Voters Weigh In

Insights and Perspectives on Education Funding in Connecticut

By Joseph Thornton

In collaboration with the new CCM Foundation for Youth, CCM commissioned a survey, through Strother Nuckels Strategies, with GreatBlue Research. The survey, completed on January 13th of this year, was conducted of registered voters regarding state residents’ overall assessment of education and education funding in Connecticut.

The poll’s results will assist the newly established CCM Foundation for Youth in its efforts to advocate for a more equitable, sustainable, and student-centered approach to public education. Additionally, the results will provide policymakers as well as education and educational support services with predictive insights, allowing them to assess public sentiment to current initiatives and make adjustments accordingly. Offering a snapshot of societal attitudes, it further helps decision-makers in prioritizing issues, allocating resources, and crafting policies that resonate with the public’s needs.

“The survey offers a fresh perspective regarding Connecticut’s educational system and reveals voters’ views on education and how it impacts Connecticut, not only today, but into the future,” said CCM Executive Director and CEO Joe DeLong. “These results provide valuable insights into public opinion, shaping the narrative around critical issues specific to education and helps appropriately drive critical decision-making processes.”

The polling data provides a clear direction for progress and opportunity. Results will help guide efforts that are aligned with the collective aspirations and values ofsociety, and will further help policymakers create more effective, equitable, and widely accepted policies for shaping educational opportunities for students, parents, educators, support staff and administrators.

Some key study findings are:

• 86% of respondents see property taxes as too high;

• 60% believe the state should provide a larger share of funding to reduce the property tax burden;

• 72% say education funding should be prioritized in the state budget over other spending; • 95% believe education is key to the future of the state and 65% believe all schools should be funded equally;

• 85% believe the state should have a hand in equalizing school funding throughout the state; • 72% believe education funding should be a top priority even if it means cuts elsewhere;

• 82% of voters are more likely to support a candidate who advocates state education funding more equitably;

• 89% believe addressing education inequality is CRUCIAL for Connecticut’s future economic prosperity; and

• 88% express concerns about CT students graduating without basic literacy skills.

Survey results are indispensable for evidence-based policymaking, offering a structured way to incorporate public opinion into governance. These results highlight perceived barriers preventing equitable access to education and offers perspectives that can shape initiatives to overcome them. Further, it is clear, the public supports students in historically underserved communities and believes opportunities that level the playing field and reduce achievement gaps are necessary and attainable.