1

2018-19 Wilder School Public Policy Poll

Higher Education & Workforce

PRESENTATION TOSTATE COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR

VIRGINIAOCTOBER 30, 2018

Office of Public Policy Outreach (OPPO)

• OPPO is part of the Center for Public Policy in the L. Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs at VCU.

• Conducts Wilder School Public Policy Poll, including education questions, twice a year.

• Continues legacy of the Commonwealth Education Poll and Dr. William C. Bosher.

• Website: www.oppo.vcu.edu

SUMMER 2018 PUBLIC POLICY POLL

• Representative random sample of adult Virginians (N-802)

• Margin of error is +/- 3.49%

Demographics

• Male/Female

• White/Minority

• Age

• Household Income

• Party ID

• Parent of K-12

• Parent of VA college student

Regions

• Northern

• Northwest

• West

2018 Wilder School Public Policy Poll

WORK FORCE DEVELOPMENT

• In Colleges and Universities

• In Public High Schools

Cost of CollegeDo you agree/disagree that . . . Are worth the cost?

6

16

28

52

33

38

28

24

16

10

24

16

8

0 20 40 60 80 100

. . . Four-year privatecolleges or universities

. . . Four-year public collegesor universities

. . . Two-year communitycolleges

Strongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree

Strongly Disagree DK/Refused

Perceptions - Performance in Readying StudentsOverall, do you think [the public high schools/the colleges

and universities] in Virginia are doing a good job or a bad job in the following areas? (Percent saying Good Job)

7

Public High Schools

Colleges/Universities

Producing graduates in scientific fields 57 75

Preparing students for the workforce needs of the future 49 61

Developing students’ writing and communication skills 47 63

Providing the skills useful in obtaining a job 45 66

Preparing students to be engaged citizens 45 61

Perceptions of Student ReadinessThinking about students and their future, please tell me how much you agree

or disagree with each of the following statements.

8

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll -Topline Question 11a-11e

SCHOOL SAFETY

• Perception of Safety on Va. Campuses• Trend• By Age• By Region• By Education Level

• K-12 - Approach to improving safety

Are Virginia Campuses Safe?

76% Say public schools in their community are

Very Safe or Safe

73% Say college and

university campuses in Virginia are

Very Safe or Safe

Are College/University Campuses in Virginia. . .?

11

Based on what you know, how safe are college and university campuses in Virginia?

7066 67

7469

73

2532 30

24 2722

4 2 3 25 6

0

20

40

60

80

100

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Very Safe/Safe Not Very/Not at All Safe Don’t Know/Refused

Campus Safety Perceptions by Age

12

Based on what you know, how safe are college and university campuses in Virginia?

11

12

34

29

20

53

56

39

58

53

24

16

15

9

16

5

9

3

3

6

7

7

9

2

6

0 20 40 60 80 100

65 and over

45-64

35-44

18-34

All

Very Safe Safe Not Very Safe Not at All Safe Don’t Know/Refused

Campus Safety Perceptions by Region

13

Based on what you know, how safe are college and university campuses in Virginia?

11

19

21

20

27

20

47

40

52

57

60

53

25

26

19

14

5

16

12

6

3

2

4

6

5

8

5

7

5

6

0 20 40 60 80 100

Tidewater

Northwest

West

South Central

Northern VA

All

Very Safe Safe Not Very Safe Not at All Safe Don’t Know/Refused

Campus Safety Perceptions by Education Level

14

Based on what you know, how safe are college and university campuses in Virginia?

14

24

22

20

54

42

58

53

17

21

12

16

9

6

2

6

6

6

6

6

0 20 40 60 80 100

H.S. or less

Some college

College Degree

All

Very Safe Safe Not Very Safe Not at All Safe Don’t Know/Refused

Preferred Approach to School Safety?Which do you most agree with, even if neither is exactly right:

We should address school safety issues with additional security measures OR We should address school safety issues through the

mental health system.

15

2018 2016 2014

Additional security measures 41 56 54

Mental health system 36 27 27

Both [Volunteered] 20 11 10

Don’t know/Refused 4 7 9

Mental health as core mission for schools?Public schools should see providing mental health services for

students as a core part of their mission

16

41

40

62

49

24

41

27

32

20

11

6

10

14

6

5

8

0 20 40 60 80 100

Over $100,000

50k to under $100,000

Under $50,000

All adults

Strongly agree Somewhat agree

Somewhat disagree Strongly Disagree

17

WINTER POLL

Conducted Dec. 8-26, 2017

Representative random sample of 788 adult Virginians

Margin of error is +/- 3.49%

Breakdowns available by:

• Sex, White/Minority, Age, Household Income, Party Identification

• Parent of public school student/VA college student

• Regions (Northern, Northwest, West, South Central, Tidewater)

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll

18

OVERVIEW

• Funding Higher Ed

• Performance - Higher Education

• Workforce Development

Support for education funds vs. other programs

49

53

59

65

66

67

70

47

43

36

31

32

32

27

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Universities and higher education

Transportation

Programs for aid to low-Income families

Public Safety**

Public Schools

Programs for workforce training*

Mental Health Services

Willing Not Willing Don't Know

19

Percent willing to pay more taxes to keep funding the same for . . .

*New in 2016-17; **New in 2017-18 ; in prior years “Prisons” also included – ranged from 21%-27% Willing

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll - Topline Question 5a – 5f

Willing to pay higher taxes to . . .?Increase funding for public higher education institutions

22

40

65

36

61

43

75

49

31

59

33

51

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Republican

Independent

Democrat

White

Minority

All Adults

Willing Not Willing Don't Know

20

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll-Topline Question 9

Support for increased funding Higher education vs. K-12

43

52

51

41

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Universities and higher education

Public Schools

Willing Not Willing Don't Know

21

Percent willing to pay more taxes to increase funding for . . .

*New in 2016-17; **New in 2017-18 ; in prior years “Prisons” also included – ranged from 21%-27% Willing

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll - Topline Question 5a – 5f

Willing to pay higher taxes to increase funding for public higher education institutions?

22

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll-Topline Question 10a

43

51

5

Percent saying each

Willing Not willing Don’t Know

Willingness falls if no strings attached

23

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll-Topline Question 10a

51

5

10

3343

[asked of 43% willing] If funding had no specification for how it should be spent, still willing to pay higher taxes?

Not willing Don't know Willing (still) Now not willing

Willingness increases to ~60% if funding dedicated to in-demand graduates

24

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll-Topline Question 10b

43

5

34

17

51

[asked of 51% not willing] If funding could only be used for graduates in fields demanded by employers, now willing to pay

higher taxes?

Willing Don't know Not Willing (still) Now willing

Willingness increases to ~64% if funding dedicated to reducing in-state tuition

25

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll-Topline Question 10c

43

5

30

21

51

[asked of 51% not willing] If funding could only be used for reducing tuition for in-state students, now willing to pay higher

taxes?

Willing Don't know Not Willing (still) Now willing

26

PERFORMANCE

Perceived efficiency in Higher Ed vs. other programs

2

2

3

3

1

4

5

17

26

30

31

38

38

46

43

38

34

38

31

28

25

20

18

14

18

16

12

11

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Mental Health Services

Programs for aid to low-Income families

Workforce training and develoment

Public Schools

Transportation

Universities and higher education

Public Safety**

Very Efficient Efficient Not too efficient Not at all efficient Don't Know

27

Percent saying use of taxpayer funds is . . .

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll - Topline Question 8a – 8f

Perceptions of Student ReadinessThinking about students and their future, please tell me how much you agree

or disagree with each of the following statements.

28

2017-18 Wilder School Public Policy Poll -Topline Question 11a-11e

WILDER SCHOOL PUBLIC POLICY POLL

• What questions do you have?

• What questions should we consider asking about in next year’s poll?

29

CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY

• Email: rdmcdougle@vcu.edu

• Website: wilder.vcu.edu/center-for-public-policy

• Twitter: @CPPatVCU

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/CPPatVCU