Print This Page Email This Page See Most Sent

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.