Public schools graded C or D by most in poll
By Jennifer Hiller
Advertiser Education Writer
Most Hawai'i residents gave the public school system a grade of C or D in an opinion poll released yesterday.
Only 16.7 percent of respondents overall gave the school system an A or B, but people rated the schools in their communities more favorably. Parents of schoolchildren had a better impression of the schools than the general public did, according to the Hawai'i Opinion Poll on Public Education, released yesterday by the Department of Education.
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Overall, 31 percent of respondents gave an A or B to the schools in their community; 51.8 percent of parents gave an A or B to the school their oldest child attends.
Nationally, people are more positive about their public schools than Hawai'i residents are. In a recent Gallup Poll, 47 percent of people gave A's and B's to the schools in their community.
In Hawai'i, about 38 percent of the public said the education that children receive today is better than the education they received, while 35.4 percent said children today receive a worse education.
Lack of financial support, poor teaching and a lack of commitment or motivation, a lack of supplies, overcrowded classrooms and lack of classroom discipline were seen as the biggest problems facing Hawai'i public schools.
The results were similar to the last public opinion poll in 2001. About the same percentage of the public said Hawai'i schools have improved (23 percent) as those who said the schools have gotten worse (24 percent). Most people felt that there was no change.
The poll was conducted by Ward Research and surveyed 610 Hawai'i residents selected at random. It is the seventh Department of Education survey since 1990 on public perceptions of Hawai'i public schools.
Reach Jennifer Hiller at jhiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8084.
