Education - Fall 2003

 

Education represents one of the most positive quality of life indicators. More state residents are satisfied with the quality of public schools in their areas today than six months or a year ago. In all, three out of four respondents (76%) are satisfied with the quality of public schools in their area. Two thirds (68%) are satisfied with the quality of instruction in their schools and the value they get for their education dollars.
There is an upswing in the number of people who  are satisfied with the amount they pay for public education. Currently, 62% are satisfied compared with 57% in spring 2003 and 53% in fall of 2002. One person in five (22%) thinks the quality of education will get better in the future and half think it will remain the same.
In addition to fulfilling their mission of educating students, local schools are credited with other community  benefits. Schools strengthen families (68% great deal or fair amount) and they promote stronger neighborhoods (64%). More than half of the respondents (59%) believe public schools strengthen the local economy and contribute to the overall quality of life (75%).
A solid majority of state residents (61%) believe that most workers need more training to qualify for good jobs. About half (51%) of respondents rate public K-12 schools as very good or good in preparing students to succeed in the workplace. Three out of four state residents (76%) think the state’s colleges and universities are doing a very good or good job in preparing future workers. Eight in ten people (82%) think the technical college system is doing a very good or good job.
The University of Wisconsin system earns its highest positive ratings for employing high quality instructors  (67%), for offering the right mix of classes for high-demand jobs such as nursing and health care (64%), for attracting a diverse student population (64%), for helping students complete their education (60%), and for offering courses at times convenient for students (59%). The UW system gets lower marks for offering retraining opportunities (49%) and providing access to a quality education at a reasonable price (52%).
The state’s technical college system earns positive ratings from two thirds or more of respondents in all areas of performance examined in this survey. Three out of four (74%) respondents give it positive ratings for offering the right mix of classes to meet high-need job areas such as nursing and health care, for offering retraining opportunities (75%), for offering classes at convenient times (77%), for providing access to a high quality education at a reasonable price (74%), and for attracting a diverse student population (75%).
When it comes to spending on K-12 public education, Wisconsin residents think we are either spending the right amount or we need to spend more. One half thinks that we currently spend about the right amount on teacher training, technology in schools, and school safety and discipline. Over half (54%) think that we should spend more on core curriculums such as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
Moreover, a majority of respondents say they would support programs that would increase their property taxes by $100 a year for initiatives such as increasing teacher training, school safety and discipline, and computers and other equipment in schools. Strong majorities would support increases in property taxes to ensure smaller class sizes (66%) and for instruction in core curriculums (79%).
Summary Overall, our educational institutions have earned the support of state residents. Respondents think public K-12 schools, the university system, and the technical school system are doing a good job. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement. Sixty-one percent of state residents think that most workers need more training in order to qualify for jobs. People 35 to 44 years old (72%) are most likely to believe that workers need additional training. Satisfaction with and support for public schools are on the rise. On priority issues and programs, such as teacher salaries, core instruction, and technology, respondents say they are willing to pay more. Support for spending is strongest among women, people 18 to 24 years old, and renters. Although some programs such as sports, the arts, and bricks and mortar do not earn majority support, the vast majority of citizens would not reduce funding. It is noteworthy that, among those who express an opinion, people with children do not differ significantly from people without children in their views about the quality or the cost of education.