Education Brief

QUESTIONNAIRE ON EDUCATION

June 23 - July 9, 2000
652 Respondents
Margin of error: +/- 3.8%

Results (including demographics) are weighted to the Bureau of the Census's Current Population Study for education level and age.

I'm going to read you several topics that may be discussed and debated during the upcoming election. In the context of your making a decision to vote for one candidate or another, please tell me how important it is to you to know each of the following things. For each one, answer on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 meaning not at all important and 10 meaning extremely important. The (first/next) one is [randomized]:

1. A candidate's position on Social Security
Mean	8.12
Median	9.00
DK / refused	-

2. A candidate's position on health care
Mean	8.35
Median	9.00
DK / refused	-

3. A candidate's position on Education
Mean	8.52
Median	9.00
DK/ refused	.1%

4. A candidate's position on foreign policy and defense
Mean	7.27
Median	8.00
DK / refused	1.6%

Statement: Now I'd like to ask you some questions on education in this country, meaning from kindergarten through high school.

5. Is it your impression that, over the last 5 years, overall spending on education in the US has been going up, going down, or staying about the same? [IF UP OR DOWN] Would that be (up/down) a great deal, somewhat, or just a little?
Up a great deal	16.0
Up somewhat	15.5
Up just a little	8.9
Staying the same	27.6
Down just a little	2.7
Down somewhat	10.8
Down a great deal	11.6
Don't Know	6.9
Refused	-

Total Up	40.4
Total Same	27.6
Total Down	25.1

6. Thinking now about what you want to have happen in the future, do you think in the next 5 years overall spending on education in the US should go up, go down, or stay about the same? [IF UP OR DOWN]
Would that be (up/down) a great deal, somewhat, or just a little? Up a great deal	42.4
Up somewhat	26.4
Up just a little	6.6
Stay the same	15.5
Down just a little	1.9
Down somewhat	2.8
Down a great deal	2.8
Don't Know	1.5
Refused	.2

Total Up	75.4
Total Same	15.5
Total Down	7.5

[500 Respondents] 7. Currently, there is some debate about whether or not the federal government should ensure a certain level of funding in public schools. Here are three positions on the issue. Please tell me which comes closest to your view: The federal government... [random reverse order] A. ...should ensure that the level of spending per pupil is roughly EQUIVALENT in all public schools. B. ...should ensure at least a MINIMUM level of spending per pupil in all public schools. C. ...should NOT be involved in trying to set spending levels in public schools.
Statement A	47.1
Statement B	27.7
Statement C	22.1
Don't Know	2.2
Refused	.9

[If chose statement B above; 134 respondents] 8. Do you think the federal government is doing enough to ensure the basic level of spending for all schools, or do you think the federal government should be doing more?
Doing enough	26.4
Should do more	67.3
Should do less (Vol.)	1.5
Don't Know	4.8
Refused	-

[Full Sample] 9. Some people have proposed that there should be national tests so we can know how students in each school are doing as compared to students in the country as a whole. If this information is gathered, what do you think the federal government should do about schools whose students score well below the national average? Should the government… [random order] …Withhold Federal funds from these schools to put pressure on them to improve, …Get directly involved in trying to improve the schools, spending more federal money if necessary, OR …Notify the state and the local school board that there is a problem, and let them decide what to do.
Withhold federal funds	13.2
Get directly involved	30.1
Notify local school board	52.3
Don't do tests; do nothing (Vol.)	2.3
Don't Know	2.0
Refused	.1

10. Do you favor or oppose establishing a school voucher program that would allow parents to use tax funds to send their children to a private school?
Favor	49.5
Oppose	45.0
Don't Know	5.5
Refused	-

[If "favor" above; 323 respondents] 11. Please tell me which of the following statements you most agree with: A. I would support vouchers even if the money to pay for them is taken out of the existing public school budget B. I would only support vouchers if the money to pay for them does not come out of the existing public school budget.
Statement A	48.0
Statement B	48.2
Both/doesn't matter (Vol.)	.8
Don't Know	3.0
Refused	-

[Full Sample] 12. Suppose that the federal government does institute a school voucher program. I'd like to know how much you think a voucher for each child should be worth. Here are two options. A. It should be equal to the full average cost of sending the child to a private school. B. It should be equal to the amount that the public school would save by having one less child to educate.
Option A	32.7
Option B	54.0
In between (Vol.)	1.3
Don't Know	9.0
Refused	3.0


13. Finally, just a few questions for statistical purposes. In politics today, do you think of yourself as:
Strongly Republican	15.3
Leaning toward Republican	14.1
Leaning toward Democrat	11.6
Strongly Democrat	15.6
Independent	30.7
Other	8.6
Don't Know	2.3
Refused	1.7

14. Now, let me ask you how likely you think it is that you will vote in the coming election for President this November. Please answer by giving a number from 0 to 100 percent, with 0 percent meaning there is no chance you will vote, 50 percent meaning you are just as likely to vote as not to vote, and 100 percent meaning you are certain to vote..
Mean	84.41
Median	100.00
DK / refused	2.4%

15. Thinking ahead to the November presidential election, which candidate do you support at this time, or haven't you picked a candidate yet?
Al Gore	18.4
George W. Bush	26.4
Pat Buchanan	.5
Ralph Nader	2.1
Other	.5
Have not picked a candidate	48.8
Refused	3.4

[318 respondents] 16. Even though you haven't made up your mind yet, do you lean toward supporting: [read randomized]
Al Gore	20.8
George W. Bush	36.7
Pat Buchanan	3.2
Ralph Nader	1.8
Another candidate	3.7
Don't Know	30.7
Refused	3.0

Total Al Gore	28.6
Total George W. Bush	44.3
Total Pat Buchanan	2.1
Total Ralph Nader	3.0
Total Other	2.3
Don't Know	15.0
Refused	4.8

17. In what year were you born? (Respondents age computed).
18-29	22.1
30-39	21.6
40-49	20.1
50-59	13.7
60-69	9.7
70 and over	12.8
Refused	-

18. What is the highest level of education that you have had:
Less than high school (no degree)	17.5
High school graduate	32.9
Some college	26.0
4 year college degree	15.0
Advanced degree	6.8
Don't Know	.2
Refused	1.7

19. Do you have any children who are under 18 years of age?
Yes	33.9
No	64.3
Refused	1.7

20. Are you, yourself, now covered by any form of health insurance or health plan? This would include any private insurance plan through your employer or that you purchase yourself, as well as a government program like Medicare or Medicaid.
Yes	85.8
No	12.5
Don't Know	-
Refused	1.7

21. What ethnic group do you consider yourself to be part of? [IF UNCLEAR:] Would that be White, African American, Hispanic, or another group?
White/Caucasian	81.8
Black/ African American	7.7
Hispanic/Latino	2.3
Other	4.4
Don't Know	.1
Refused	3.8

22. Here is a range of household incomes. Just stop me when I read an amount that is more than the correct category for your household income for last year.
$15,000	15.5
$25,000	16.7
$45,000	28.7
$70,000	15.7
$100,000	6.8
More than $100,000	5.5
Don't Know	2.5
Refused	8.5

23. Gender (recorded by observation, unweighted percentages)
Male	48.0
Female	52.0

Education Brief

(Oct. 2000)