Public Perceptions of Oregon’s K-12 and Higher Education Schools

2010This study explores Oregonians’ attitudes about and perceptions of public education. Specifically, perceptions about education quality were analyzed, looking at the perceived quality of education today and how it has changed over the last 5 years. Questions posed to respondents about education funding, explored views on additional state funding needed and better use of state funds leading to higher quality education. The general consensus among Oregonians was that a problem exists in the quality of education provided, both in K-12 and higher education. It was also found that very few people believed that K-12 or higher education had improved over the last 5 years. Responses to quality and funding questions were explored through child-situational variables, i.e. having a child, having a child currently enrolled in K-12 public school, or having a child currently enrolled in public higher education. Analyses from this study identified that parents with children in public K-12 were more likely to report that K-12 quality today was a big problem, and that the quality over the last 5 years was slightly worse, when compared to respondents that did not have children in public K-12. Similarly, parents with children in public higher education were more likely to report that higher education quality today was a big problem, and that the quality over the last 5 years was slightly worse, when compared to responses from individuals that did not have a child in public higher education