An ABCNEWS.com Poll Finds People Want Money for Public Education Preserved
Analysis By Dalia Sussman
July 16
— Americans divide evenly on whether to provide school vouchers for low-income families — but if it would cut funding for public schools, opposition soars.
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In principle, 50 percent of respondents in this ABCNEWS.com poll support helping low-income parents pay private or religious school tuition; 47 percent oppose it. But if vouchers cut public school funding, about four in 10 initial supporters switch camps, resulting in opposition by a broad 68 percent to 28 percent.
The U.S. Supreme Court on June 27 upheld a voucher program in Cleveland, saying it didn't violate church-state separation because recipients could choose religious or secular schools. President Bush hailed the ruling as a major step in improving education.
Sampling, data collection and tabulation
for this poll were done by TNS Intersearch.
Critics have argued that voucher programs drain public schools of cash. Richard Decolibus, president of the Cleveland teachers' union, has said the city's schools have lost $43 million to the voucher program over the past three years.
Keep Out of the Public School Till
Support for vouchers peaks among parents with children age 17 or younger, with 60 percent in favor. But again, if a voucher program reduced money to the public schools, these parents oppose it by a 30-point margin, 63 percent to 33 percent.
Similarly, vouchers win 59 percent support among people in lower-income households and among younger adults (who are more likely to have children at home). But large majorities in both these groups, too, oppose vouchers if they'd cut public school funds.
Republicans support school vouchers by 54 percent to 43 percent; independents split 50 percent to 47 percent; and Democrats oppose them by a narrow 52 percent to 46 percent. But again, if vouchers would reduce public school funding, majorities in all three groups oppose them.
Support for Vouchers
School Vouchers Support-Oppose
If they cut public school funds Support-Oppose
Children at home
60% - 37%
33% - 63%
Income less than $25,000
59 - 39
35 - 62
Under age 35
59 - 38
26 - 69
Republicans
54 - 43
36 - 60
Independents
50 - 47
25 - 71
Democrats
46 - 52
22 - 75
These results are similar to those in anOctover 2000 ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll of registered voters. That survey didn't specify that vouchers would be limited to low-income families; it found a bit less initial support — 44 percent in favor, 55 percent opposed — with opposition rising to 70 percent if public schools would lose funding.
Methodology
This ABCNEWS.com poll was conducted by telephone July 10-14, among a random national sample of 1,017 adults. The results have a three-point error margin. Sampling, data collection and tabulation was conducted by TNS Intersearch of Horsham, Pa.
Previous ABCNEWS polls can be found in our PollVault.
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