Burbank Unified School District Issues Survey

Transcription

1 Burbank Unified School District Issues Survey Survey Conducted: March 23-28, 2018

2 1 Methodology 1019 interviews with registered voters in the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) likely to vote in the November 2018 election Overall Margin of Error: ±4.4% Conducted March 23-27, 2018 Dual-Mode Survey (online, cell phone, and landlines) Survey available in English, Spanish and Armenian Some percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding

3 General Community Attitudes 2

4 Voters have positive views of the direction of the City and their local schools. The City of Burbank Your Local School Right Direction 68% Wrong Track 31% Right Direction 71% Wrong Track 25% DK/NA 1% DK/NA 4% First, do you think things in are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track? 3

5 Six-in-ten voters say the District is doing either an excellent or pretty good job with very few who say poor. Excellent Pretty good 13% 51% Excellent/ Pretty Good 64% Only fair Poor 4% 18% Only Fair/ Poor 22% Don't know/na 14% Do you feel that the Burbank Unified School District is doing an excellent job, a pretty good job, only a fair job or a poor job? 4

6 Voters strongly believe in arts and music education; they have less information about the District s budget situation. Very Acc. Smwt. Acc. Smwt. Inacc. Very Inacc. DK/NA Total Acc. Total Inacc. *Every student in Burbank schools should have arts and music education 63% 21% 9% 5% 84% 13% Arts and music education is especially important in Burbank because of job opportunities in local film and TV studios for graduates 43% 31% 12% 6% 7% 74% 19% Our local schools are a safe place for students 30% 44% 8% 5% 13% 74% 14% I would like to share with you some statements about your community and local neighborhood schools. Please tell me if you think each of the following statements is accurate or inaccurate. *Split Sample 5

7 Nearly two-thirds of respondents believe BUSD has at least some need for additional funding. Great need Some need 27% 39% Great/ Some Need 65% Little need No real need 7% 10% Little/No Real Need 17% Don't know/na 18% Q3. Generally speaking, would you say that the Burbank Unified School District has a great need for additional funding, some need, a little need, or no real need for additional funding? 6

8 Attitudes on Parcel Tax Measure 7

9 Ballot Measure Title and Question Text BURBANK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT LOCAL EDUCATION FUNDING AND SAFETY MEASURE To offset state funding shortfalls, prepare students for college/career: Retaining, attracting quality teachers Upgrading campus/student safety, emergency communication systems, student mental health, after-school programs Expanding/improving arts, music, science, technology, engineering, math education Expanding vocational/career education Shall the Burbank Unified School District levy (SPLIT SAMPLE C: $365 per parcel) (SPLIT SAMPLE D: 10 cents per square foot of improved property) annually providing $9 million in annual local funding the state cannot take away until ended by voters, with senior exemptions, independent oversight/audits? Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 8

10 On the initial vote, support is close to the two-thirds threshold when the tax rate is described in cents per square foot of improved property. $365 Per Parcel 10 Cents Per Square Foot of Improved Property Definitely yes Probably yes Undecided, lean yes 7% 17% 36% Total 38% 52% Yes 20% 58% 60% 7% Total Yes 65% Undecided, lean no Probably no Definitely no 4% 6% 23% Total No 33% 2% 5% 21% Total No 29% Undecided 7% 6% Q4 (Split Sample C & D). If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 9

11 Support for the measure is closely tied to respondents assessments of the District s need for funding. Initial Vote by Funding Need Total Yes Total No Undecided 85% 69% 75% 53% 13% 2% 23% 8% 23% 2% 31% 15% Great Need Some Need Little/No Real Need Don't Know/NA/ Refused (% of Sample) (27%) (39%) (17%) (18%) Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 10

12 Half of the voters who rate the District s performance as fair or poor still support the ballot measure. Initial Vote by Burbank USD Rating Total Yes Total No Undecided 66% 69% 51% 46% 27% 23% 7% 3% 8% Excellent/Good Fair/Poor Don't Know/NA/Refused (% of Sample) (64%) (22%) (14%) Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 11

13 Current BUSD parents, parents of younger children, as well as voters under age 50 without kids, strongly support the measure. Initial Vote by Family Situation & Parents Total Yes Total No Undecided 72% 72% Parents 57% 57% 72% Not Parents 57% 40% 38% 33% 22% 22% 20% 6% 6% 3% 6% 8% 10% BUSD Parents Not School Age Private School Parents Older Children Have No Children Ages Have No Children Ages 50+ (% of Sample) (27%) (4%) (8%) (34%) (18%) (11%) Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 12

14 A majority of both homeowners and renters support the measure. Initial Vote by Residence Total Yes Total No Undecided 76% 56% 38% 17% 6% 7% Homeowners Renters (% of Sample) (58%) (36%) Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 13

15 Support is fairly consistent by zip code, with the strongest support in 91501, and Initial Vote on the Sales Tax Measure by ZIP Code 6% 61% 33% (20% of Sample) Total Yes Total No Undecided (15% of Sample) 5% 64% 31% 7% 64% 29% (35% of Sample) (8% of Sample) (22% of Sample) 6% 8% 68% 26% 59% 33% Q4. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 14

16 Lower parcel tax amounts do not lead to higher levels of support. $365 per parcel providing approximately $9 million annually Def. Yes Prob./Und., Lean Yes Prob./Und., Lean No Def. No DK/NA Total 36% 24% 10% 23% 7% Yes Total No 60% 33% $275 per parcel providing approximately $6.8 million annually 35% 20% 10% 25% 10% 55% 35% $185 per parcel providing approximately $4.5 million annually 38% 18% 10% 26% 9% 56% 35% 10 cents per square foot of improved property providing approximately $9 million annually 8 cents per square foot of improved property providing approximately $6.8 million annually 5 cents per square foot of improved property providing approximately $4.5 million annually 38% 34% 37% 26% 27% 21% 8% 9% 7% 21% 23% 23% 6% 9% 9% 65% 29% 60% 31% 58% 32% Q4 (Split Sample C), Q5 & Q4 (Split Sample D), Q6. If the election were held today, would you vote yes in favor of it or no to oppose this ballot measure? 15

17 Ballot Measure Elements 16

18 The highest priority elements deal with maintaining the quality of Burbank schools Ext. Impt. Very Impt. Smwt. Impt. Not Too Impt. DK/NA ^Retaining and attracting quality teachers 57% 32% 7% Ext./Very Impt. 88% ^Preparing students for college and careers 56% 32% 8% 87% Keeping Burbank schools among the best in California 56% 30% 10% 85% Providing competitive 21st century learning at all schools Expanding and improving education in science, technology, engineering, and math Providing up-to-date instructional materials and classroom supplies Increasing job training and apprenticeship opportunities for high school students ^Upgrading student mental health programs 53% 49% 47% 45% 45% 32% 36% 34% 33% 31% 10% 10% 13% 15% 5% 14% 7% 85% 84% 81% 78% 77% Q8. I d like to return to the local school ballot measure we were discussing earlier. I am going to read you a list of projects and features that might be included in this school measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that each project or feature be included: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not too important. ^Not Part of Split Sample 17

19 Voters also prioritize improvements to student safety. Expanding vocational and career education programs Requiring annual audits Ext. Impt. Very Impt. Smwt. Impt. Not Too Impt. DK/NA 40% 45% 37% 30% 16% 16% 5% 5% Ext./Very Impt. 76% 75% ^Maintaining low class sizes 39% 35% 18% 5% 74% Requiring all funds for Burbank schools 40% 28% 15% 14% 69% ^Upgrading student/campus safety programs 38% 30% 20% 8% 5% 68% Increasing teacher salaries 37% 30% 21% 9% 67% Improving after-school programs 30% 36% 23% 8% 66% Installing and upgrading security cameras 34% 31% 20% 10% 65% Q8. I d like to return to the local school ballot measure we were discussing earlier. I am going to read you a list of projects and features that might be included in this school measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that each project or feature be included: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not too important. ^Not Part of Split Sample 18

20 More than six-in-ten voters say arts and music programs are at least very important. Upgrading emergency communications systems ^Upgrading security systems Expanding and improving arts and music education for all Burbank USD students Expanding and improving arts and music education Maintaining the number of school nurses Fulfilling commitments to retired teachers and staff Requiring citizens' oversight Requiring the measure to be in effect until ended by voters Offsetting state funding shortfalls Ext. Impt. Very Impt. Smwt. Impt. Not Too Impt. DK/NA 34% 36% 36% 35% 29% 28% 29% 26% 22% 30% 29% 28% 27% 34% 33% 29% 29% 33% 18% 22% 22% 20% 25% 23% 21% 20% 19% 9% 12% 11% 9% 8% 13% 10% 7% 7% 12% 5% 5% 6% 12% 15% 15% Ext./Very Impt. 65% 64% 64% 63% 63% 61% 58% 55% 55% Q8. I d like to return to the local school ballot measure we were discussing earlier. I am going to read you a list of projects and features that might be included in this school measure. Please tell me how important it is to you that each project or feature be included: extremely important, very important, somewhat important, or not too important. ^Not Part of Split Sample 19

21 Conclusions 20

22 21 Conclusions Passing a revenue measure for operational funding for BUSD at a 2/3rds threshold will be challenging, but the measure is viable for further planning if the tax structure is designed on cents per square foot of improved property. The 75-word ballot question can be improved to increase the potential viability of the measure. A significant public outreach effort will be necessary that includes both existing BUSD stakeholders (parents, teachers, staff, etc.) as well as people without a direct connection to the District. Initial outreach should highlight the need for funding for Burbank schools and the implications on the quality of local schools if new funding is not secured.

23 For more information, contact: John Fairbank Wilshire Blvd., Suite 350 Los Angeles, CA Phone (310) Fax (310) Adam Sonenshein