Year 2022

n=1002
asterisk (*) indicates less than one-half of one percent and dash indicates zero; numbers don't always total to 100% due to rounding or multiple responses.

1.
Which of these is the MOST important issue facing Idaho today in your view? Is it:

46 The economy
43 Public education
11 The environment
* Don’t know

2.
Which comes closest to your view about Idaho's public school system?

9 It's in very good shape and needs little change
66 It's OK but it could be a lot better with some changes
23 There's so much wrong with it that a complete overhaul is necessary
2 Don’t know

3A.
Which of these is the most important function of Idaho's public school system in your view? Is it:

48 Preparing students for college or to join the workforce
45 Developing well-rounded members of society
6 Providing a safe place for kids to go during the day when parents are at work
1 Don’t know

4.
Which comes closer to your view? If Idaho spent more money on its public schools:

52 The money would actually get lost along the way
44 The money would actually get to the classrooms and improve education
4 Don’t know

14.
Students are often given the grades A, B, C, D, and Fail to denote the quality of their work. Suppose the public schools themselves were graded in the same way. What grade would you give the public schools in your community?

36 NET A+B
7 A
29 B
40 C
15 D
6 Fail (or F)
2 Don’t know

Q18-27
Here are some things the public schools in your community could teach students. Please tell me if each is ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL, IMPORTANT BUT NOT ESSENTIAL, or NOT TOO IMPORTANT for the public schools in your community to teach students.

18.
Advanced science and math like physics and calculus - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

44 Absolutely essential
48 Important but not essential
8 Not too important
* Don’t know

19.
Basic reading, writing, and math - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

96 Absolutely essential
4 Important but not essential
* Not too important
- Don’t know

20.
Basic science like biology - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

73 Absolutely essential
25 Important but not essential
2 Not too important
- Don’t know

21.
Computers and technology - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

78 Absolutely essential
20 Important but not essential
2 Not too important
* Don’t know

22.
Critical thinking - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

77 Absolutely essential
15 Important but not essential
7 Not too important
1 Don’t know

23.
Farming, agriculture, and forestry - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

35 Absolutely essential
55 Important but not essential
10 Not too important
* Don’t know

24.
Literature, music, and art - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

45 Absolutely essential
47 Important but not essential
8 Not too important
* Don’t know

25.
Practical job skills for office or industry - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

61 Absolutely essential
35 Important but not essential
3 Not too important
* Don’t know

26.
Sports and physical education - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

36 Absolutely essential
53 Important but not essential
11 Not too important
- Don’t know

27.
U.S. history and civics - is this absolutely essential, important but not essential, or not too important for the public schools in your community to teach students?

74 Absolutely essential
24 Important but not essential
2 Not too important
* Don’t know

28.
Do you think that the public schools in your community should mostly focus on teaching students academic subjects, or do you think it's just as important for them to teach the value of such things as hard work, persistence, and responsibility?

24 Mostly focus on academic subjects
75 Just as important to teach the value of hard work, persistence, and responsibility
1 Don’t know

34.
Do you think that Idaho's public schools should:

64 Teach to the same academic standards as the rest of the country because students need the same basic knowledge wherever they are
33 Teach to the state's own academic standards because what Idaho's students need to learn is different from the rest of the U.S.
3 Don’t know

34D.
Some suggest that before Idaho's students are awarded a high school diploma, they should be required to pass a standardized test to show they have learned what they were supposed to. Do you think this is:

61 Generally a good idea
37 Generally a bad idea
2 Don’t know

34E.
Some suggest that Idaho's public schools should allow experienced leaders from other fields, such as the military, law or business, to become school administrators through an alternative track that would be faster and simpler than traditional certification. Do you think this is:

63 Generally a good idea
34 Generally a bad idea
3 Don’t know

34F.
Some suggest that all public schools in the state should be rated, and the ratings should be publicized. The ratings would be based on multiple indicators, such as student growth, standardized test scores, and graduation rates. Do you think this is:

74 Generally a good idea
25 Generally a bad idea
1 Don’t know

35A.
Currently, Idaho provides funding for HALF-day Kindergarten for all families that want it. Typically, families that want ALL-day Kindergarten pay extra. Do you think Idaho should:

58 Provide funding for ALL-day Kindergarten for all families that want it, regardless of income
15 Provide funding for ALL-day Kindergarten, but only for low-income families
27 Or leave things as they are
1 Don’t know

35B.
Currently, Idaho does NOT provide funding for Pre-Kindergarten for children who are 3-to-5 years old. Do you think Idaho should:

42 Provide funding for Pre-K for all families that want it, regardless of income
17 Provide funding for Pre-K, but only for low-income families
40 Or leave things as they are
1 Don’t know

Q37-41
When it comes to each of the following, do you think Idaho should expand, reduce, or leave things as they are?

37.
High school internships and work experience - do you think Idaho should expand, reduce, or leave things as they are?

81 Expand this
1 Reduce it
16 Leave things as they are
2 Don’t know

39.
Online learning - do you think Idaho should expand, reduce, or leave things as they are?

41 Expand this
18 Reduce it
40 Leave things as they are
2 Don’t know

41.
Vocational education classes - do you think Idaho should expand, reduce, or leave things as they are?

77 Expand this
1 Reduce it
20 Leave things as they are
2 Don’t know

41A.
School districts in wealthier communities can generally offer better academic programs and higher teacher salaries than districts in poorer communities. Which comes closer to your view:

76 It is Idaho’s responsibility to make up the difference so that poorer districts can compete with wealthier ones
21 Inequalities in school funding are an unavoidable part of life
3 Don’t know

41C.
The average public school teacher salary in Idaho has gone up by about 17 percent in the past five years. Does this surprise you, or not?

30 Yes, surprises me
70 No, does not
1 Don’t know

41D.
The budget for Idaho's public schools has gone up by about 30 percent in the past five years. Does this surprise you, or not?

39 Yes, surprises me
60 No, does not
1 Don’t know

12.
Are you the parent or guardian of any children under 18 years old?

39 Yes, parent
61 No

42.
As far as you know, is there a charter school in your area, or not?

71 Yes
18 No
12 Don’t know

42A.
(N=697 Yes, charter school in area)
Which do you think generally offers a better education in your area?

59 The charter schools
27 The regular public schools
3 (NO DIFFERENCE)
2 (DEPENDS)
9 Don’t know

43.
How much do you know about charter schools - a great deal, quite a bit, only some, very little, or nothing at all?

36 NET A great deal + Quite a bit
10 A great deal
26 Quite a bit
35 Only some
23 Very little
6 Nothing at all
* Don’t know

44.
Charter schools are public schools that have a lot more control over their own budget, staff and curriculum, and are free from many existing regulations. In general, how much do you favor or oppose charter schools?

77 NET Strongly + Somewhat favor
34 Strongly favor
43 Somewhat favor
15 Somewhat oppose
5 Strongly oppose
3 Don’t know

44A.
(N=58 Parent who somewhat or strongly opposes charter schools)
Imagine you decided to change your child's school and a charter school matched what you were looking for.

48 Would you seriously consider it even though it was a charter school
48 Would the fact that it was a charter school stop you from seriously considering it
4 Don’t know

52.
(N=361 Parent of child under 18 years old)
Have any of your children ever attended a:
(Does not total to 100% due to multiple response categories)

9 Private non-religious school
17 Private religious school
20 Charter school
66 Regular public school
13 Don’t know

53.
(N=366 Parent of child under 18 years old)
If money were not an issue and you could choose from all of the following options, would you prefer that your child attend a:

20 Private non-religious school
23 Private religious school
18 Charter school
37 Regular public school
2 Don’t know


Please tell me if you agree strongly, agree somewhat, disagree somewhat, or disagree strongly with each of the following statements about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

53A.
Since the pandemic, parents have become more interested in alternatives to regular public schools, like charter schools or homeschooling

81 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
16 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
41 Agree strongly
40 Agree somewhat
12 Disagree somewhat
4 Disagree strongly
3 Don’t know

53B.
Since the pandemic, parents have become more aware of how much they rely on the schools to make their family's day-to-day lives possible

89 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
11 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
59 Agree strongly
30 Agree somewhat
7 Disagree somewhat
3 Disagree strongly
1 Don’t know

53C.
The pandemic has taken a serious toll on the mental health of Idaho's children

83 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
16 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
53 Agree strongly
30 Agree somewhat
13 Disagree somewhat
4 Disagree strongly
1 Don’t know

53D.
I worry that the pandemic has dealt a serious set-back to children's social skills and development

80 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
20 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
52 Agree strongly
28 Agree somewhat
14 Disagree somewhat
6 Disagree strongly
* Don’t know

53E.
Because of the pandemic, I worry that too many students have lost ground academically and will struggle to catch up

83 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
17 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
49 Agree strongly
34 Agree somewhat
13 Disagree somewhat
4 Disagree strongly
1 Don’t know

53F.
(N=357 Parent of child under 18 years old)
Academic expectations and student learning have declined at my child's school since the pandemic

44 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
50 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
19 Agree strongly
26 Agree somewhat
23 Disagree somewhat
27 Disagree strongly
3 (No school age children)
3 Don’t know

53G.
(N=359 Parent of child under 18 years old)
I'm concerned about the impact the pandemic has had on my child's social skills and development

45 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
54 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
18 Agree strongly
27 Agree somewhat
23 Disagree somewhat
31 Disagree strongly
1 (No school age children)
* Don’t know

53H.
(N=360 Parent of child under 18 years old)
I'm concerned that my child has lost ground academically because of the pandemic

42 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
56 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
18 Agree strongly
24 Agree somewhat
22 Disagree somewhat
34 Disagree strongly
1 (No school age children)
* Don’t know

53I.
(N=359 Parent of child under 18 years old)
I worry about the impact the pandemic has had on my child's mental health

47 NET Agree strongly + Somewhat
53 NET Disagree strongly + Somewhat
22 Agree strongly
25 Agree somewhat
19 Disagree somewhat
34 Disagree strongly
- (No school age children)
* Don’t know

54A.
(N=368 Parent of child under 18 years old)
Do you have a child who has an Individualized Education Program or Plan, also known as an I-E-P, or not?

17 Yes
82 No
2 Don't know


AGE

13 18 to 24
18 25 to 34
17 35 to 44
19 45 to 54
16 55 to 64
10 65 to 74
7 75 or older


GENDER

49 Male
51 Female


EDUCATION

3 Less than high school
12 High school graduate
34 Some college or trade school, no degree
13 Associate's degree/2 year degree
25 Bachelor's degree/4 year degree
14 Graduate degree


RACE/ETHNICITY (does not total to 100% due to multiple responses)

85 White
13 Hispanic
3 Native American or Pacific Islander
1 Black or African American
1 Asian


INCOME

12 Under $25,000
18 $25,000 to less than $45,000
24 $45,000 to less than $75,000
19 $75,000 to less than $100,000
27 $100,000 or more


URBANICITY (self-reported)

26 Urban or city
20 Suburban
30 A small town
25 Rural


REGION (from zip code)

20 North
23 East
46 Southwest
11 South Central