HPU Poll: NC Republicans and Democrats Agree on Education Issues

HIGH POINT, N.C., March 7, 2018 – A High Point University Poll finds majorities of North Carolinians agree on a series of education issues despite the partisanship and polarization that dominates some political discussions. Relatively large majorities of North Carolinians say most people have respect for teachers and school administrators, are willing to pay more in taxes to boost teacher salaries, and support a bond referendum to build and renovate state schools, as well as other possible education policy priorities.

Respect for school staff and officials: Relatively large majorities of North Carolina residents say that most people have respect for school principals (81 percent), public school teachers (72 percent), school superintendents (72 percent) and school boards (63 percent). Many North Carolinians agree on this across partisan lines. For example, majorities of Democrats (79 percent), Republicans (80 percent), and unaffiliated (85 percent) residents of North Carolina say most people have respect for school principals. Similarly, large majorities of Democrats (68 percent), Republicans (78 percent), and unaffiliated (69 percent) residents of North Carolina say most people have respect for public school teachers.

Teacher pay raises: Majorities of North Carolinians also say that public school teachers are paid too little (85 percent) and claim that they would be willing to pay more in taxes so that North Carolina school teachers could be paid at the national average within five years (73 percent). In fact, large majorities of Democrats (72 percent), Republicans (72 percent), and unaffiliated (76 percent) residents of North Carolina say they would pay more in taxes for such a teacher pay raise.

Funds for schools with high numbers of disabled or poor students: Large majorities of North Carolinians say they would support legislation to provide more funding to schools with high concentrations of students with disabilities (93 percent) or students in poverty (86 percent). The HPU Poll finds that large majorities of Democrats (98 percent), Republicans (87 percent), and unaffiliated (93 percent) of North Carolina residents say they would support more funding to schools with large concentrations of disabled students. Similarly, large majorities of Democrats (94 percent), Republicans (80 percent), and unaffiliated (88 percent) residents of North Carolina say they would support more funding to schools with large concentrations of students in poverty.

Lack of support for virtual charter schools: Majorities of North Carolinians are skeptical of new programs supporting virtual schools. A relatively large majority of North Carolina residents (61 percent) say that they generally oppose children taking all their classes online through virtual charter schools. Furthermore, approximately two-thirds (67 percent) of North Carolinians say they do not believe that the state should fully fund virtual schools. Similarly, almost 3 out of 5 (59 percent) respondents say that the state should not expand the number of virtual schools.

“Even as the U.S. and state political landscape is dominated by partisanship, we see in the results of the poll lots of convergence among Democrats and Republicans around education issues,” says Dr. Barbara Mallory, associate professor of education at High Point University. “They express respect for principals, superintendents, and teachers, and they are willing to vote in favor of legislation to pay more taxes for teachers to receive more pay.”

All adults – Respect for government and school officials (February 2018)

I am going to read you a list of government officials and some other groups. Please tell me whether you think that in general most people have respect for these people or groups.

	Yes	No	(Don’t Know/ Refuse)
School principals	81	19	*
Public school teachers	72	28	*
School superintendents	72	28	*
North Carolina Governor	66	34	*
School boards	63	37	*
County commissioners	61	39	*
North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction	57	42	1
State Board of Education	53	47	*
State legislators	46	54	*

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Respect for government/school officials (February 2018) – Crosstabs

I am going to read you a list of government officials and some other groups. Please tell me whether you think that in general most people have respect for these people or groups.

School principals

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	79	80	85	78	88	75
No	21	20	15	22	13	25
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

Public school teachers

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	68	78	69	63	63	67
No	31	22	31	38	38	33
Don’t know/Refuse	1	0	0	0	0	0

School superintendents

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	81	66	74	25	67	67
No	19	34	26	75	22	33
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	11	0

North Carolina Governor

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	79	53	67	67	88	50
No	21	47	33	33	13	50
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

School boards

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	69	62	61	25	57	67
No	31	38	39	75	43	33
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

County commissioners

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	70	54	60	44	88
No	30	46	40	56	13	100
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	66	57	49	44	67	67
No	34	42	51	56	17	33
Don’t know/Refuse	0	1	0	0	17	0

State Board of Education

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	59	54	47	44	57	67
No	41	46	53	56	43	33
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

State legislators

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know)	(Refuse)
Yes	52	41	43	44	75	50
No	48	59	57	56	25	50
Don’t know/Refuse	0	0	0	0	0	0

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Support for statewide bond referendum (February 2018)

The last statewide bond referendum for public school facility construction and maintenance was held in 1997. Would you generally favor or oppose a statewide bond referendum to provide North Carolina school districts with funds to address an estimated 8 to 10-billion-dollar backlog in school construction and renovation?

Favor – 76 percent

Oppose – 15 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 9 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Public school teacher pay (February 2018)

Generally speaking, would you say that North Carolina public school TEACHERS are paid too little, about the right amount, or too much?

Too little – 85 percent

About right – 9 percent

Too much – 1 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 5 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Pay more in taxes for teacher pay? (February 2018)

Would you be willing to pay more in taxes so that North Carolina TEACHERS would be paid at the level of the national average within five years?

Yes – 73 percent

No – 21 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 7 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Pay more in taxes for teacher pay? (February 2018) – Crosstabs

Would you be willing to pay more in taxes so that North Carolina TEACHERS would be paid at the level of the national average within five years?

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know/Refuse)
Yes	72	72	76	40	75
No	25	20	16	30	25
Don’t know/Refuse	3	8	8	30

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Support for virtual charter schools (February 2018)

Virtual charter school students stay at home and take all of their classes online. Do you generally favor or oppose children taking all their classes online through virtual charter schools?

Favor – 32 percent

Oppose – 61 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 8 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Support for fully funding virtual charter schools (February 2018)

North Carolina legislators have provided state funds for two virtual schools in the state. These two schools are in their third year of a four-year pilot, with mixed reviews about student enrollment and student performance. Do you believe the state should fully fund virtual schools?

Yes – 26 percent

No – 67 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 7 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Support for fully funding virtual charter schools (February 2018)

Do you believe the state should expand the number of virtual schools?

Yes – 30 percent

No – 59 percent

(Don’t know/Refuse) – 11 percent

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Schools with special populations (February 2018)

I am going to read several descriptions of schools with particular kinds of populations. Please tell me if you would support a law to provide more funding to such schools….

	Yes, increase funding	No, do not increase funding	(Don’t Know/ Refuse)
Schools with large percentages of students with disabilities	93	4	4
Schools with high percentages of students in poverty	86	8	5

(All adult (North Carolina resident) sample surveyed Feb. 5-11, 2018, n = 439 and margin of sampling error approximately = +/- 4.7 percent)

All adults – Schools with special populations (February 2018) – Crosstabs

I am going to read several descriptions of schools with particular kinds of populations. Please tell me if you would support a law to provide more funding to such schools….

Schools with large percentages of students with disabilities

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know/Refuse)
Yes, increase funding	98	87	93	89	100
No, do not increase funding	1	7	5
Don’t know/Refuse	2	6	2	11

Schools with high percentages of students in poverty

	Democrat	Republican	(Independent/unaffiliated)	(Other)	(Don’t know/Refuse)
Yes, increase funding	94	80	88	78	75
No, do not increase funding	5	14	7	11
Don’t know/Refuse	2	7	5	11	25