Survey of Voter Attitudes in California toward a Choice System in Education: Summary Report. Policy Insight No. 130.

The Reason Foundation commissioned a survey of 800 registered voters in California to determine attitudes about education and education reform. School choice was a major topic of the survey. Support for school choice was strong as was disappointment with public schools. Across different demographic groups, respondents supported the idea of school choice by a margin of two-to-one, falling from first to fourth when told religious schools would be included. Almost 70 percent believed California public schools were performing poorly. More than 60 percent underestimated the state average educational spending per student. Support for a voucher system was strong, but varied depending on the structure of the system. Respondents also were not opposed to spending more on education, but think that much education spending is wasteful. Accommodating students' special needs in a school-choice system, and the greater accountability offered parents by the system were also heavily supported. Reviews of two other studies also are included: a Meta Information Services study done for Parents for Educational Choice and a study of Louis Harris and Associates. Similar levels of support for school choice to a Reason Foundation study were found in the Meta study while the Harris study found that public education is the primary concern of Los Angeles area residents. Survey questions and detailed response data are included. (JPT)