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Iowa: Education

 

Quality of Education

 

Grading Local Public Schools

Poll Date
Pass
Fail
No opinion
 Sample MoE
SurveyUSA1 August 12-14, 2005
72%
23%
6%
 600 ± 4.1

1 "If you were grading the public schools where you live, and you could give the public schools either a passing grade or a failing grade how would you grade the public schools where you live?"

 

Proposals to Improve Quality of Education

Proposals1
Favor
Oppose
No opinion
Hire more teachers to reduce class size
86%
12%
2%
Use state money to help pay for renovation of deteriorating school buildings
86%
12%
2%
Test competency of new teachers
90%
 7%
3%
Raise teachers salaries so they are closer to the national average
86%
12%
2%
Lengthen the school day
27%
69%
4%
Lengthen the school year
42%
56%
2%
Poll
Iowa Poll
Date
January 22-25, 1999
Sample
802
MoE
± 3.5

1 "I'm going to mention some changes that have been proposed to help improve the quality of public education in Iowa. For each, please tell me if this is something you favor strongly, favor somewhat, oppose somewhat, or oppose strongly." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.

 

Preferred Class Size

Size1
Percent
Fewer than 15
 6%
15
19%
16
 1%
17
 1%
18
 8%
19
 1%
20
40%
21
 0%
22
 1%
23
 1%
24
 1%
25
12%
More than 25
 9%
Poll
Iowa Poll
Date
January 22-25, 1999
Sample
802
MoE
± 3.5

1 "When people talk about reducing class size for early grades in schools, what number of students do you have in mind that would be about the right size?" The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.

 

Education Standards and Performance Measures

 

Federal Role in Setting Academic Standards and Measuring Student Performance

Poll Date
Insist states
set standards
Leave up
to states
In
between
No
opinion
 Sample MoE
Humphrey Institute1 June 21 – July 12, 2004
18%
68%
9%
5%
 614 RV ± 4.0

1 "Which statements comes closer to your point of view or do you fall somewhere in between: The government in Washington should insist that states set academic standards and measure student performance, OR the government should leave academic standards up to the states."

 

Teacher's Pay

 

Cutting Administrative Education Costs Will Raise Teacher Salaries Above National Average

Poll Date
True
Not true
No opinion
 Sample MoE
Iowa Poll1 September 10-13, 2006
33%
56%
11%
 600 LV ± 4.0

1 "(I'm going to mention some assumption the candidates for governor have discussed as they talk about their plans for the state once they are in office) ... Cutting administrative costs in public education will save enough money to raise Iowa teachers' salaries above the national average." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.

 

Higher Education

 

Create Loan Forgiveness Program for College Graduates Who Remain In Iowa

Poll Date
Favor
Oppose
No opinion
 Sample MoE
Iowa Poll1 September 10-13, 2006
69%
26%
5%
 600 LV ± 4.0

1 "(Now I'd like to mention some specific issues the candidates for governor have advocated. For each position, please tell me if you favor or oppose the proposal.) ... Create a program of forgivable loans for graduates of Iowa colleges and universities if they stay in Iowa." The Iowa Poll is sponsored by The Des Moines Register.