Latino Voters concerned about costs of Higher Education.

impreMedia announced the results for an ongoing tracking poll with issues related to education.

The poll revealed that while an overwhelming majority of Latino voters want to see their children get a college degree, they are concerned about whether they can afford to support that goal. 96% of respondents indicated that they want to see their children get a college degree, undergraduate, graduate, or professional.

In terms of funding, a majority of those polled were also concerned about their ability to afford higher education, with 59% saying they do not believe they will be able to continue paying rising tuition costs in the coming year, while 40% believe it will be difficult to pay all costs related to higher education.

“Results confirm that Latino voters are concerned over the future of education,” said Hilda Garcia, VP of Multiplatform News and Information for impreMedia. “Latinos absolutely want their children/family to pursue higher education, but they’re worried about their ability to fund that goal, and they’re focused on a variety of solutions, whether conservative, liberal or otherwise.”

Thirty-nine percent of respondents indicated that they believe parent involvement is effective in combating the problems facing the educational system, while only 17% blamed the state, 10% the school district, and less than 5% principals and teachers. The majority also had positive views towards schools and teachers, with 73% stating they believed their children’s teachers were either good or excellent, and 67% believed the schools themselves were good or excellent.

On the issue of how to fix issues that the educational system and schools are facing, respondents supported a variety of solutions, both traditionally considered liberal and conservative.

74% of those polled were opposed to reducing wages of teachers; however 53% supported the idea. In addition, 80% supported the idea of schools competing with each other and being rewarded for their performance – an idea consistent with education reform, and raised to some extent by former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama.

Poll respondents supported the use of tax credits to pay for part of private school tuition with 51% strongly/somewhat approved and 84% strongly/somewhat approved using tax credits to pay for part of college tuition.
Although the history of these “vouchers” suggests there is evidence that they are effective, these are commonly rejected by Latino voters as a whole. In 2000 initiatives on vouchers were introduced in the states of CA and MI, and were rejected particularly by Latinos and African Americans.

The survey also shows an overwhelming support for providing education to undocumented students with 76% strongly/somewhat approving. 80% support bilingual education, while 84% are opposed to reducing the school calendar, and 65% oppose reducing art and music classes. 62% of Latino voters stated they would be willing to pay more taxes or bond measures to raise money and invest in education, all options commonly associated with a liberal approach to education.

Breakdown of the referenced results are included below:

How far would you like to see your children go in school?

o Graduate from High school or earn a GED: 1% (2% U.S. born/0% foreign born)
o Vocational training after graduation High school: 2% (2% U.S. born/2% foreign born)
o Graduate from College: 27% (16% U.S. born/39% foreign born)
o Receive Graduate or advanced degree: 69% (79% U.S. born/57% foreign born)

Thinking specifically about the school your child attends. How good or bad of a job do you think THIS school IS doing educating your child attend(s)?

o Excellent: 39% (31% U.S. born/49% foreign born)
o Good: 28% (38% U.S. born/16% foreign born)
o Fair: 25% (23% U.S. born/25% foreign born)
o Poor: 1% (1% U.S. born/1% foreign born)
o Bad: 5% (7% U.S. born/2% foreign born)

Thinking about the quality of the teachers at your child’s school. Overall, how good or bad of a job do you think teachers at your school are doing?

o The state: 17% (13% U.S. born/21% foreign born)
o School District: 10% (10% U.S. born/ 9% foreign born)
o Principals: 1% (1% U.S. born/1% foreign born)
o Teachers: 5% (5% U.S. born/6% foreign born)
o Parents: 39% (41% U.S. born/37% foreign born)
o Students: 9% (10% U.S. born/8% foreign born)

Currently, State and Federal Governments are considering a number of different policies related to education; providing tax credits to pay for part of the cost of private school.

o Strongly Approve: 32 % (38% U.S. born/27% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 19% (17% U.S. born/22% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 18% (18% U.S. born/18% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 23% (18% U.S. born/28% foreign born)

Providing tax credits to pay for part of the cost of college tuition.

o Strongly Approve: 58 % (64% U.S. born/52% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 26% (23% U.S. born/28% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 6% (6% U.S. born/8% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 5% (2% U.S. born/7% foreign born)

Allowing undocumented immigrants who graduate from a state high school to qualify for in-state college tuition.

o Strongly Approve: 62 % (67% U.S. born/57% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 14% (12% U.S. born/15% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 8% (6% U.S. born/10% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 13% (9% U.S. born/16% foreign born)

Increasing support for Bilingual education and limited English language students

o Strongly Approve: 63 % (72% U.S. born/55% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 17% (14% U.S. born/20% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 8% (4% U.S. born/12% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 12% (10% U.S. born/13% foreign born)

Encouraging schools to compete against each other, and rewarding schools that improve their test scores.

o Strongly Approve: 57 % (74% U.S. born/40% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 23% (16% U.S. born/29% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 9% (5% U.S. born/14% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 10% (5% U.S. born/14% foreign born)

Reduce spending on art, and music in order to balance the budget on education

o Strongly Approve: 16 % (24% U.S. born/8% foreign born)
o Somewhat Approve: 17% (18% U.S. born/16% foreign born)
o Somewhat Disapprove: 18% (15% U.S. born/21% foreign born)
o Strongly Disapprove: 47% (40% U.S. born/53% foreign born)

Currently, most school districts here in the state are facing a budget deficit. In order to address this deficit and balance the budget for our schools, would you support or oppose each of the following proposals: Reduce the school calendar so kids are in school less days.

o Strongly Support: 7% (8% U.S. born/7% foreign born)
o Somewhat Support: 7% (4% U.S. born/9% foreign born)
o Somewhat Oppose: 14% (8% U.S. born/20% foreign born)
o Strongly Oppose: 70% (78% U.S. born/62% foreign born)

Provide more money to the school district through bond measures or raising taxes.

o Strongly Support: 37% (39% U.S. born/34% foreign born)
o Somewhat Support: 25% (24% U.S. born/26% foreign born)
o Somewhat Oppose: 11% (10% U.S. born/12% foreign born)
o Strongly Oppose: 20% (18% U.S. born/22% foreign born)

Decrease how much teachers are paid.

o Strongly Support: 10% (9% U.S. born/11% foreign born)
o Somewhat Support: 11% (10% U.S. born/11% foreign born)
o Somewhat Oppose: 20% (17% U.S. born/22% foreign born)
o Strongly Oppose: 54% (57% U.S. born/51% foreign born)

Thinking about your child’s future, if your son or daughter gets into college, how confident are you that you will have enough money to pay for them to go to college?

o Very confident: 18% (16% U.S. born/21% foreign born)
o Somewhat confident: 41% (37% U.S. born/46% foreign born)
o Not too confident: 20% (22% U.S. born/17% foreign born)
o Not confident at all: 19% (23% U.S. born/15% foreign born)

With a child who is attending college, how confident are you that you, or your child, will be able to continue paying for college if tuition rates go up next year?
o Very confident: 13% (13% U.S. born/13% foreign born)
o Somewhat confident: 23% (16% U.S. born/35% foreign born)
o Not too confident: 30% (30% U.S. born/28% foreign born)
o Not confident at all: 29% (36% U.S. born/18% foreign born)

The following release is part of an ongoing tracking poll that is conducted by impreMedia and Latino Decisions. This second release focuses on education and the upcoming release will focus on the political climate just fifteen months away from Presidential elections. The poll is conducted with a sample of 500 registered Latino voters.