Poll: American Public Links Education Funding To Strong And Secure Nation, See Education as Leading Federal Spending Priority

3/19/2002

From: Robert Gilbert of the Committee for Education Funding, 202-383-0083, gilbert@cef.org; or Thomas Riehle of Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs, 202-463-7300, thomas.riehle@ipsos-reid.com

WASHINGTON, March 19 -- In poll results released in a briefing on Capitol Hill today, findings showed that an overwhelming majority of Americans see education as an essential component in our efforts to strengthen our nation's security.

The poll, which was conducted by Ipsos-Reid, a global polling and market research organization, on behalf of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), asked respondents to rate several reasons why there should be increased federal spending on education. A resounding 85 percent judged our country's need for stronger national security as a "good reason" to increase federal education spending, with 65 percent of those classifying it as a "very good reason."

Other compelling needs cited by the public for increasing federal education spending included helping students from low-income families secure equal access to opportunities in higher education (88 percent --"good reason") and improving the recruitment and retention of quality teachers (87 percent --"good reason").

The findings also showed that even in the face of shifting budget priorities due to the war on terror, increased education spending is still a leading federal priority in the minds of Americans. When asked to rank federal spending priorities, setting aside military and homeland security spending, a convincing 38 percent of the respondents chose education as their top priority. This was followed by prescription drug benefits for the elderly (25 percent) and tax cuts (14 percent).

See Polling Data Below

--- Between March 8-10, 2002, Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs interviewed a representative sample of 1,000 adults nationwide by telephone for the Committee for Education Funding. The margin of error is plus/minus 3.1 Percent

--- Impact on Federal Spending Americans recognize that a fundamental shift in national priorities after September 11 will have a direct impact on how the federal government chooses to spend its money this year. 87 percent of those surveyed say they expect the events of September 11 to have at least some impact on federal spending levels for non-military or security-related programs.

"As a result of the events of September 11th, this year, the federal government is spending more on the military and homeland security so it has fewer resources to spend on other domestic programs. How much of an impact do you expect the events of September 11th will have on federal spending levels for non-military or security-related programs, a large impact, some impact, very little, or no impact at all on federal spending levels for these programs?"

All Adults: March 8-10, 2002

A large impact......46 Some impact.........41 Very little impact..9 No impact at all....3 Not sure............1

--- Number One Federal Spending Priority The recognition that the federal government will have to choose how it spends its money does not diminish their belief that education should be a significant part of this year's budget. When asked what should be the number one federal spending priority aside from federal spending on the military and homeland security, education was the resounding favorite, with 38 percent of those surveyed saying it should be a top federal spending priority.

"Setting aside federal spending on the military and homeland security and just thinking about other federal spending, which of the following should be the number one federal spending priority this year?"

Ranked By The Highest Percentage Education...................................38 Prescription drug benefits for the elderly..25 Tax cuts....................................14 Extending unemployment benefits.............9 Environmental protection programs...........5 Volunteered Priorities (net)................4 Health care/Medicare........................1 Other.......................................2 (DO NOT READ:) None of the above............1 Not sure....................................3

--- Education and National Security Americans see education as an essential component in our efforts to strengthen our nation. They recognize that our security as a nation depends on our ability to successfully equip our children with the skills and knowledge they will need to function in today's increasingly complex world and that now is the time to significantly increase federal spending for all students from kindergarten through college.

Reasons For Increased Federal Spending On Education; This Table Is Ranked By The Percentage Who Say Very Or Fairly Good Reason

"Our national security depends on our ability to successfully equip our children with the skills and knowledge they will need to function in today's increasingly complex world. Now is the time to significantly increase federal spending on education for students from kindergarten through college..."

Total Good Reason........85 Very Good Reason.........53 Fairly Good Reason.......32 Not A Good Reason........15 Not Sure.................0

--- 'Five Cents Makes Sense' After learning that the federal government currently allocates a little less than 2.5 cents of every federal budget dollar to education, the majority of those surveyed (54 percent) thought raising the amount of federal spending on education to 5 cents makes sense. Nearly a third (30 percent) said 5 cents still was not enough.

"Right now, the federal government allocates a little less than two and a half cents of every dollar it spends on education. Knowing that, do you think that spending 5 cents per dollar is too much to spend on education, not enough, or do you think that 5 cents makes sense?"

Too much..............15 Not enough............30 5 cents makes sense...54 Not sure..............2

--- Compelling Reasons for Increased Education Funding Respondents are strongly supportive of using additional federal dollars to ensure that students from low-income families have equal access to opportunities in higher education and are afforded the same opportunities as the students in well-funded school districts. Respondents also understand the crucial role teachers will play in creating a better-educated America and say one of the best reason to increase federal spending for education is to improve our nation's ability to recruit and retain quality teachers in our classrooms.

Reasons For Increased Federal Spending On Education; The Questions Are Ranked By The Percentage Who Say Very Or Fairly Good Reason

"Federal spending on higher education must be increased so that students from low-income families can have equal access to the opportunities that education provides..." (ASKED OF HALF THE SAMPLE)

Total Good Reason....................88 Very Good Reason.....................60 Fairly Good Reason...................28 Not A Good Reason....................12 Not Sure.............................1

"The success or failure of our schools depends in large part on the quality of our teachers. We must increase federal spending on education to improve the recruitment and retention of quality teachers..."

Total Good Reason....................86 Very Good Reason.....................65 Fairly Good Reason...................22 Not A Good Reason....................13 Not Sure.............................1

"Schools in low-income areas must receive more federal funding to ensure that all students have the same access to the opportunities that education provides as students in well-funded school districts..." (ASKED OF HALF THE SAMPLE)

Total Good Reason....................84 Very Good Reason.....................55 Fairly Good Reason...................29 Not A Good Reason....................15 Not Sure.............................1

"Federal spending on education must be increased to minimize disparities in the quality of education across the nation..."

Total Good Reason....................82 Very Good Reason.....................42 Fairly Good Reason...................40 Not A Good Reason....................18 Not Sure.............................1

"State budget cuts are prompting increases in college tuition across the country. Federal spending on higher education must be increased to provide enough financial student aid for low-income students to enter and complete college..."

Total Good Reason....................81 Very Good Reason.....................49 Fairly Good Reason...................32 Not A Good Reason....................18 Not Sure.............................1

"In order to make it possible for more people to enter and complete college, federal spending on higher education must be increased..."

Total Good Reason....................77 Very Good Reason.....................40 Fairly Good Reason...................37 Not A Good Reason....................22 Not Sure.............................1

"President Bush and Congress passed an education reform law earlier this year that includes new achievement standards for schools and students, but did not provide enough money in next year's budget to pay for the resources necessary to meet these requirements. Now is the time to make sure that Congress provides enough federal dollars to pay for these new federal requirements..."

Total Good Reason....................77 Very Good Reason.....................39 Fairly Good Reason...................38 Not A Good Reason....................22 Not Sure.............................1

To view the latest poll results and research from Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs go to: http://www.ipsos-reid.com/us/media/content/pre(underscore)rel.cfm

------ About CEF Founded in 1969, the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a nonprofit and nonpartisan coalition of over 100 organizations reflecting the broad spectrum of the education community, seeks to achieve adequate federal support for the education of our nation's students. Members include education associations, institutions, agencies and organizations whose interests range from preschool to postgraduate education in both the public and private systems. For more information about CEF, visit http://www.cef.org/.

The survey was conducted by Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs, the Washington, D.C.-based division of Ipsos-Reid, which is part of the world's fourth largest polling and market research organization, the Ipsos group, based in Paris. Ipsos-Reid U.S. Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective public affairs research organization made up of Democratic and Republican campaign and political polling veterans. It was established in Washington in August 2001, and it is led by Thomas Riehle, who has more than 15 years of experience as a pollster in Washington.