Curriculum Questions: Section 3

CURRICULUM/INSTRUCTION
Scroll down or click on "Question" to see the poll results for that question.

Section 3

Foreign Language
Question 1: What foreign language or languages should be required? (Asked in: 1983.)
[Code: 98-CurFX-1]

Government Influence
Question 2: In your opinion, who should have the greatest influence in deciding what is taught in the public schools here -- the federal government, the state government, or the local school board? (Asked in: 1980, 1984, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014.)
[Code: 99-CurGX-2]

Homosexuality in the Curriculum
Question 3: Would you favor or oppose teaching about the gay and lesbian lifestyle as part of the curriculum in the public schools in your community? (Asked in: 1996.)
[Code: 101-CurHX-3]

Question 4: If teaching about the gay and lesbian lifestyle were included in the curriculum of the local public schools, in what way do you believe it should be presented in class -- as an acceptable alternative lifestyle, as an unacceptable lifestyle, or as one alternative lifestyle with no moral judgment made? (Asked in: 1996.)
[Code: 100-CurHX-4]

Independent Study
Question 5: In some schools, time spent by students in classrooms is being reduced to give more time for independent study, that is, carrying out learning projects on their own. Should the local schools give more time to independent study than they presently do, or should they give less time? (Asked in: 1971.)
[Code: 102-CurIX-5]

Learning About Other Nations
Question 6: Should students spend more time than they now do learning about other nations of the world and the way people live there, or do you think they spend enough time now? (Asked in: 1980, 2007.)
[Code: 103-CurLX-6]

Math/Science Learning
Question 7: Do you believe that most public school students have the capability to learn more math than they generally do today? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 104-CurMX-7]

Question 8: Do you believe that most public school students have the capability to learn more science than they generally do today? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 105-CurMX-8]

Question 9: Some high schools now require that all students complete four years of mathematics. This includes two years of Algebra beginning with the eighth or ninth grade. Would you be in favor of or opposed to making this a requirement for the public schools in your community? (Asked in: 2006.)
[Code: 827-CurMX-9]

Minimum Requirements for Graduation
Question 10: What requirements, if any, would you set for graduation from high school for those students who do not plan to go on to college but who plan to take a job or job training following graduation? I'll read off a number of requirements, and then you tell me how important each one is as a requirement for graduation for these students. We would like to know whether you think it is very important, fairly important, or not important? How important is it that these students: . . . be able to write a letter of application using correct grammar and correct spelling? . . . be able to read well enough to follow an instruction manual for home appliances? . . . know enough arithmetic to be able to figure out such a problem as the total square feet in a room? . . . know the health hazards of smoking, use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs? . . . have a salable skill, such as typing, auto mechanics, nurse's aide, business machines? . . . know something about the U.S. government, the political parties, voting procedures? . . . know something about the history of the U.S., such as the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the like? . . . know something about he major nations of the world today, their kind of government, and their way of life? . . . know something about the history of mankind, the great leaders in art, literature? . . . know a foreign language? (Asked in: 1975, 1978.)
[Code: 106-CurMX-10]

Alternate Graduation
Question 11: Do you know someone who has earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing the GED test? (Asked in: 2011.)
[Code: 922-CurMX-11]

Question 12: Do you think passing the GED test helped in their preparations for college or a career? [Asked as a follow-up to the question: Do you know someone who has earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing the GED test?](Asked in: 2011.)
[Code: 923-CurMX-12]

Multiculturalism
Question 13: In your opinion, which should the public schools in your community promote -- one common, predominant cultural tradition only, or both a common cultural tradition and the diverse cultural traditions of the different population groups in America? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 108-CurMX-13]

Question 14: Which one do you think should receive more emphasis -- one common cultural tradition, diverse cultural traditions, or should both receive the same emphasis? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 107-CurMX-14]

Importance of Second Language
Question 15: How important do you believe it is for all children in the United States to learn a second language in addition to English? Is it very important, somewhat important, not very important, or not important at all? (Asked in: 2007.)
[Code: 851-CurIX-15]

Introduction of Second Language
Question 16: In your opinion, should instruction in a second language, that is, in addition to English, begin in elementary school, middle school, or in high school? (Asked in: 2007.)
[Code: 852-CurIX-16]

View more questions related to CURRICULUM/INSTRUCTION

Return to Categories Page

POLL RESULTS

Foreign Language
Question 1: What foreign language or languages should be required? (Asked in: 1983.)
[Code: 98-CurFX-1]

	National Totals
	1983 %
Spanish	56
French	34
German	16
Latin	8
Russian	8
Japanese	6
Other	4
Don't know	24
(Figures add to more than 100% because of multiple responses.)

	National Totals
	Federal government %	State government %	Local school board %	Don't Know/No Answer %
2014***	15	28	56	1
2008**	20	30	46	4
2007	20	31	49	*
2006	14	26	58	2
2003	15	22	61	2
1984*	9	14	27	12
1980	9	15	68	8
In 1984 only the categories Parents (24%) and Teachers (11%) were also included. * In 2008 the breakdowns by political party were published: Democrats 18% Federal; 32% State; 47% Local school board; 3% Don't know. Republicans 22% Federal; 29% State; 45% Local school board; 4% Don't know. *** In 2014 the breakdowns by political party were published: Democrats 28% Federal; 26% State; 45% Local school board; 1% Don't know. Republicans 3% Federal; 28% State; 68% Local school board; 1% Don't know.

	National Totals
	Favor %	Oppose %	Don't Know %
1996	34	63	3

	National Totals
	Acceptable %	Unacceptable %	One alternative with no moral judgment %	Don't Know %
1996	9	27	57	7

	National Totals
	More time to independent study %	Less time to independent study %	About right now %	No opinion %
1971	31	22	25	22

	National Totals
	Should spend more time %	Spend enough time now %	No opinion %
2007 (National totals)	57	40	3
1980 (Public school parents only)	45	46	9

Math/Science Learning
Question 7: Do you believe that most public school students have the capability to learn more math than they generally do today? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 104-CurMX-7]

	National Totals
	Yes, have the capacity to learn more math %
1994	89

Question 8: Do you believe that most public school students have the capability to learn more science than they generally do today? (Asked in: 1994.)
[Code: 105-CurMX-8]

	National Totals
	Yes, have the capacity to learn more science %
1994	88

	National Totals
	Favor %	Oppose %	Don't Know %
2006	73	26	1

	National Totals
	Very important %		Fairly important %		Not important %		Don't Know/No Answer %
How important is it that these students...	1975	1978	1975	1978	1975	1978	1975	1978
...be able to write a letter of application using correct grammar and correct spelling	92	90	6	9	1	*	1	1
...be able to read well enough to follow an instruction manual for home appliances	96	86	3	12	*	1	1	1
...know enough arithmetic to be able to figure out such a problem as the total square feet in a room?	87	84	10	14	2	1	1	1
...know the health hazards of smoking, use of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs ?	**	83	**	14	**	2	**	1
...have a salable skil, such as typing, auto mechanics, nurse's aide, business machines?	85	79	12	17	2	3	1	1
...know somehing about the U.S. government, the political partiies, voting procedures?	75	66	21	30	3	3	1	1
...know somehing about the history of the U.S., such as the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the like?	68	61	27	31	4	7	1	1
...know something about the major nations of the world today, their kind of government, way of life?	49	42	40	46	10	10	1	2
...know something about the history of mankind, the great leaders in art, literature?	33	30	44	48	21	21	2	1
...know a foreign language	18	16	28	32	51	50	3	2
* Less than one-half of 1%. ** Response not provided in 1975.

Question 11: Do you know someone who has earned a high school equivalency diploma by passing the GED test?(Asked in: 2011.)
[Code: 922-CurMX-11]

	National Totals
Year	Yes %	No %	Don't know %
2011	67	33	-

	National Totals
Year	Yes %	No %	Don't know %
2011	74	25	1

	National Totals
	Promote one common tradition %	Promote both one common tradition and diverse traditions of different populations %	Don't Know/No Answer %
1994	18	75	7

	National Totals
	More emphasis on one common cultural tradition %	More emphasis on diverse cultural traditions %	Equal emphasis on both %	Don't Know/No Answer %
1994	10	11	53	8

	National Totals
Year	Very Important %	Somewhat Important %	Not Very Important %	Not Important at All %	Don't Know %
2007	48	37	9	6	*
*Less than one-half of 1%.

	National Totals
Year	Elementary School %	Middle School %	High School %	Don't Know %
2007	70	18	11	1

View more questions related to CURRICULUM/INSTRUCTION

Return to Categories Page

Last modified September 2, 2014
k_q_curriculum_3.htm