring that every child- - no matter their background and no matter their zip code- - is held receives a high quality education from excellent and accountable teachers is the only way that we'll finally address the growing inequality here in America % 5 54% convincing 34% 25% 25% convincing 17% 9% 3% 2% 1% 3% 2% 3% Some say that teacher unions are fighting to get our public school system the resources it needs and preventing it from becoming impersonal and test- driven. Others say that the teacher unions put the interests of teachers first, not the interests of students. Which is closer to your view? % 37% 41% 46% 38% 26% Teachers unions are Fighting to get schools resources and protect education Teachers unions put the interests of teachers First, not the interests of students 22% 19% 16% 17

18 Some say that the groups and individuals who are trying to change our education system here in the U.S. are working to make schools more accountable to students and parents. Others say that they are anti- teacher, anti- public school, and are trying to make a profit off of education. Which is closer to your view? % 49% 59% They are working to make schools more results- driven and accountable 22% 15% They are anti- teacher, anti- public schools and are trying to make a profit off of education 31% 26% 19% Unions should be partners in education reform- - helping lead reform rather than fighting it. Teaching is their profession and if they want to make schools better they have to step up and help improve things. Do you finds this statement very believable, somewhat believable, not very believable, or not believable at all? % 54% 42% believeable 38% 27% 46% believable 7% 6% 6% 4% 5% 1% Not very believable Not believable at all 7% 8% 5% 18

19 DEMOGRAPHIC BREAKDOWN OF RESPONDENTS Demographic trait Breakdown by percentage Race Caucasian 6 12% Hispanic 21% Asian 6% Other 1% Party Republican 26% Democrat 37% Independent 26% Ideology Conservative 26% Moderate 43% Liberal - 19% 12% Education Some high school or less- - 2% High school graduate- - 17% Some college- - 29% College graduate- - 31% Some graduate school- - 4% Graduate degree- - 14% Technical school- - 3% Age % % % % 65 & up 6% Have children in a public school 79% Have children in a charter school Belong to a union 8% 19