Breaking Down the EdChoice “Surveying State Legislators” Report
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SURVEYING STATE BREAKING DOWN LEGISLATORS edchoice.org/LegislatorSurvey
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Transcript of Breaking Down the EdChoice “Surveying State Legislators” Report
SURVEYING STATE BREAKING DOWN
LEGISLATORSedchoice.org/LegislatorSurvey
Surveying State Legislators is the first comprehensive phone-only survey to ask state legislators how they make
decisions on K–12 issues.
EDCHOICE.ORG
We found many state legislators may be unsure of the fastest-growing educational choice policy in the nation: education savings accounts (ESAs).
29% Didn’t Know or Didn’t Answer.
Based on what you know, or have heard from others… In general, do you favor or oppose ESAs?
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But once provided a description, we found the majority of state legislators say they would support ESAs, and the rest of the nation agrees.
*edchoice.org/2015NationalSurvey
Favor Oppose
Legislators
National Average*61%62%
30%28%
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However, the majority of state lawmakers’ views on other types of school choice do not
appear to be aligned with the American public.
*edchoice.org/2015NationalSurvey
Legislators
National Average*52% 40%
61% 33%
VOUCHERS
Legislators
National Average*
Favor Oppose
67% 22%53% 27%
CHARTERS
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Lawmakers are more likely to believe K–12 education in their home states is
going in the right direction.
RightDirectionWrongTrack
49%43%
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Yet the rest of America doesn’t seem to agree about the direction of K–12
education nationwide.*
RightDirectionWrongTrack
32%60%
EDCHOICE.ORG*edchoice.org/2015NationalSurvey
There’s certainly more educating to be done.
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And it’s up to educational choice advocates to find better pathways to
inform state legislators.
?EDCHOICE.ORG
Here’s what we’ve learned about state lawmakers’ habits
and preferences.
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Lawmakers' biggest professional challenges are:
Time Use and Management
Partisanship
Budgets and Finance
Constituent Services
Working on Legislation
36%27%
18%17%16%
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Most lawmakers love their jobs.
On a scale from 0 to 10, how likely is it that you would recommend serving as a state legislator to a friend or colleague?
Promoters (9 or 10)
Passives (7 or 8)
Detractors (0 to 6)
54%31%
13%
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Though, some more than others.
Northeastern Legislators
Midwestern Legislators
Southern Legislators
Western Legislators
68%
47%62%
36%
PROMOTERS
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State legislators say they are frustrated because they spend:
Too little time communicating on social media
Too much time attending party-related meetings
Too little time working on legislation
Too much time fundraising
39%
21%
36%
17%
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Most lawmakers pay attention to different media on a daily basis to learn about K–12 education.
Read Local Newspaper
Personal Contact/Networks
Watch Major Networks' Nightly News Broadcasts
Watch Cable Network News (CNN, Fox News or MSNBC)
Use Facebook
Listen to NPR
Use Twitter
41%
40%
31%
31%
26%
15%
11%
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But most of all, state lawmakers prioritize direct experiences to develop their
legislative priorities.
Communications with Constituents
Professional Experience
Personal Experience
Caucus Leadership
Interest Group Information
Hot Issues in the News
Surveys/Polls
85%
77%
76%
36%
27%
19%
13%EDCHOICE.ORG
And personal networks and experiences are their most-trusted sources when considering
K–12 education issues.
79%Personal Experience
Professional Experience
Caucus Leadership
Interest Group Information
Hot Issues in the News
Surveys/Polls
Communications with Constituents 82%
76%
32%
21%
14%
12%
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Notably, the more likely a legislator is to recommend their job to others, the more likely they are to rely on the following to
inform their voting decisions:
-Caucus Leadership-Interest Group Information-Polling
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Our No. 1 takeaway?
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The work educational choice advocates are already doing—promoting research
and data, engaging families—all matters, but…
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…because of their limited time and capacity, lawmakers likely prefer to learn about that work from the people closest
to them—their trusted personal contacts and constituents.
EDCHOICE.ORG
To contact the author,Vice President of Research and Innovation
Paul DiPerna, email [email protected]
EDCHOICE.ORG/LegislatorSurvey
For more regional and demographicdetails from this survey, visit
