Thirty-four percent indicated that the schools received “just enough” money while 13 percent believe they receive “more than enough.” A report on the findings notes that of the 50 states, California ranks 17th in per-pupil expenditures for K-12 public education.
“Majorities of likely voters would vote ‘yes’ on state and local school bond measures. Two-thirds of adults are in favor of the Local Control Funding Formula, which provides additional funding for school districts with more English language learners and lower-income students,” according to PPIC. “About six in 10 are very or somewhat concerned about declining student enrollment affecting their local public schools’ funding. A majority of likely voters are opposed to providing parents with tax-funded vouchers to send their children to their choice of a public, private, or parochial school.”
Conducted between March 27 and April 4, survey participants offered a glimpse of Californian’s opinions on K-12 funding, public schools, early childhood education and state policy direction. In the report, data is broken down by demographics including political affiliation, region, gender, race/ethnicity and income.
“Four in 10 or fewer say the current level of resources is not enough for students with lower incomes or whose first language is not English,” according to PPIC. “A solid majority think the Local Control Funding Formula will improve academic achievement of English language learners and lower-income students.”
Sixty-one percent of those surveyed said that they are somewhat or very concerned about the impact declining enrollment may have on funding for local schools.
As for the consensus around the quality of local public schools, most graded them a B (36 percent) or C (33 percent) based on their experiences, those of family or friends or what they see in the news. Like the previous year, “majorities of adults and public school parents say their local public schools are doing an excellent or good job of preparing students for college,” according to PPIC. “A majority of adults (55 percent) and public school parents (70 percent) also say that their local schools are doing an excellent or a good job in preparing students to be engaged citizens.”
Most of those surveyed expressed a need to improve outcomes for English learners. “Nearly all (85 percent adults, 86 percent public school parents) say it is important for California’s future economic well-being to improve outcomes for these students,” PPIC found.
Additionally, 72 percent had concerns about the threat of a mass shooting at local schools.
On the subject of educators, 87 percent indicated that teacher shortages are a big or somewhat big problem, 86 percent consider teacher salaries compared to the cost of living as at least a somewhat big issue and 79 percent find teacher quality to be at least a somewhat big concern.
Seventy-eight percent of respondents agreed that attending preschool is either very or somewhat important and 68 percent said that the state should fund voluntary preschool programs for 4-year-olds. “Most Californians worry whether students in lower-income areas and students who are English language learners are ready for kindergarten,” PPIC found.
“Half of adults and 44 percent of public school parents think that major changes’ are needed in the state’s K–12 public education system,” according to PPIC. “About four in 10 are very concerned that schools in lower-income areas have a shortage of good teachers compared to wealthier areas; somewhat similar shares are very concerned that public school students in lower-income areas are less likely than others to be ready for college.”
Roughly one in three believe the quality of education is a problem and 49 percent think its quality has gotten worse.
Adults see the most important goals for K-12 education as teaching students the basics (40 percent), life skills (21 percent), preparing them for college (16 percent) and to be engaged citizens (11 percent) as well as preparing them for the workforce (8 percent).
At the federal level, 71 percent of adults oppose actions to close the U.S. Department of Education while 65 percent support recent directives “requiring transgender athletes to compete on teams that match the sex they were assigned at birth, not the gender they identify with.”
Sixty-six percent of adults have concerns about the effect that increased immigration enforcement could have on undocumented students and their families.
“Sixty-three percent of adults and 72 percent of public school parents are in favor of their local public school district designating itself as a sanctuary ‘safe zone’ to indicate that it will protect undocumented students and their families from immigration enforcement, and 69 percent of adults and 74 percent of public school parents are in favor of their local public schools requiring staff to keep information about the immigration status of students and their families confidential,” PPIC found.