Black voters overwhelmingly support parental choice and a mix of education options that include traditional public, public charter and opportunity scholarships to attend private schools.
That, according to a new survey released by the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO).
What it offers is a comprehensive look at the attitudes of black voters and their views on parental choice, education reform, Common Core and assessments.
Though survey takers did not specifically poll Florida voters, BAEO is active in Florida politics. The organization strongly supported the work of John Kirtley and Michael Benjamin, whose efforts resulted in the extension of the Corporate Tax Credit Scholarship Program. If you recall, a full third of Democrats in the Legislature, including 13 of 25 members of the state's Black Caucus voted for that program.
The survey conducted in Alabama, Louisiana, New Jersey and Tennessee reveals clear support for greater freedom in the K-12 education system, with a noticeable majority backing educational options in their school districts.
It polled 2,400 black voters, 600 in each state. Some of the overall findings include these:
- More than 90 percent of respondents in all four states say a candidate's views on education are important to them before they vote;
- Six in 10 support school vouchers to provide scholarships to send children to eligible private schools;
- Seven of 10 say they support providing parents with more educational choices in their local school districts;
- The majority of voters surveyed support charter schools -- more than 65 percent in Louisiana and Tennessee;
- Sixty percent and higher say assessment testing is necessary to hold schools accountable; in Tennessee and Alabama that number increases to nearly 70 percent.
"This study provides an insightful observation on the views of black voters and how they are interested in hearing from candidates who have the most compelling educational reform policies in the upcoming election cycles," said BAEO Interim President Jacqueline Cooper.
"Black voters are looking for commitments from leaders who share their values to expand access to all kinds of educational options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools and private schools," she said. "There is no one single solution that will work for every state, city or district."
Cooper urged leaders to engage with their communities to understand what will best serve low-income and working-class black families. "In our experience, the best solutions will come from community engagement. Candidates should take notice," she said.
Evident from survey results was widespread recognition for the need for better-quality schools, which includes ample support for charter schools and scholarships for low-income and working-class black families to have access to private schools.
The survey also indicated solid support among black voters who believe educational standards such as Common Core and its related assessments are essential to holding education stakeholders responsible for student learning outcomes.
"When we see reading and math scores decline in both 4th and 8th grades in the 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), we know that change is needed," said BAEO Director of Policy and Research Tiffany Forrester. "And when we see 70 percent support for more parent choice options such high-quality, traditional public, public charter and scholarship programs, it's a strong indicator that black voters know what they want for their children and are engaged in the education reform process."
The 2015 BAEO poll was conducted in August 2015 by JMC Analytics and Polling. The margin of error, with a 95 percent confidence rate, was 3.8 percent. For more information, click here.
Reach Nancy Smith at nsmith@sunshinestatenews.com or at 228-282-2423. Twitter: @NancyLBSmith
