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Poll: Americans generally favor school vouchers, but unsure of Bush plan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A majority of Americans believe that school vouchers would improve public schools and most parents of school-age children say they would rather send their children to private or parochial schools rather than public schools. But vouchers are seen as less effective measures to improve schools than higher teacher pay and increased federal aid to local school districts, according to the latest CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.

Forty-five percent say they favor the school voucher program George W. Bush has proposed. Only 36 percent oppose it, but about one in five are unsure, indicating that Bush will have to educate the public on the details of his plan.

Vouchers are also seen as less likely to improve schools than standardized tests -- another favorite Bush proposal during the campaign. Twenty-one percent say that vouchers would improve public schools a great deal and 33 percent say they would improve schools a fair amount.

But that 54 percent (21 plus 33) is lower than the 73 percent who say that standardized tests would improve schools a great deal or a fair amount. Topping the list: paying teachers better -- traditionally a Democratic priority -- with 84 percent. And 80 percent say that schools would improve a great deal or a fair amount if the federal government provided more money to local school districts to use as they see fit. However, only 66 percent say that schools would improve if the federal government provided more money for programs that the government specified, indicating that the public may have a preference for federal aid to school with no strings attached.

The poll consists of interviews with 1,018 adult Americans and was conducted January 5-7, 2001. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points unless otherwise indicated.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
January 5-7

Based on what you have read or heard, do you favor or oppose the federal income tax cuts George W. Bush has proposed?

Favor45%
Oppose36
Unsure19
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Would vouchers improve the public school system?

Yes54%
No38
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Would each of the following improve public schools?

Teacher salaries84%
Aid to school districts80
Standardized tests73
School vouchers54
Charter schools53
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Will Bush be able to get his school voucher program passed?

Yes31%
No53
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

How would you rate the job the United States' public school system is doing in educating our young people -- excellent, good, only fair, or poor?

Excellent6%
Good31
Only fair38
Poor24
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Asked of parents of school-aged children: If cost were not a factor, where would you prefer to send a child of yours -- to a public school or to a private or parochial school?

Private school54%
Public school46
Sampling error: +/-5% pts

Increased federal funds would improve schools if...

 YesNo
School districts can
   use as they saw fit80%19%
Federal government
   sets how funds are used6630
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Standardized tests favored

Standardized tests are generally popular with the public, although most Americans think it is unfair to use a single standardized test to determine what a student knows and four in 10 doubt that standardized tests are an accurate way to measure what students have learned.

Over three-quarters say that public school students should be required to pass a standardized test in order to be promoted to the next grade, and about as many think that standardized tests would improve public schools.

But 53 percent say judging students based on a single standardized test is unfair. By a 54 percent to 41 percent margin, Americans say that standardized tests are an accurate way to measure students.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
January 5-7

Should public school students be required to pass a standardized test in order to be promoted to the next grade, or not?

Favor77%
Oppose20
Sampling error: +/-4% pts

Do you think standardized tests are or are not an accurate way to measure whether students have learned what they need to in order to pass to the next grade?

Yes54%
No41
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Do you think it is fair or unfair to use a single standardized test to determine what a student knows or has achieved?

Fair45%
Unfair53
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Pessimistic on other Bush proposals

Six in 10 Americans favor Bush's proposal to allow people to invest a portion of their Social Security taxes in stocks or bonds. That makes Bush's privatization plan more popular than his tax cut or his school voucher program.

But Americans are pessimistic that Bush will be able to achieve any of his proposals. Only 40 percent say he will be able to make the changes to Social Security that he has proposed; just 31 percent say he will be able to pass his school voucher program, and only 38 percent say he will get his tax cuts passed.

CNN/USA TODAY/GALLUP POLL
January 5-7

George W. Bush has made a proposal that would allow people to put a portion of their Social Security payroll taxes into personal retirement accounts that would be invested in private stocks or bonds. Do you favor or oppose this proposal?

Favor60%
Oppose36
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Do you think Bush will or will not be able to make the changes to Social Security that he has proposed?

Yes40%
No51
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Based on what you have heard, do you favor Bush's proposed changes to the following programs?

Social Security60%
Tax cuts52
School vouchers45
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

Do you think Bush will or will not be able to make the proposed changes to the following programs?

 YesNo
Social Security40%51%
Tax cuts3850
School vouchers3153
Sampling error: +/-3% pts

MORE STORIES:

Wednesday, January 10, 2001

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