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By Tim Pugmire
August 28, 2000
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RealAudio 3.0 |
Minnesota voters say education is the most important issue facing the state, but they generally feel public schools are already on the right track. Results of a new Minnesota Public Radio, St. Paul Pioneer Press, and KARE-TV poll also show mixed feelings about statewide testing and graduation standards.
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"I think education is the heart of our future and we must do the best we can for our kids, otherwise nothing else is going to work," said. Elizabeth Klitzke of White Bear Lake.
Klitzke ranked education as the most important issue facing Minnesota. The retired educator was also among the majority who said they like the direction schools are heading. 62 percent of the poll participants said the public education system is on the right track, while 27 percent said it's on the wrong track, and 11 percent weren't sure. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points. Klitzke says Minnesota schools are far better than what she's seen in other states.
"We travel a bit from state to state. We spend our winters in Arizona, in Tucson, and I'm just appalled at the education system there. And I keep thinking that Minnesota really does care about its kids, and that's not true of other states," Klitzke said.
Despite their confidence in the direction of Minnesota schools, poll respondents were less sure about school finances. Just 44 percent said public funds allocated for public education are being well spent. 36 percent said the funds are not well spent and 20 percent weren't sure.
Christine Jax, commissioner of the Department of Children, Families and Learning says she's pleased, but not satisfied with the poll numbers.
"Well, it's about what I would expect, and I think that it is positive that 62 percent think that we're moving in the right direction with our education. But my goal, of course, would be to get that number up much higher. So, I want to continue to find out what the people want and deliver the best education we can so that number will go up," Jax said.
In July, state officials discovered that a private testing company gave 47,000 students incorrect scores on the basic standards math test. Nearly 8,000 were told they failed when they had actually passed. Despite the fiasco, 48 percent of the poll respondents said they support statewide testing, 35 percent said it's a bad thing and 17 percent weren't sure.
Donna Mae Loesch of Hastings says she has a lot of faith in public schools, but is concerned about the growing emphasis on testing. She says she doesn't want to see students held back just because of a test.
"I feel that that's stupid. Because I feel that a lot of kids do well in school, but when it comes to testing, they completely flunk out. I was the same. They freak out and they just don't do well on those testing things," Loesch said.
Minnesota voters are giving moderate support for the state's graduation standards, known as the Profile of Learning. 39 percent of those polled said they think it's basically a good idea but needs simplification, 20 percent said schools should be allowed to choose whether to follow the profile or another set of standards, 17 percent said it should be eliminated and seven percent said no changes are needed. Districts were allowed this year to temporarily reduce the number of student requirements.
Sarah Valdez of Moorhead, a college student and mother, says she thinks the Profile of Learning should be optional.
"I just think people should be able to decide. I don't think all students should have to do that. I don't think junior high kids should have to figure out what they're good at when they're in junior high. I mean, I think it's different in high school. I just don't think all kids should have to do it," Valdez said.
The poll also found mixed feelings, and a significant amount of indifference, about charter schools. President Clinton visited Minnesota last spring to draw attention to the state's first-in-the-nation charter school law, which allows parents and teachers to operate alternative public schools independent of many regulations. According to the poll, 37 percent want to see charter schools expand in Minnesota, 28 percent don't and 35 percent aren't sure.
The poll was conducted August 21 and 22, by Mason Dixon Polling and Research of Washington, DC.
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