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PUBLIC
POLICY ISSUES: PUBLIC SCHOOLS More than half of the county's residents give their local schools high marks (54%), with 16% saying they are excellent and 38% saying good. The number giving excellent or good ratings is unchanged from last year. Since 1996, positive ratings of the local schools have risen 12 points. Parents with children in the public schools are more likely to give positive ratings (64%). Schools receive better ratings in the South County (69%) than in the North (48%). There are no differences between Latinos and non-Hispanic whites. Nonetheless, six in 10 residents favor providing parents with tax-supported vouchers to send their children to any public, private or parochial school they choose. These numbers are unchanged from 1998. Among parents with children in the public schools, 69% favor vouchers. School vouchers have more support among Latinos (73%) and Republicans (66%) than among non-Hispanic whites (56%) and Democrats (49%). Two in three residents have a lot (22%) or some (42%) confidence that their local school district spends its funds wisely. The number with a lot or some confidence is even higher among people with children in the public schools (71%), and is greater in the South County (72%) than in the North (60%). Just over half of Orange County residents (52%) favor changing the vote needed to pass local school construction bonds from the two-thirds "super-majority" to a simple majority, while 40% are opposed. Among parents with children in the public schools, support for lowering the vote requirement climbs to 59%. Of those who have a great deal or some confidence that their local school district spends its funds wisely, 57% favor passing school bonds with a simple majority, compared to 42% of those with little confidence. Support is also greater among Democrats than Republicans (61% to 50%). As for raising local taxes if their local schools said they needed much more money, 51% said they would vote in favor and 46% would be opposed. Favor is up 6 points from 1998, and marks the first year that support for a tax hike surpasses opposition. Last year, 45% said they would vote to raise local taxes for this purpose, while 50% would be opposed. In households with children in the public schools, 55% say they would favor a tax increase. Latinos are more likely than non-Hispanic whites to support a tax hike if their schools needed it (61% to 47%). Most Republicans oppose raising taxes for the local schools (55%), while a similar majority of Democrats are in favor (55%). Support has edged up since last year in all demographic groups, but still falls short of a needed super-majority in all groups.
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