Education - Spring 2004

This Quality of Life survey asked respondents to give Wisconsin a report card for its homework on a number of factors that affect business decisions about locating and expanding operations. Wisconsin’s educational system earned A and B grades from 83% of them. When it comes to worker training programs, however, the state receives an A or B grade from slightly more than half of respondents (57%). Although state residents are not satisfied with property taxes in general, two out of three are satisfied with the value they get for the public education dollars.

 

How would you grade Wisconsin’s educational system and worker training programs? Public education is not only important to children and their families, but employers say it plays a very important role in business location and expansion decisions. According to Wisconsin residents, the public education system should serve as an incentive to business. Eight in ten respondents give the state high marks for the strength of its educational system, but almost two in five respondents (39%) give worker training programs a grade of C or lower.
How satisfied are you with the amount that you pay for public education? Satisfaction with the costs of public education continues to climb from 53% in 2002 to 68% in the most recent survey, an increase of 15 percentage points in less than two years.
How satisfied are you with the services that you get for your public education dollars? State residents are satisfied with the services they get for their public education dollars. Last fall satisfaction levels took a jump to 66%, a level that is still holding.