More Classroom Discipline Desired By Voters
Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina voters give the public schools system in the state a “C” grade when asked to evaluate the performance of public schools according to a new poll released today by the Civitas Institute.
According to the live caller poll of 600 voters in North Carolina, 42 percent of voters gave a “C” to North Carolina Public Schools; 26 percent a “B”; and 11 percent a “D.” Only three percent of voters gave the schools an “A”, identical to the percentage of voters who gave it an “F.”
“North Carolina voters think our public schools are fairly mediocre,” Executive Director of the Civitas Institute Francis De Luca said. “If my children came home with these grades, we’d be having a serious conversation about making significant changes, not continuing on the same path and hoping for better results.”
When asked about the most pressing need for the state’s public schools, voters selected discipline within the classroom as their top choice (23%). Increasing teacher salaries (22%) and lowering the dropout rate (20%) closely followed.
“The public feels there are significant problems in our public schools,” De Luca said. “Unfortunately, teachers unions and their powerful allies in the General Assembly keep meaningful change from occurring.”
Full text of questions:
“What grade would you give the public schools in North Carolina?”
A- 3%
B- 26%
C- 42%
D- 11%
F- 3%
Not sure- 15%
“What grade would you give the public schools in your local community?”
A- 9%
B- 31%
C- 35%
D- 10%
F- 4%
Not sure- 11%
“In your opinion, what is the most pressing need in the public schools of North Carolina?”
Improving test scores- 12%
Reducing overcrowding- 17%
Lowering the dropout rate- 20%
Raising teacher salaries- 22%
Classroom discipline- 23%
Not sure- 6%
Click here for full results and crosstabs.
The Civitas Poll is the only monthly live-caller poll of critical issues and policies facing North Carolina.
The study of 600 registered voters was conducted Feb.16-19, 2009. All respondents were part of a fully representative sample of registered voters in North Carolina. For purposes of this study, voters we interviewed had to have voted in either the 2004, 2006 or 2008 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2008.
The confidence interval associated with a sample of this size is such that:
95 percent of the time, results from 600 interviews (registered voters) will be within +-4% of the “True Values.” True Values refer to the results obtained if it were possible to interview every person in North Carolina who had voted in either the 2004, 2006 or 2008 general elections or were newly registered voters since 2008.
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If you would like more information regarding this topic or to schedule an interview with Chris Hayes, please contact Gabe Dellinger at 919.747.8065 or Gabe.Dellinger@nccivitas.org.
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