CSUN University News Clippings

Californians want schools to spend more wisely

(April 30, 2009)

By Nanette Asimov

Californians care deeply about public education - and most want school funding protected in the state budget - but they are feeling less generous than in past years about giving schools more money, a new statewide survey reveals.

People feeling the recession’s bite want schools do a better job with the money already allocated, according to the survey of education attitudes by the Public Policy Institute of California.

At the same time, people are far less willing than in past years to pay higher taxes even to maintain existing levels of school funding.

“Californians are concerned about school quality and they’re concerned about school funding. But that hasn’t translated into more support for taxes and spending,” Mark Baldassare, president of the independent research firm, said in a statement. “They’re looking for reform and innovation that can lead to gains in school performance and student achievement.”

The wide-ranging survey of more than 2,500 adults shows that most, 56 percent, worry that schools will suffer from the deep cuts being made to education to help close the state’s $41 billion budget gap. Even more, 61 percent, believe schools would improve with higher funding.

Yet the steps Californians are willing to take to improve the schools has changed since the same question was asked in previous surveys.

This year, just 6 percent of respondents said money alone would improve schools, compared with 11 percent in 2007.

By contrast, those who want schools to use existing funding more wisely has soared in the last two years: from 37 percent to 49 percent.

The new survey also shows people who are willing to raise their own taxes to pay more for education has plunged in the last five years, from 67 percent to 48 percent.

At the same time, most respondents, 58 percent, said schools are the most important part of the budget to protect.

Here are other survey findings:

– Some 56 percent grade their local school an A or B.

– Some 51 percent say the quality of education in general is a “big problem”: (Just 44 percent of those with children in school agree.)

– Few approve of how state leaders are handling public education: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (20 percent); Legislature (18 percent).

– Some 69 percent approve of the required high school Exit Exam, but 55 percent are “very concerned” that low-income students have a higher failure rate.

– Some 71 percent believe it would be “very important” for schools to offer career and vocational programs.
Online resources

To see the full report, go to sfgate.com/ZGYC.

E-mail Nanette Asimov at nasimov@sfchronicle.com.

Publication: San Francisco Chronicle