California Voter Views of the Shortage of Teachers in the K-­‐12 Schools and Policies Aimed at Addressing the Problem
– A statewide survey conducted for –
EdSource and the Institute for Education Policy
– by –
The Field Poll
October 2015
About the Survey
Population surveyed:
California registered voters.
Method of data collection:
Live telephone interviews conducted by The Field Poll in its late September –
early October 2015 statewide survey.
Sampling method:
Voters selected at random from lists derived from the state’s official voter rolls.
Languages of administration: English and Spanish.
Sample size:
1,002 registered voters statewide.
Interviewing period:
September 17 – October 4, 2015
EdSource
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Institute for Education Policy
Graph 1
How serious is California’s shortage of public school teachers?
Total
No opinion
3%
11%
Not serious
22%
Somewhat serious
% Very serious
64%
Party registration
Democrats
Republicans
No party preference/other
73%
48%
66%
Gender
Male
64%
Very serious
Female
60%
68%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
Latino
African American*
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
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57%
72%
82%
68%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 2
How important is it for the state to do more to encourage young people and others to enroll in teacher prep programs?
Total
2% No opinion
Not import
ant
7%
26%
Somewhat important
% Extremely important
65%
Party registration
Democrats
Republicans
No party preference/other
76%
49%
64%
Gender
Male
65%
Extremely important
Female
59%
70%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
Latino
African American*
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
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57%
74%
80%
70%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 3
Voter reaction to two proposals aimed at dealing with the state teacher shortage
Oppose
strongly
Oppose
somewhat
8%
5%
27%
Favor
somewhat
2% No opinion
4% No opinion
Oppose
strongly
26%
14%
Favor strongly
30%
Favor
somewhat
58%
Favor strongly
Oppose
somewhat
26%
Increase the number of teachers by having the state forgive a portion of college loans or offering scholarships*
Allow schools to hire individuals who have not yet completed their training or earned a teaching credential
* If the teacher teaches at least 4 years in a low-­‐income community or in a subject where there is a shortage.
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Graph 4
How important is it for the state to do each of the following to ensure that there are more high-­‐quality teachers in the K-­‐12 schools?
Extremely important
Ensure all teachers receive
rigorous training and preparation
before they begin teaching
Require that teachers receive
ongoing professional development
after they receive their teaching
credentials
Somewhat important
65%
29%
5%
62%
30%
6%
59%
Ensure that new teachers receive
mentoring and support so they don't
leave teaching within a few years
31%
8%
Provide opportunities for prospective
teachers to receive a year of practice
teaching under the guidance of an
expert teacher
EdSource
Not important
51%
37%
11%
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Institute for Education Policy
Graph 5
How serious a problem is it that public schools in low-­‐income communities have fewer fully qualified teachers than those in wealthier areas?
Total
No opinion
3%
Not serious
8%
23%
Somewhat serious
% Very serious
66%
Party registration
Democrats
Republicans
No party preference/other
75%
50%
69%
Gender
Male
66%
Very serious
Female
60%
72%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
Latino
African American*
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
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61%
73%
82%
67%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 6
Are the starting salaries of qualified K-­‐12 teachers in your own local community too high, too low or about right?
Total
% Too low
58%
Party registration
Democrats
Republicans
No party preference/other
21%
Don’t know
18%
About
right
66%
44%
61%
Gender
58%
Too low
Male
Female
52%
64%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
Latino
African American*
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
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53%
62%
73%
63%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 7
How important is it for school districts to offer entry-­‐level teachers starting salaries that are comparable to what is being offered to other new college graduates?
Total
4% No opinion
51%
Party registration
Democrats
Not import
ant
8%
37%
Somewhat important
% Extremely important
Republicans
No party preference/other
51%
Extremely important
63%
36%
49%
Gender
Male
Female
45%
57%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
Latino
54%
African American*
57%
Asian/Pacific Islander
59%
* Small sample base.
EdSource
47%
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Institute for Education Policy
Graph 8
How important is it for the state’s teaching force to be racially, ethnically and linguistically diverse?
Total
2% No opinion
% Extremely important
46%
Party registration
Democrats
Republicans
No party preference/other
21%
Not important
31%
Somewhat important
46%
Extremely important
60%
30%
42%
Gender
Male
39%
Female
53%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
35%
Latino
63%
African American*
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
EdSource
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73%
45%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 9
Would you vote Yes or No on the Nov. 2016 statewide ballot prop. that would require schools to offer students not proficient in English academic instruction in both English and their native language?**
Total
Undecided
% Yes
Party registration
Democrats
7%
Republicans
No party preference/other
32%
No
61%
71%
42%
65%
Gender
61%
Yes
Male
Female
57%
65%
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
50%
Latino
77%
African American*
76%
Asian/Pacific Islander
* Small sample base.
** And require more opportunities for English-­‐speakers to master other non-­‐English languages.
EdSource
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71%
Institute for Education Policy
Graph 10
How likely would you be to encourage a friend or family member to become a K-­‐12 teacher in California today?
% Likely
Very
2% No opinion
Total
Age
11%
Not at all likely
34%
Very likely
12%
Not too likely
36% Somewhat likely
34
Somewhat
36
70%
18-­‐29
24
39
63%
30-­‐39
26
37
63%
40-­‐49
34
38
72%
50-­‐64
39
35
74%
65 or older
Gender
43
32
75%
Male
32
Female
36
Race/ethnicity
White non-­‐Hispanic
31
Latino
44
African American*
51
Asian/Pacific Islander
21
35
67%
37
34
73%
65%
34
28
48
78%
79%
69%
* Small sample base.
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Institute for Education Policy