The FINANCIAL — Many school systems across the country are facing strict budget cuts, and one option on the table is going to four-day school weeks to save money.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 21% of Americans favor a four-day school week. Sixty-five percent (65%) oppose the idea, while 14% have no opinion.
Yet while 55% of Americans don't think the government spends enough money on public education, 61% of adults in the new survey say they aren’t willing to pay higher taxes so that more money can be spent on schools. Twenty-nine percent (29%) would pay more in taxes for that reason, while 10% are undecided.
Women support a four-day school week more than men. Adults who are married and those with children at home like the idea more than those who are not married and have no children living with them.
Still, the sizable opposition to a four-day school week is not surprising since a plurality of adults (49%) thinks U.S. childrenneed to spend more time in school to make them more competitive with students from other countries.
Democrats are more willing than Republicans and adults not affiliated with either party to pay higher taxes to spend more on the schools. Interestingly, adults with children in the home are less willing to pay more taxes to help the schools than are those who do not have children living with them.
Since 66% of U.S. voters already think America is overtaxed, it's not surprising that there is a greater willingness these days to cut school spending. Twenty-six percent (26%) of adults now say that in order to help cut budget costs, teachers should be asked to take furloughs or pay cuts. Fifty-eight percent (58%) oppose teacher furloughs and pay cuts.
But in August of last year, 71% were against pay cuts and furloughs for teachers as a budgetary move.
To reduce New Jersey's sizable budget deficit, most voters in the state now favor a one-year pay freeze on the salaries of administrators, teachers and school workers to reduce the state’s level of local school aid.
In California, however, 62% of voters oppose education budget cuts and tuition increases planned as a way to meet the state's rising budget deficit.
Forty-seven percent (47%) of all adults rate public schools as the best type of schooling for students. Thirty-five percent (35%) say private schools are best, while just nine percent (9%) think home schooling is the best way to go.
But 60% of Americans with children in elementary or secondary school now say most school textbooks are more concerned with presenting information in a politically correct manner than in accuracy.
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