parent and taxpayer survey highlights report prepared for

Winnipeg School Division Parent and Taxpayer Survey

Highlights Report

Prepared for the Winnipeg School Division

September 2011

Viewpoints Research 104 – 115 Bannatyne Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0R3

(204) 988-9253 www.viewpoints.ca

V I E W P O I N T S R E S E A R C H

Table of Contents | WSD Public Survey| September 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS ............................................................................................................................ 1

PERCEPTIONS OF WSD EDUCATION ................................................................................................................... 1

Respondents’ Children ........................................................................................................................... 1

Overall ................................................................................................................................................... 1

WSD PRIORITIES ............................................................................................................................................ 2

PRIORITIES FOR TRUSTEES................................................................................................................................. 3

MANAGING TAX DOLLARS ................................................................................................................................ 5

TAX LEVELS.................................................................................................................................................... 5

MAINTAIN OR REDUCE SCHOOL TAXES ................................................................................................................ 6

HOW TO SPEND ADDITIONAL TAX REVENUE ........................................................................................................ 7

VOTING TO ELECT SCHOOL TRUSTEES ................................................................................................................. 8

COMMUNICATIONS WITH WSD RESIDENTS ......................................................................................................... 8

GOALS & METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................................... 10

GOALS ........................................................................................................................................................ 10

METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Demographic Variables ....................................................................................................................... 10

Attitudinal Variables ........................................................................................................................... 11

Reporting ............................................................................................................................................ 11

PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS .................................................................................................................... 12

Parents and Non-Parents .................................................................................................................... 13

Grade Levels ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Homeowners and Renters ................................................................................................................... 14

School Trustee Election Voters ............................................................................................................ 15


Research Highlights| WSD Public Survey| September 2011 1

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Perceptions of WSD Education

Respondents’ Children

More than eight in ten parents and guardians of WSD children have a positive impression of the quality of education their children receive (82%), including 23% who report that it is excellent and 59% who conclude it is good. Only 1% of parents said the quality of education is poor and 11% feel it is fair.

This is an improvement over results in 2009 when 71% had a positive perception of the quality of education their children were receiving (ratings of good or excellent). Prior to 2011 parents’ opinions regarding the quality of their children’s education had remained stable since 2004.

Overall

Although not as favourable as parents’ opinions of their own children’s WSD education, almost two thirds of respondents overall conclude the quality of education is good (64%), consistent with views in past waves of research.

Resps' Children

Overall Resps' Children

Overall Resps' Children

Overall

Very poor <1%/ Poor 1%

Very Poor 2% / Poor 2%

Very Poor 1%/ Poor 4%




Fair 11%

Fair 20%

Fair 20%

Fair 20%

Fair 17%

Fair 25%

Good 59%

Good 53%

Good 52%

Good 55% Good

53%

Good 53%

Excellent 23%

Excellent 11%

Excellent 19%

Excellent 10%

Excellent 20%

Excellent 9%

Chart 1: Quality of Education - Respondents' Children & Overall by Year

2004 2009 2011



WSD Priorities

Providing a safe environment for students emerged as respondents’ top priority for the WSD, with eight in ten giving it a rating of 5 on a 5-point scale, or extremely important (80%).

This is followed by preparing students to be successful at college and university (63%) and providing programs that encourage students to become better leaders and citizens (58%). The relative importance of these priorities has remained constant in the past seven years.

Reducing taxes has declined in the past two years from 37% in overall importance (rating of 4 or 5) in 2004 and 2009 to 34% currently.

The following table summarizes how residents have rated the importance of WSD’s priorities over time.

Table 1: WSD Priorities

Important (extremely)

Priorities 2004 2009 2011

A safe, secure environment for students. (2004 wording: Bring programs to reduce bullying and violence in schools.)

81% (59%)* 93% (80%) 95% (80%)

Prepare students to be successful at college and university.

NA 87% (62%) 88% (63%)

Programs that encourage students to become better leaders and citizens.

NA 86% (59%) 84% (58%)

Maintain existing school programs and services.

NA 74% (42%) 74% (43%)

Use environmentally friendly products and practices.

NA 71% (39%) 73% (45%)

Cut school property taxes. (2004 wording: Reduce the education portion of property taxes.)

37% (19%) 37% (21%) 34% (17%)

*e.g. 59% of respondents gave a rating of 5 on a five-point scale of importance (extremely important), while 81% gave a rating of 4 or 5 on the same scale (important).



Priorities for Trustees

The priorities assigned by residents to school trustees have remained generally the same over time. However, this year there is an increase in both quality of education concerns and increasing individual attention for students, while funding concerns have dropped somewhat, especially when compared to 2004 responses. When responses related to safety and student behavior are combined with those related to poverty and social concerns respondents also appear to want these issues prioritized moreso than in past waves of research.

The following table details residents’ responses when they were asked the single most important thing WSD trustees should be dealing with. It also compares current responses to those in 2004 and 2009.

Table 2: Priorities for Trustees

Priority 2004 2009 2011

Quality of Education

Improve basics (reading, writing, math) 8% 6% 7%

Language Arts/English <1% <1% <1%

Job training/skills/post secondary readiness 1% 1% 1%

Quality of education, general NA NA 5%

Have one school division / standardize education NA 2% NA

Assessment issues, no-fail, CAP etc. NA NA 1%

Funding

Taxes 11% 7% 3%

Reduce administration costs/more efficient 3% 6% 1%

Budget/funding issues 6% 1% 8%

Reduce parent fundraising/financial support 2% 2% 1%

Safety and Student Behaviour

Prevent violence and bullying 7% 5% 10%

Drugs/crime in schools 1% NA NA

General safety of teachers/students NA 3% NA

Discipline/student behavior 2% 2% 2%

Provide more individual attention to students/ learning disabilities

Individual attention/help students/class size 4% 3% 8%

Learning disabilities/problems 1% 1% 1%

Improve special ed/more resources for special needs

1% NA NA



Priority 2004 2009 2011

Improve teaching/teachers/more teachers/principals

More teachers & staff 2% 3% 2%

Improve teaching/teachers 3% 5% 3%

Improve principals/administration 1% 1% 1%

Arts/sports/extra-curricular/summer programs

Sports 1% 1% 1%

Arts 1% <1% 1%

Science/Technology/Computers <1% <1% 1%

More after school activities/summer programs 1% 1% 1%

Poverty/social concerns

Poverty 1% <1% <1%

Social concerns at home /attendance NA NA 3%

Immigration / EAL <1% <1% <1%

Up-to-date resources & infrastructure

Up to date equipment, libraries, text books, resources

3% 2% 1%

Improve playgrounds, infrastructure NA 1% NA

Keep schools open NA <1% NA

Other/nothing/don’t know 39% 44% 36%



Managing Tax Dollars

Almost a third of WSD residents give the Division a positive grade for managing tax dollars efficiently, up slightly from 2009 and significantly from 2004 (32%, ratings of 4 or 5 on a five-point scale).

Tax Levels

Six in ten WSD homeowners feel their school taxes are at about the right level (60%), a perception that has steadily increased since 2004. Three in ten feel their school taxes are too high (31%).

Residents are split on whether these taxes have increased or stayed the same. Four in ten believe they have stayed the same (39%), three in ten think they have increased (29%) and three in ten are unsure (39%).

2011 2009 2004

9% 12% 20% 5%

6%

12%

40% 38% 36%

26% 22%

15%

6% 5%

4%

Chart 2: Managing Tax Dollars

Very satisfactory

Very unsatisfactory



Maintain or Reduce School Taxes

Eight in ten residents favour maintaining taxes and programs over reducing taxes at the expense of programs , up from about seven in ten in the two previous waves of research.

73% 70% 81%

20% 22% 16%

Chart 3: Maintain or Reduce School Taxes

Maintain

Reduce

2004 2009 2011



How To Spend Additional Tax Revenue

Two main, and somewhat related, themes emerged when respondents who would like school taxes maintained at their current levels (n=515) were asked the single most important thing any additional money from school taxes should be spent on. Three quarters of responses related to either teachers and resources, or improvements in the quality of education while a smaller number focused on student behaviour and social issues.

The table below summarizes all responses, and compares them to results in 2009.

Table 3: How To Spend Additional Tax Revenue

Quality of Education 2009 2011

Provide/maintain/improve programs 3% 9%

After school/extra-curricular programs 4% 6%

Improve basics, reading, writing, math 9% 6%

Sports 5% 5%

Quality of education, general NA% 4%

Improve curriculum NA% 4%

Arts 3% 4%

Job training, skills, readiness 1% 4%

Science / technology / computers 3% 3%

Learning disabilities / problems 2% 2%

Augmenting Teachers and Resources

Up to date equipment, libraries, text books, resources 10% 9%

Individual attention/help students/class size 8% 8%

More teachers/staff 6% 8%

Resources of special needs/social needs NA 3%

Improve teaching/teachers 9% 3%

Upgrade physical facilities NA 2%

Improve principals/administration of schools 1% <1%

Reduce parent fund raising/financial support 1% <1%

Student Behaviour and Social Issues

Preventing violence and bullying 1% 3%

Poverty 2% 3%

Discipline/student behavior 2% <1%

Immigration / EAL 2% <1%

Other/Nothing/Unsure 27% 15%



Voting to Elect School Trustees

Voter participation in the election of school trustees is at the highest level seen over the three waves of research Viewpoints has conducted on behalf of the WSD since 2004, with 56% of voters indicating they always (46%) or sometimes (10%) vote, up from 53% in 2004 and 43% in 2009.

Table 4: Voting to Elect School Trustees

Voting 2004 2009 2011

Always 41% 28% 46%

Usually 12% 15% 10%

Sometimes 15% 18% 14%

Never 31% 37% 28%

Not eligible 1% 1% 2%

Communications with WSD Residents

The use of electronic media has increased significantly since 2009, and is the preferred communications tool, generally and for WSD information, of a growing number of WSD residents.

As a source for general news and current events, the internet now outpaces newspapers and television news, drawing largely from newspaper readers to increase its numbers and, to a lesser degree, from TV and radio.

Internet

Television

Newspapers

Radio

25%

28%

31%

14%

32%

29%

24%

12%

Chart 4: News Sources

2009

2011



Family and friends are the most frequently mentioned source of WSD news, displacing newspapers to second place, along with teachers and school staff and school and Division newsletters. The internet as a source of WSD information has jumped significant, now ahead of TV.

Three in ten respondents who said they would like to get their WSD information on the internet (30%) or by e-mail (5%), up 10 points in total over 2009. Respondents who would like their information through school and Division newsletters are up 4 points to 27%.

One in five would like to receive WSD communications by mail (19%, up 6 points) and slightly fewer mentioned newspapers (17%, down 5 points). One in ten chose television (11%, no change since 2009).

Almost one in ten respondents said they do not want information on the WSD and its programs (9%, down 6 points).

No statistically significant differences emerged among the sub-groups for this question.

Internet/E-mail

School/Division Newsletters

Mail

Newspapers

Television

Radio

Friends/Family

Teachers/School Staff

Students

Printed Material, general

Do not want info

25%

23%

13%

22%

11%

7%

2%

3%

2%

1%

15%

35%

27%

19%

17%

11%

6%

4%

4%

3%

3%

9%

Chart 5: WSD Communication Preferences

2009

2011



GOALS & METHODOLOGY

Goals

On behalf of the Winnipeg School Division (WSD), Viewpoints Research conducted telephone survey research with residents of the Division. The 2011 questionnaire is the same as the survey instrument used in 2009 and many of the questions were also asked in 2004 research.

As in previous research, the 2011 survey examined the following topics:

residents’ priorities for the Winnipeg School Division and for schools in the Division, including spending priorities;

perceptions of the quality of education offered in WSD schools;

impressions of school taxes and satisfaction with how the WSD manages tax dollars;

the best methods for communicating with residents of the Division.

Methodology

A telephone survey of a 612 residents of the WSD was conducted between May 24th and June 8th, 2011 by Viewpoints Research, on behalf of the WSD. A survey of this magnitude has an overall confidence level of 3.96%, nineteen times out of twenty.

The findings of this research have been cross tabulated by the following demographic and attitudinal variables:

Demographic Variables

ward;

school district;

gender;

household income;

age;

rent or own home;

educational attainment;

whether respondents are the parents or guardians of children attending WSD schools;

the grade level of children in schools;

household income.



Attitudinal Variables

likelihood of voting in trustee elections;

satisfaction with the way WSD manages tax dollars;

perceptions of the quality of education in WSD schools;

satisfaction with their children’s education;

perceptions regarding whether school taxes are too high;

choice when asked to trade off lower taxes over maintaining school programs.

NB In order to examine responses by special groups of interest, e.g. age or income, response categories for some questions may have been grouped together under broader headings to provide statistically meaningful results.

Reporting

This report summarizes the key findings of this research and compares findings between the 2004 and 2009 survey results. Differences of opinion between the various sub-groups of residents are also highlighted.



PROFILE OF RESPONDENTS

Male 48% Female

52%

Chart 6: Gender

18 to 29 22%

30 to 39 17%

40 to 49 20%

50 to 59 17%

60+ 24%

Chart 7: Age

< High School 9%

High School Grad 22%

Some College/Tech

6%

College/ Tech Grad

16%

Some University

8%

University Grad 27%

Post-Grad 11%

Chart 8: Education



Parents and Non-Parents

More than a quarter of survey respondents have children who attend WSD schools living full- or part-time in their households (27%). Almost three quarters of households participating do not include a WSD student (73%).

Parents and guardians were most likely to be 40 to 49 years of age (44% of those in that age group are parents), followed by those 30 to 39 years of age (36% of those in that age group are parents).

Parents participating in this research were most likely to live in Ward 3 (38%) and the Central District (31%).

< $20K 11% < $30K

10%

< $40K 13%

< $60K 18%

< $80K 16%

< $100K 8% $100K+

13%

Chart 9: Household Income

Yes 27%

No 73%

Chart 10: Children in Household

NB 2006 Census data estimates that 36% of WSD households have children of some age. Viewpoints question excludes pre-school age children and those attending school outside WSD.



Grade Levels

A preponderance of students whose parents or guardians participated in this research are in the primary grades (45%), while 18% of respondents have children in grades 11 and 12.

The following chart summarizes the grade levels of children whose parents participated in this survey.

Homeowners and Renters

More than two thirds of WSD residents polled own their homes (68%), while 28% rent and 3% have other living arrangements. The percentage of respondents who own their homes has remained stable since 2006, but increased seven points since 2004 (61%, 2004).

Table 5: Area by Living Arrangements

Ward Own Rent

One 71% 28%

Two 56% 39%

Three 80% 17%

District Own Rent

North 86% 14%

South 70% 28%

Central 66% 25%

Inner City 50% 50%

K to 3 45%

4 to 6 30%

7 to 8 16%

9 to 10 23%

11 to 12 18%

Chart 11: Grade Levels



School Trustee Election Voters

Always 46%

Usually 10%

Sometimes 14%

Never 28%

Chart 12: Voters

parent and taxpayer survey highlights report prepared for

Documents