Louisiana

Milwaukee Public Schools

A Survey of Likely Gen= eral Election Voters

Jan= uary 15, 2008

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[INTRODUCT= ION] Hello, Is= [ASK FOR NAME ON LIST] there? I’m calling from Wisconsin Opi= nion Surveys. I am not selli= ng anything. I am conduc= ting an opinion survey and would like to ask you a few questions about issues fa= cing your community. This is a res= earch study, your name was chosen at random and your individual answers are confidential.

DO NOT ACC= EPT SUBSTITUTES. IF NOT AVAILABLE, SCHEDULE CALL= BACK OR TERMINATE. REPEAT INTRODUCTION AS NECESSARY.

1. Are you 18 or older and registered to vote?=

Yes=	1
No	TERMINATE
(Don’t know/refused)	TERMINATE

2.&n= bsp; I know it’s still a long way off, but what are the chances of you votin= g in the Milwaukee Public School Board elections in April of this year – are you almost certain to vote, will you probably vote, are the cha= nces 50-50, or don’t you think you will vote?

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Almost certain	1
Probably=	2
50-50	3
Will not= vote	TERMINAT= E
(DonR= 17;t know/refused)	TERMINATE

= 3.&n= bsp; Regardless of how you are registered to vote, do you think of yourself as a Democrat, a Republican, an Independent, or something else?

Democrat=	1
Independ= ent	2
Republic= an	3
(DonR= 17;t know/Not sure/Refused)	4

4.&n= bsp; SPLIT 1A: = Thinking a= bout the direction the Milwaukee Public Schools are headed, generally speaking, = are you very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied with the direction in which the Milwaukee Public Schools are headed?

Very sat= isfied	1
Satisfie= d	2
Dissatis= fied	3
Very dissatisfied	4
(DonR= 17;t know/ Refused)	5

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= 5.&n= bsp; SPLIT 1B: = Do you APP= ROVE or DISAPPROVE of the job the current Milwaukee Public School Board is doing? [PROBE: And is = that STRONGLY (approve/disapprove) or SOMEWHAT (approve/disapprove)?]

Strongly approve	1
Somewhat approve	2
Somewhat disapprove	3
Strongly disapprove	4
(DonR= 17;t know/ Refused)	5

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6.&n= bsp; I am now going to read you two statements about the Milwaukee Public Schools. Please tell me which of these stat= ements is closer to your own point of view. [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

With the right leadership in place, MPS as it exists today can make solid progress on improving student achievement over the next few years	3
MPS has so many problems that something drastic needs to change for Milwaukee to make any real progress= on student achievement	4
(DonR= 17;t know/ Refused)	5

7.&n= bsp; [DISTRICT = 6 ONLY]: Thinking now about Milwaukee School Board president Peter Blewett [BLEW-itt], do you believe that he deserves to be re-elected to the Milwaukee Public School Board= , or do you believe it is time for someone new?

Deserves re-election	1
Time for someone new	2
(DonR= 17;t know/ Refused)	3

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Now, I’d like you to rate your feelings toward some people and organizatio= ns using a scale from zero to one hundred, on which a “100” means = that you feel VERY WARM and FAVORABLE toward that person or organization, a “0” means that you feel VERY COLD and UNFAVORABLE, and a “50” means that you do not feel particularly warm or cold. You may use any number from zero t= o one hundred, depending on how you feel. If you have no opinion or have never heard of a person or organizati= on, please say so.

[IF “NO OPINION” OR “DON’T KNOW,” RECORD AS 101. IF “NEVER HEARD OF,” R= ECORD AS 102.]

[ASK Q8 FIRST. ALL OTHERS, READ AND ROTATE]	Mean = Score
8.= Barack Obama	____
9.= Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker	<= /p>
10. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett [BARE-itt]=	____
11. The Milw= aukee Public School Board	____
12. The Teac= hers Union in the Milwaukee Public Schools	____
13. Milwaukee Public Schools Superintendent William Andrekopoulos [an-drah-KOPP-ah-liss]	____
14. DISTRICT 4 ONLY:	&nbs= p;
a.= Charlene Hardin [HARD-enn]	____
b.= Annie Woodward	____
c.= Gloria Gaston [GAS-tinn]	____
d.= Mike Mathias [mith-AYE-iss]	____
15. DISTRICT 6 ONLY	&nbs= p;
a.= Peter Blewett [BLEW-itt]	____
b.= Redonna [rah-DONN-ah] Rodgers	____
c. &nbs= p; Charlene Hardin [HARD-enn]=	<= /p>
16. DISTRICT 7 ONLY	<= /p>
a.= David Voeltner [VOLT-nerr]	____
b.= Donna Peck	____
c.= Felicia [fell-EE-SEE-ah] Owen	____
d.= Charlie Sykes [SIKES]	<= /p>

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ISSUE POSI= TIONS

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I am now g= oing to read you sets of statements about issues facing the Milwaukee Public Schools. After each set of statements, please tell me which is closer to your own point of view.

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= 17.&= nbsp; SPLIT 2A: In terms of the level of property taxes and education funding in the city of Milwaukee, do you believe that: [ROTATE TOP TO BOTTOM, BOTTOM TO TOP,= SAY “OR” BETWEEN EACH]

Property= tax levels in Milwaukee are too = high and need to be reduced, even if it means cutting education budgets <= /o:p>	1
Property= tax levels in Milwaukee are about right, given the educational services MPS provides	2
Property= tax levels should be raised to provide additional funding for education in Milwaukee	3
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	4

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18.&= nbsp; SPLIT 2B: Currently, many parents in the city = of Milwaukee use taxpayer funded vouchers to send their children to private schools. Do you believe that = [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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Vouchers= are destructive to public education, taking funding and students away from pu= blic schools .<= /p>	1
Vouchers= are a pragmatic approach to ensuring Milwaukee parents have a variety of options for their children’s education, even if it is at a private school. =	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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19.&= nbsp; ASK ALL: The teachers union represents all teachers in Milwaukee. Do you believe that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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The teac= hers union in Milwaukee is good for the school district, and is committed to ensuring a quality education for all students.	1
The teac= hers union does not care about helping students. They are only focused on protect= ing teachers, even low quality ones, and expanding their lavish benefits packages.<= /p>	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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20.&= nbsp; SP= LIT 3A: In recent years, the Milwaukee School Board has implemented an expanded set of educational options in Milwaukee. Do you belie= ve that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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The Scho= ol Board should stop experimenting with radical education models like vouchers, charters, and neighborhood schools, and instead focus on improving Milwaukee’s schools as they exist today.	1
The Scho= ol Board should embrace whatever creative solutions lead to better education= for our children, even if it means non-traditional means such as vouchers, charter schools, or smaller neighborhood schools.	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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21.&= nbsp; SPLIT 3B: Currently, teachers in the Milwaukee Publics Schools are required to live in the city of Milwaukee. Do you believe that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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It is ha= rd to find good teachers. The Sch= ool Board should be open to negotiating with the teachers union to drop the r= ule which requires teachers to live within the city limits.	1
MPS teac= hers should be required to commit to the city of Milwaukee and live within its borders, to maintain quality neighborhoods and a solid tax base within the city limits.	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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22.&= nbsp; SPLIT 4A: In recent years, the school board h= as often been unable to resolve their differences on key issues facing our schools. Do you believe= that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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School B= oard members should stick to their principals when conflict arises over key is= sue, rather than bending to compromise with those on the other side of the iss= ue.	1
Now is t= he time for members of the School Board to put aside their ideological differences, and unite to provide real solutions to the problems facing o= ur schools.	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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23.&= nbsp; SPLIT 4B: In recent years, the school board has often been unable to resolve their differences on key issues facing our schools. Do you believe= [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “O= R”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

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Parents = should be able to use the MPS bussing system to send their children to any school they wish in MPS, rather than being limited only to the neighborhood scho= ol.	1
The Scho= ol Board should focus on reducing the amount of money spent on bussing by requiring students to attend schools closer to their homes.	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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24.&= nbsp; SPLIT 5A: In terms of how the School Board us= es our tax dollars today, do you believe that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, = SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

The Milw= aukee School Board should place much more focus on using our tax dollars more wisely by eliminating wasteful spending, and streamlining MPS to run more efficiently.	1
The curr= ent School Board uses our tax dollars efficiently and effectively to provide educati= onal services without much waste=	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

25.&= nbsp; SPLIT 5B: Currently, MPS schools have capacity for a hundred thousand students, but o= nly eighty thousand students enrolled. &n= bsp; Do you believe that [ROTATE ORDER. READ FIRST STATEMENT, SAY “OR”, READ SECOND STATEMENT.]

Despite = lower enrollment, the School Board should keep all of the school open to enable students to attend a school close to their home.	1
= Currentl= y, MPS schools have capacity for a hundred thousand students, but only eighty thousand students enrolled. The School Board should look to sell or lease some school building= s to private or charter schools to save the money it takes to keep them open. =	2
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	3

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[QUESTION 26 AND 27 ONLY FOR DISTRICT 6. ALL OTHERS, SKIP] I would like to read you a series of statements that some people have made ab= out why they have doubts about supporting School Board president Peter Blewett [BLEW-itt] for reelection.&nbs= p; Please rate each statement on a scale of 0 to 100, where= 100 means that statement raises some very serious doubts about that person, 50 means it raises some doubts, and 0 means that statement doesn’t raise= any doubts at all to you about supporting Blewett. You may use any other number betwe= en 0 and 100. [CODE DON’T KNOW/REFUSED AS “99”]

26. Peter Bl= ewett has failed to provide leadership during his time as School Board President. It is time for a= new leader who can provide real solutions to the problems facing our schools.=	____
27. Peter Bl= ewett repeatedly put disgraced school board member Charlene Hardin in positions= of responsibility, even while Hardin was wasting taxpayer money on out of st= ate travel for conferences she never attended.	____

The last few questions are for statis= tical purposes only.

[ASK Q28 = ONLY IF AGECODE=3D14]

28.&= nbsp; What is your age?........................= .................... ___ ___

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IF REFUSED:&nb= sp; I am going to read you some categories. Stop me when we get to your catego= ry. READ CATEGORIES:

18-24 ye= ars	1
25-29	2
30-34	3
35-39	4
40-44	5
45-49	6
50-54	7
55-59	8
60-64	9
65-69	10<= /o:p>
70-74	11<= /o:p>
75-79	12<= /o:p>
80 or ov= er	13<= /o:p>
(Refused/ don’t know)	14<= /o:p>

29. Are you or= any member of your household a member of a union or employee association? [PROBE:] — does that apply to you, someone in your household, or not? [SINGLE RESPONSE ONLY, IF APPLIES TO RESPONDENT AND SOMEONE ELSE IN HOUSEHOLD THEN PLEASE RECORD UNDER ‘APPLIES TO RESPONDENT’]

Applies Respondent	1
Applies Household	2
Does not= apply	3
Don̵= 7;t Know / Not Sure / Refused	&nb= sp;

30.&= nbsp; How many children do you have any children living with you and attending Kindergarten through 12^th grade? [RECORD NUMBER OF CHILDREN. USE 999 FOR DON’T KNOW OR REFUSED]

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ASK IF RESPONDENT HAS 1 OR MORE CHILDREN IN SCHOOL (Q31>0)=

31.&= nbsp; Which of t= he following best describes the school [IF >1 CHILDREN: “SCHOOLS”] your child [IF >1 CHILDREN: “CHILDREN”] attend? [ALLOW MULTIPLE RESPONSES, SELECT ALL THAT APPLY]

One of t= he regular Milwaukee Public Schools	1
A public charter school in Milwaukee	2
A private school paid for with vouchers	3
A private school which you pay for	4
Don̵= 7;t Know / Refused	5

= 32.&= nbsp; Are you married, singly but living with a partner, separated, divorc= ed, widowed, or have you never been married?

&nb= sp;
Married<= o:p>	1
Separate= d/divorced	2
Widowed<= o:p>	3
Never married/single	4
Single, = but living with a partner	5
(Refused= )	6

= 33.&= nbsp; How often = do you attend church or religious services — twice a week or more, every wee= k, once or twice a month, several times a year, or hardly ever, or never?=

Twic= e a week or more
Every we= ek	1
Once or = twice a month	2
Several = times a year	3
Hardly e= ver	4
Never	5
(DonR= 17;t know/ refused)	6

= 34.&= nbsp; Thinking about your approach to political issue= s, would you describe yourself as very liberal, somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat conservative, or very conservative? [ROTATE CHOICES FROM TOP-TO-BOT= TOM / BOTTOM-TO-TOP]

Very lib= eral	1
Somewhat liberal	2
Moderate=	3
Somewhat conservative	4
Very conservative	5
(DonR= 17;t know/ refused)	6

35.&= nbsp; What is the last year of schooling that you have completed? [DO NOT READ]

&nb= sp;	&nb= sp;
1 –= ; 11^th grade	1
High sch= ool graduate	2
Some col= lege – but less than two years of college	3
Some college--two years or more/AA degree	4
College graduate/bachelors degree/BA/BS	5
Postgrad= uate courses	6
Masters = degree	7
MBA or L= aw degree	8
PhD or M= D	9
(DonR= 17;t know/ refused)	10

= 36.&= nbsp; Last year, what was your total family income fr= om all sources, before taxes? Just stop me when I get to the right category. [READ. DO NOT ROTATE.]

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&nb= sp;	&nb= sp;
Below 15= ,000 dollars	1
More tha= n 15 but less than 20 thousand	2
More tha= n 20 but less than 30 thousand	3
More tha= n 30 but less than 40 thousand	4
More tha= n 40 but less than 50 thousand	5
More tha= n 50 but less than 75 thousand	6
More tha= n 75 but less than 100 thousand	7
Above 100 thousand	8
(DonR= 17;t know/ refused)	9

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= 37. Do you, or does anyone in your immediate family, happen to come from a Latino, Spanish-speaking, African-American, Middle-Eastern, or Asian background? [IF ‘NO,’ = ASK:] Just to be sure we’re representing everybody, may I ask yo= ur race? [DO NOT READ CHOICES]

White/ Anglo / WASP / Caucasian, etc	1
African-American/Black	2
Hispanic (Puerto Rican, Mexican etc)	3
Asian	4
Native American/ American Indian	5
Mixed – including Hispanic or Latino	6
Mixed – not including Hispanic or Latino	7
Middle Eastern / Arab American	8
(Other: __________)	9
(Refused)	10
(Don’t know)	11

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THIS COMPLETES OUR SURVEY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME,= AND HAVE A PLEASANT (DAY/EVENING).