Section 3: FINANCES AND FUNDING
POLL RESULTS
Sources of Funding/Savings
Question 1: Suppose your local school board were "forced" to cut some things from school costs because there is not enough money. I am going to read you a list of many ways that have been suggested for reducing school costs. Will you tell me, in the case of each one, whether your opinion is favorable or unfavorable? (Asked in: 1971, 1976, 1982.)
[Code: 164-FinSX-1]
Year: 1982 |
|||
Favorable % |
Unfavorable % |
No Opinion % |
|
| Reduce the number of administrative personnel | 71 |
22 |
7 |
| Reduce the number of counselors on the staff | 49 |
42 |
9 |
| Reduce the number of subjects offered | 35 |
58 |
7 |
| Cut out the 12th grade by covering in three years what is now covered in four | 31 |
62 |
7 |
| Cut out after-school activities such as bands, clubs, athletics, etc. | 29 |
64 |
7 |
| Reduce the number of teachers by increasing class sizes | 18 |
76 |
6 |
| Cut all teachers' salaries by a set percentage | 17 |
76 |
7 |
| Reduce special services such as speech, reading, and hearing therapy | 11 |
83 |
6 |
| Reduce instruction in the basics -- reading, writing, and mathematics | 3 |
93 |
4 |
Year: 1976 |
|||
Favorable % |
Unfavorable % |
No Opinion % |
|
| Reduce the number of administrative personnel | 72 |
19 |
9 |
| Reduce the number of counselors on the staff | 52 |
38 |
10 |
| Reduce the number of subjects offered | 39 |
53 |
8 |
| Cut out the 12th grade by covering in three years what is now covered in four | 36 |
58 |
6 |
| Cut out after-school activities such as bands, clubs, athletics, etc. | 31 |
63 |
6 |
| Reduce the number of teachers by increasing class sizes | 23 |
70 |
7 |
| Cut all teachers' salaries by a set percentage | 18 |
74 |
8 |
| Reduce special services such as speech, reading, and hearing therapy | 10 |
85 |
5 |
Year: 1971 |
|||
Favorable % |
Unfavorable % |
No Opinion % |
|
| Reduce the number of teachers by increasing class size | 11 |
79 |
10 |
| Cut all teachers' salaries by a set percentage | 12 |
77 |
11 |
| Cut out after-school activities like bands, clubs, athletics | 23 |
68 |
9 |
| Have the schools run on a 12 month basis with three month vacations for students, one month for teachers | 47 |
38 |
15 |
| Make parents responsible for getting children to and from school | 39 |
51 |
10 |
| Cut out kindergarten | 19 |
69 |
12 |
| Charge rent for all textbooks instead of providing them free | 34 |
56 |
10 |
| Cut out the 12th grade by covering in three years what is now covered in four | 29 |
58 |
13 |
| Cancel any subjects that do not have the minimum number of students registered | 52 |
35 |
13 |
Question 2: As you are probably aware, many states are having severe budgetary problems. If it becomes necessary to reduce spending for education in this state, would you favor or oppose the following measures in the public schools of this community? (Asked in: 1991.)
[Code: 162-FinSX-2]
Year: 1991 |
|||
Favor % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
|
| Elimination of all extracurricular activities | 32 |
62 |
6 |
| A freeze on all salaries | 47 |
46 |
7 |
| Reduction in the number of teachers | 15 |
78 |
7 |
| Reduction in the number of administrators | 73 |
19 |
8 |
Question 3: The current economy is forcing most states to reduce revenue shortages by either increasing revenues or reducing expenditures. As I read each of the following ways to fund education in your state, please tell me whether you would favor that action a great deal, a fair amount, not very much, or not at all. (Asked in: 2002.)
[Code: 165-FinSX-3]
Year: 2002 |
||||||
Great Deal and Fair Amount % |
Great Deal |
Fair Amount % |
Not Very Much |
Not at All % |
Don't Know % |
|
| Reduce state spending for education | 26 |
10 |
16 |
18 |
55 |
1 |
| Increase state taxes to provide enough funds to avoid education cuts | 58 |
23 |
35 |
18 |
22 |
2 |
| Use a combination of increased state taxes and spending cuts in education | 53 |
17 |
36 |
21 |
24 |
2 |
| Keep present level of education funding by making spending cuts in other areas | 78 |
35 |
43 |
13 |
7 |
2 |
Question 4: In your opinion, which is the better way for your state to fund the public schools - provide equal dollars per student or vary the number of dollars to meet each student's educational needs? (Asked in: 2003.)
[Code: 163-FinSX-4]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Provide Equal Dollars Per Student % |
Vary the Number of Dollars % |
Don't Know % |
| 2003 | 52 |
45 |
3 |
Question 5: As a means of saving money, some states are considering a four-day week consisting of longer school days. Would you favor or oppose such a plan in the public schools in your community? (Asked in: 2003.)
[Code: 161-FinSX-5]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Favor % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
| 2003 | 25 |
74 |
1 |
Specific Revenue Sources
Question 6: Many states have recently passed school improvement legislation that requires additional financial expenditures. If your state needed to raise more money for the public schools, would you vote for or against the following proposals? Increased alcoholic beverage taxes? Increasing the percentage of state lottery money that goes to support public schools in those states with a state lottery? Increased cigarette and tobacco taxes? Increased local property taxes? Increased gasoline taxes? Increased income taxes? (Asked in: 1986.)
[Code: 166-FinSX-6]
Year: 1986 |
|||
Favor % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
|
| Increased alcoholic beverage taxes? | 79 |
18 |
3 |
| Increasing the percentage of state lottery money that goes to support public schools in those states with a state lottery? | 78 |
10 |
12 |
| Increased cigarette and tobacco taxes? | 74 |
22 |
4 |
| Increased local property taxes? | 33 |
60 |
7 |
| Increased gasoline taxes? | 28 |
67 |
5 |
| Increased income taxes? | 27 |
66 |
7 |
State/Federal Influence
Question 7: In your opinion, should your state have more say in the way money from federal education programs is spent in your state, less say, or about the same as now? (Asked in: 1995.)
[Code: 167-FinSX-7]
National Totals |
||||
| Year | More Say % |
Less Say |
About the Same as Now % |
Don't Know % |
| 1995 | 48 |
12 |
37 |
3 |
Question 8: When the federal government appropriates money for educational programs, it usually requires the schools that receive this money to spend it as the federal government directs. Should or should not this be changed to permit local school authorities to decide how the money is to be spent? (Asked in: 1977, 1995.)
[Code: 170-FinSX-8]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Yes, Should Be Changed % |
No, Should not Be Changed % |
Don't Know/No Answer % |
| 1995 | 70 |
26 |
4 |
| 1977 | 62 |
29 |
9 |
Question 9: When federal money is turned over to the states with no strings attached as to how it should be spent, it is called a "block grant." One proposed block grant would, over time, reduce the amount of money in the federal school lunch program in exchange for giving states more say in how the money is spent. Are you in favor of or opposed to this block grant? (Asked in: 1995.)
[Code: 169-FinSX-9]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Favor % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
| 1995 | 45 |
47 |
8 |
Question 10: Last year, federal aid-to-education programs were changed to give the local public schools more say, in exchange for bringing students to higher levels of academic achievement. Do you favor or oppose this change? (Asked in: 1995.)
[Code: 168-FinSX-10]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Favor % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
| 1995 | 86 |
10 |
4 |
State/Federal Influence (Asked of those saying state should have more say)
Question 11: Do you think your state should have more say in the way money from federal education programs is spent, if it means less money would be available, or not? (Asked in: 1995.)
[Code: 171-FinSX-11]
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Yes, More Say % |
No % |
Don't Know % |
| 1995 | 64 |
30 |
6 |
Use of Additional Funds
Question 12: Assume that, in your community, additional money became available to spend on your public schools, how would you spend the money? (Asked in: 1996.)
[Code: 172-FinUX-12]
National Totals |
||||||||
| Year | Improve the Curriculum/ Education/New Books % |
Buy Technology/ |
Hire More Teachers/ |
Improve/Add To Facilities % |
Raise Teacher Salaries % |
Hire Better Teachers/ |
Buy More School Supplies/ |
Reduce Class Size % |
| 1996 | 23 |
15 |
14 |
12 |
11 |
9 |
8 |
5 |
Taxes
Question 13: Question 13: Would you support or oppose raising local property taxes to try to improve the public schools in your community? (Asked in: 2016.)
[Code: 1012-Fin3TR-13] Phone poll
National Totals |
|||
| Year | Support % |
Oppose % |
Don't Know % |
| 2016 | 53 |
45 |
2 |
Question 14: If taxes were raised, how confident are you that the increased funding would improve the public schools in your community? (Asked in: 2016.)
[Code: 1013-Fin3TR-14] Phone poll
National Totals |
|||||
| Year | Very confident % |
Somewhat confident |
Not so confident % |
Not at all confident % |
Don't Know % |
| 2016 | 11 |
41 |
24 |
23 |
1 |
Question 15: If taxes are raised to try to improve your local public school, what's the number one thing the money should be spent on? (Asked in: 2016.)
[Code: 1014-Fin3TR-15] Phone poll
National Totals |
|||||
| Year | Teachers % |
Supplies |
Classes/extracurriculars % |
Infrastructure improvements & new schools % |
Learning specialists/counselors % |
| 2016 | 34 |
17 |
17 |
8 |
6 |
Last modified
July 5, 2018
k_q_finances_3.htm