Floridians support increasing funding to K-12 public schools

Washington, DC, February 29, 2024 – A recent survey of residents of the state of Florida and Florida parents conducted by Ipsos on behalf of the Southern Poverty Law Center, finds that most Floridians believe that quality kindergarten – 12^th grade education is a right, not a privilege, and many say that Florida should increase its level of investment in educating young people to promote a strong workforce and healthy tax base in the future. Most Floridians say that education not preparing young people for the future is what they are most worried about when it comes to the Florida education system. When asked about specific facts related to the Florida education system, most Floridians responded that they did not know whether the statements are true or false. 

Detailed Findings

1. Education issues are top of mind for about one in five Floridians, and one in three parents (21% and 30% respectively). For comparison, housing issues are top of mind for about half of Floridians (47%) and Florida parents (49%), followed by political extremism or polarization (25% and 24% respectively), and the economy, unemployment and jobs (24% and 30% respectively).

2. Most consider themselves at least somewhat familiar with the Florida education system (63% of Floridians and 82% of Florida parents), and more than half say the same of the Florida “Don’t Say Gay” Law (56% of Floridians and 60% of parents) –  Floridians are less likely to say they are familiar when using the law’s formal name “Parental Rights in Education” (43% of Floridians and 50% of parents). About half of Floridians (49%) and Florida parents (52%) report being very or somewhat familiar with the new guidelines about what books and reading materials are acceptable in Florida K-12 schools. Just one third of Floridians (31%) and 38% of Florida parents say that they are very or somewhat familiar with the provisions in the Florida constitution committing to public education.

3. When thinking of concerns about Florida’s education, young people being unprepared is the strongest concern (42% of the general population and 37% of parents), followed by restrictions or bans on what is taught in the classroom (35% and 31% respectively), gun violence (33% and 32% respectively), and sensitive topics being taught (30% and 29% respectively).

4. Most Floridians respond “do not know” when it comes to the factual items the survey asked about, especially when it comes to funding of schools.

• Sixty-eight percent of Floridians and 63% of parents say they do not know whether Florida’s school voucher program has cost the state more money than traditional public schools.
• A similar percentage are also unsure if Florida spends more per K-12 student than most other states in the U.S.(67% each).
• More than half of Floridians (53%) and 43% of parents say they do not know whether Florida charter and private schools do not have to offer the same accommodations to children with disabilities as traditional public schools, and about one in three Floridians and Florida parents incorrectly state that charter and private schools do have to accommodate children with disabilities (28% and 30% respectively).

5. Four in five Floridians say K-12 education is a right (83% of the general public and 85% of parents), and 15% of the general population and 13% of parents say it is a privilege.

• Four in five Floridians and parents say the state should increase its level of investment in educating young people to promote a strong workforce and healthy tax base in the future, while about one in ten say that the cost of increasing the level of public spending for public education is too much and not worth the eventual benefits (12% of the general public and 13% of parents).

6. Floridians feel it is important for children in Florida to get a good education, from teachers who have at least a college degree and a teaching credential, with policies that have clear guidelines and standards, and are established by best education practices.

• Eighty-one percent of the general population and 87% of parents in Florida say it is very important to ensure all young people in Florida have a chance to get a good education, with nine in ten agreeing that it’s at least somewhat important (92% and 95% respectively).
• Three in five Floridians (58%) and parents (60%) say it is very important that K-12 education be guided by established best practices, and that educators have at least a college degree and a teaching credential (60% and 63% respectively).
• Sixty-six percent of Floridians and 64% of parents say it is very important that K-12 education has clear guidelines and standards.
• Floridians generally and parents (65% each) say it is very important that K-12 education is transparent to parents and guardians about what is being taught in schools.

7.The public and parents value critical thinking in education.

• The general public (75%) and parents in Florida (74%) say it is more important that children have access to books and information that challenges their thinking or their personal experiences, and one in five say it is more important that children only have access to books that all parents in the district deem acceptable (21% each).
• Seven in ten Floridians and parents (69% and 68% respectively)  say that teaching critical thinking skills requires diverse perspectives – even those that make some uncomfortable – to be done well. Just over a quarter of the general public and parents say that teaching critical thinking skills does not require challenging norms or traditional ways of thinking.

8. Floridians support well-funded, free K-12 public education in Florida that has curriculum set by education professionals.

• Nine in ten Floridians and parents say that they support free access to high-quality K-12 education in Florida (94% and 91% respectively).
• Ninety-two percent of parents and 90% of the general public support having public school curriculum created by education professionals.
• Eighty-five percent of Floridians and 87% of parents support increasing funding to public schools.
• About one in five parents (19%) and 16% of the general public supports allowing any parent to remove books from a school for any reason.
• Just 14% of Floridians and 22% of parents support appointing political figures with little education background to set education policy in Florida.

9. Floridians are more likely to vote for a local political candidate who believes that public school curriculum should be created by education professionals (73% of the general public, and 77% of parents), supports increasing funding to public schools (67% of the general public, and 71% of parents). They are less likely to vote for a political candidate who defers to political groups on setting education policy (68% of the general population and 59% of parents) or wants to remove books in schools that include any reference to race or sexual orientation (55% of the general public and 45% of parents).

About the Study

This Ipsos poll was conducted December 1-16, 2023, by Ipsos for the Southern Poverty Law Center using the probability-based KnowledgePanel®. This poll is based on a representative probability sample of 1,127 general population adults age 18 or older living in Florida. The sample included 299 respondents who are parents of children 0-17 years old.

The margin of sampling error for this study is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level, for results based on the entire sample of adults. The margin of sampling error takes into account the design effect, which was 1.63. The margin of sampling error is higher and varies for results based on other sub-samples. In our reporting of the findings, percentage points are rounded off to the nearest whole number. As a result, percentages in a given table column may total slightly higher or lower than 100%. In questions that permit multiple responses, columns may total substantially more than 100%, depending on the number of different responses offered by each respondent.

The survey was conducted using KnowledgePanel, the largest and most well-established online probability-based panel that is representative of the adult US population. Our recruitment process employs a scientifically developed addressed-based sampling methodology using the latest Delivery Sequence File of the USPS – a database with full coverage of all delivery points in the US. Households invited to join the panel are randomly selected from all available households in the U.S. Persons in the sampled households are invited to join and participate in the panel. Those selected who do not already have internet access are provided a tablet and internet connection at no cost to the panel member. Those who join the panel and who are selected to participate in a survey are sent a unique password-protected log-in used to complete surveys online. As a result of our recruitment and sampling methodologies, samples from KnowledgePanel cover all households regardless of their phone or internet status and findings can be reported with a margin of sampling error and projected to the general population.

The data for the total sample were weighted to adjust for gender by age, race/ethnicity, education, metropolitan status, and household income, and 2020 presidential vote. The demographic benchmarks came from the 2022 March Supplement of the Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Florida Division of Elections.

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