Wisconsin Educational Policy Analyst Asserts State’s Failure in Race to the Top Predictable, Avoidable

[Madison Wisc..] Wisconsin’s failure in the Educational Race to the Top is tied to policy makers’ reluctance to buck the will of the powerful Wisconsin teachers’ union.

Christian D’Andrea, an educational policy analyst with the John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy in Madison, says the state doomed its application when it failed create a strong tie between teacher compensation and student performance, a position long-opposed by the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

“Many of the proposed changes lagged behind the Race to the Top standards,” said D’Andrea. “Wisconsin’s reluctance in adopting more strenuous and nationally-recognized student testing likely dropped the state in the rankings, that and their reluctance to adopt a centralized longitudinal data system to track both students and teachers meant Wisconsin’s failed to measure up to competitors.”

D’Andrea said the staggering achievement gap between student groups was also likely a key player in this year’s failure, as the lack of educational progress between students was no doubt a troubling figure for the application’s reviewers.

“The bottom line is other states are pursuing a vigorous reform agenda that includes tying teacher compensation and discipline to student performance and Wisconsin policy makers would not be that bold,” said D’Andrea. “WEAC successfully fought off attempts at more sweeping reforms aimed at increasing teacher accountability, and Wisconsin lost out on these one-time funds.”

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WUWM ran a four minute feature on our Educational Choice Census.

You can listen to it here.

New figures suggest that over 75 percent of Milwaukee’s K-12 population attend a school  other than their traditional public neighborhood school, according to the MacIver Institute’s Educational Choice Census.

Thanks to the expanding presence of school options, including the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, charter schools, homeschooling, and magnet/specialty schools, over 87,000 of the city’s students are able to choose an educational option that fits them best. This number far exceeds the Wisconsin’s average, which sees approximately 25% of students taking advantage of public or private school choice programs.

Total K-12 population in City of Milwaukee 115,022

Milwaukee 2009 Enrollment	Total Students	% of Total Student Population
Traditional Public Schools	27,831	24.20%
Public Charter Schools	17,612	15.31%
Public Online Charter (Virtual) Schools	977	0.85%
Open Enrollment public school transfers	4,562	3.97%
Chapter 220 public school transfers
-Interdistrict Transfers	2,720	2.36%
-Intradistrict Transfers	24,796	21.56%
Three-Choice Enrollment*	6,883	5.98%
Private Schools	28,893	25.12%
Homeschooling	748	0.65%
Students Exercising Choice	87,191	75.80%
*Estimate based on MPS reporting of students attending neighborhood schools (District Communications Plan May 2008 – Revised 11.25.09)

More than 25% of Milwaukee’s K-12 students are able to take advantage of more traditional school choice programs, including private schools and homeschooling. Many of these private school students (19,414) were aided by the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, which provides vouchers to low-income families to attend private institutions.

Approximately 15.5% of the city’s students take advantage of emerging public-based choice mechanisms, which include charter schools, open enrollment, online charter (virtual) schools, and Chapter 220 inter-district transfers. These students still attend publicly run schools, but use options laid out for them to choose the state-funded institution which fits them the best – whether that school is a charter school in their district, a public school in another county, or even online classes.

Rounding out the total are a group of students who use choice to remain in publicly branded schools in Milwaukee with alternative curricula or structuring, as well as students attending city schools outside of their own geographic areas. Over 20% of the city’s student population participates in Chapter 220 intra-district transfers to shape the paths of their education. This includes magnet and specialty schools, as well as merged attendance area (school pairing) programs.

This number has expanded significantly in recent years as Chapter 220 regulations expanded transfer options in 1995. This change included students attending schools that serve an entire district, increasing the scope of choice students through the addition of more eligible institutions. As a result, many students who would not be thought of as traditional users of school choice programs are included in the census due to their use of intra-district transfer aid and the flow of funding between schools. This accounts for nearly 25,000 MPS students.

Finally, Three Choice Enrollment allows families in Milwaukee to choose the public school that they want their children to attend. Parents are given the opportunity to list their three top institutional choices, and students are placed in schools according to classroom availability. Over 99 percent of participants are selected to attend their preferred schools – which plays a major role in why only 24.2 percent of the city’s elementary students attend their local public schools.

The results showcase the overwhelming presence of options in the city that pioneered modern school choice. More than three out of every four of Milwaukee’s school children chooses every day to attend schools outside of their traditional geographically assigned public classroom. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee has shown that it is the leader in school choice and educational options, regardless of whether they are public or private.

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In the state that pioneered the voucher movement with the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program in 1990, more than 25 percent of Wisconsin’s K-12 students now exercise some form of school choice every day. Our first Educational Choice Census indicates that over 220,000 primary and secondary school students learn in locations other than their traditional local public school. Though Wisconsin is nationally recognized for the Milwaukee program, public and private choice options are prevalent across the state –as well as in its largest city.

The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy’s first edition of their Wisconsin Educational Choice Census documents student populations between traditional and emerging forms of school choice such as private schools, homeschooling, charter schools, and virtual schools. Student counts across these categories were compared against regular public school enrollment as well as prevalent forms of choice within the public school system, including Chapter 220 student transfers, state and city run charter schools, and the public school open enrollment program. The result was an account of more than one million K-12 students, which provides a testament to Wisconsinites’ ongoing commitment to finding the right schools for their children.

The MacIver Educational Choice Census found that many families use different options to choose the path of education that best fits their children. For approximately 130,000 of Wisconsin’s K-12 pupils (12.78%), that choice led them to a private school. Though private schools were the number one alternative to mandated public schools, it was not the only option that housed a significant portion of the state’s student body. Charter schools (3.66% of the overall pupil population), open enrollment and Chapter 220 public school transfers (3.35%), and homeschooling (1.88%) have all emerged as strong options for Wisconsin’s young students.

Total Wisconsin K-12 Population 1,023,655
	Number of Students	% of Population
Traditional Public Schools	763,300	74.57
Students Exercising Choice	260,355	25.43
Including those in Private Schools	130,800	12.78
and Home-schooled children	19,269	1.88

Though public schooling made up the bulk of Wisconsin’s K-12 population in 2009 (85 percent overall), the families of many of these pupils were still able to exercise choice.  More than 110,000 students – over eight percent of the entire public school body –attended public schools other than their traditional, geographically-assigned, local public school.

Public Charter Schools	37,432	3.66%
-Open Enrollment transfers	28,025	2.74%
-Online Public Charter (Virtual) Schools	3,635	0.36%
-Chapter 220 transfers	34,311	3.35

Over an eight year span, the state’s choice student population,(excluding intra-district transfers and 3-choice public school enrollment) has increased by nearly three percent thanks to modest expansions in charter school legislation and the continued commitment of Wisconsin parents to find the best educational fit for their children. The addition of public online charter schools, which serve over 3,600 students, as well as the increased presence of traditional charter schools across the state, have given families even more educational options; and parents have responded by taking advantage of these programs. Though the state’s overall student population has fallen in the past eight years, the population of students using school choice programs – whether through public or private institutions –has grown.

2009-2010 Total Wisconsin K-12 Population 1,026,606

Wisconsin 2009 Enrollment	Total Students	% of overall student population
Traditional Public Schools	7763,300	74.57%
Charter Schools	37,432	3.66%
Public Online Charter (Virtual) Schools	3,635	0.36%
Open Enrollment public school transfers*	28,025	2.74%
Chapter 220 public school transfers
-Interdistrict transfers-	3,111	0.30%
Intradistrict transfers	31,200	3.05%
Three-Choice Enrollment*	6,883	0.67%
Private Schools	130,800	12.78%
Homeschooling	19,269	1.88%
Students Exercising Choice	260,355	25.43%
Total Students:	1,023,655	100%
*Estimate based on MPS reporting of students attending neighborhood schools (District Communications Plan May 2008 – Revised 11.25.09)

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2000-2001 Total Wisconsin K-12 Population 1,048,194

	Number of Students	% of Population
Traditional Public Schools	856,739	81.73
Students Exercising Choice	191,455	18.27
-Public Charter Schools	10,070	0.96
-Open Enrollment transfers	7,213	0.69
-Online Public Charter (Virtual) Schools	0	0.00
-Chapter 220 transfers	5,454	0.52
-Private Schools	148,336	14.15
-Homeschooling	20,382	1.94

Thanks to open enrollment policies, inter-district transfers, and the growth of charter and virtual schools, schooling options are no longer just between public and non-public entities.

Milwaukee

The MacIver Educational Choice Census indicates that more than 75 percent of Milwaukee’s K-12 population attend a school  other than their traditional public neighborhood school

Thanks to the expanding presence of school options, including the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, charter schools, homeschooling, and magnet/specialty schools, over 87,000 of the city’s students are able to choose an educational option that fits them best. This number far exceeds the Wisconsin’s average, which sees approximately 25% of students taking advantage of public or private school choice programs.

Total K-12 population in City of Milwaukee 115,022

Milwaukee 2009 Enrollment	Total Students	% of Total Student Population
Traditional Public Schools	27,831	24.20%
Public Charter Schools	17,612	15.31%
Public Online Charter (Virtual) Schools	977	0.85%
Open Enrollment public school transfers	4,562	3.97%
Chapter 220 public school transfers
-Interdistrict Transfers	2,720	2.36%
-Intradistrict Transfers	24,796	21.56%
Three-Choice Enrollment*	6,883	5.98%
Private Schools	28,893	25.12%
Homeschooling	748	0.65%
Students Exercising Choice	87,191	75.80%
*Estimate based on MPS reporting of students attending neighborhood schools (District Communications Plan May 2008 – Revised 11.25.09)

More than 25% of Milwaukee’s K-12 students are able to take advantage of more traditional school choice programs, including private schools and homeschooling. Many of these private school students (19,414) were aided by the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, which provides vouchers to low-income families to attend private institutions.

Approximately 15.5% of the city’s students take advantage of emerging public-based choice mechanisms, which include charter schools, open enrollment, online charter (virtual) schools, and Chapter 220 inter-district transfers. These students still attend publicly run schools, but use options laid out for them to choose the state-funded institution which fits them the best – whether that school is a charter school in their district, a public school in another county, or even online classes.

Rounding out the total are a group of students who use choice to remain in publicly branded schools in Milwaukee with alternative curricula or structuring, as well as students attending city schools outside of their own geographic areas. Over 20% of the city’s student population participates in Chapter 220 intra-district transfers to shape the paths of their education. This includes magnet and specialty schools, as well as merged attendance area (school pairing) programs.

This number has expanded significantly in recent years as Chapter 220 regulations expanded transfer options in 1995. This change included students attending schools that serve an entire district, increasing the scope of choice students through the addition of more eligible institutions. As a result, many students who would not be thought of as traditional users of school choice programs are included in the census due to their use of intra-district transfer aid and the flow of funding between schools. This accounts for nearly 25,000 MPS students.

Finally, Three Choice Enrollment allows families in Milwaukee to choose the public school that they want their children to attend. Parents are given the opportunity to list their three top institutional choices, and students are placed in schools according to classroom availability. Over 99 percent of participants are selected to attend their preferred schools – which plays a major role in why only 24.2 percent of the city’s elementary students attend their local public schools.

The results showcase the overwhelming presence of options in the city that pioneered modern school choice. More than three out of every four of Milwaukee’s school children chooses every day to attend schools outside of their traditional geographically assigned public classroom. In Wisconsin, Milwaukee has shown that it is the leader in school choice and educational options, regardless of whether they are public or private.

Conclusion

Beyond Milwaukee’s often-discussed school choice program, more and more parents and families are making it clear that educational options are a priority in Wisconsin. Though 21 percent is a significant share of the total student population, it is likely that this share will grow as blossoming programs such as charter schools and open enrollment continue to expand and add more legitimate options for families across the state.  The MacIver Institute is dedicated to tracking this growth annually with the publishing of their Wisconsin Educational Choice Census each summer.

The MacIver Educational Choice Census demonstrates that Wisconsin families want and expect high-quality options – public, private, virtual or charter – no matter where they live. Rather than limit a student’s opportunity to achieve a brighter future with restrictive enrollment caps or arbitrary geographic borders, policymakers should look for ways to promote more freedom and more educational choice across more of the state.

As the MacIver Educational Choice Census indicates, educational choice is increasingly becoming an important part of the Wisconsin way of life.

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The MacIver Educational Choice Census was compiled by Education Policy Analyst Christian D’Andrea using figures provided by the State Department of Public Instruction, the Wisconsin Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the Milwaukee Public Schools, the Wisconsin Coalition of Virtual School Families and EdReform.com. Updated 7.19.09

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Setting the rhetoric aside, The MacIver Institute has put together a summary of the legislation, point by point.   

SECTION 1 (page 1, line 8 ) – Straightforward provision prohibiting tenure for principals.  “No principal or assistant principal may be granted tenure.”  

SECTION 2 (starts on page 2, line 1) -  Deals with low performing school districts and tools the local school board would use to fix the situation.

    1) If the State Superintendent determines a school district is in need of improvement for 4 consecutive years, the SCHOOL BOARD shall:

            A) Employ a standard curriculum that is aligned with   the state’s model academic standards.

            B) Use academic performance data to “differentiate   instruction to meet individual needs.”

            C) Implement a system of supports and strategies to   improve reading and mathematics instruction and   promote positive behavior.

            D) Provide additional learning time for students who   are struggling.

      2) If State Superintendent determines (page 2, line 19) that  a public school was in the lowest performing 5 percent of all  public schools in the state in the previous school year and is  located in a district in need of improvement for 4 years, the  SCHOOL BOARD shall:

            A) Use rigorous and equitable  performance evaluation   systems for teachers and principals (page 2, line 23)   including:

                  i) Annual performance evaluations including    improvement in pupil academic achievement and    observation-based performance assessments.     Improvement in pupil academic achievement is    “based on at least 2 measures.”
                  ii) A method of identifying mitigating factors, such    as mobility, large class size, insufficient    preparation time, insufficient paraprofessional    support, insufficient professional development and    insufficient resources that could affect a teacher’s  or principal’s performance.

            B) Adopt a policy establishing criteria for evaluating   whether the distribution of teachers and principals is equitable                   (page 3, line 10).   If the SCHOOL BOARD   determines the distribution is inequitable, the SCHOOL   BOARD shall:

                  i) Perform a comprehensive review of current    policies and constraints that prevent    low-performing schools from getting the best    teachers.

                  ii) Provide additional support to teachers and    principals for courses related to their professional    duties.

            C) Establish teacher and principal improvement   programs that include all of the following (page 3, line   24):

                  i) Supplemental mentoring for those w/    emergency licenses.

                  ii) Opportunities to pursue other professional certifications.

                  iii) 60 hours of professional development each  year.

                  iv) A joint labor-management program designed    to objectively identify teachers and principals who    continue to demonstrate serious performance    deficiencies after opportunities for improvement,    including weekly observation, mentoring, ongoing    conferences, modeling, and professional    development…(page 4, line 7).

            D) Adopt placement criteria for principals that include   performance evaluations and measures of pupil   academic achievement.

      3) If state superintendent (page 4, line 15) determines that  a school district has been in need of improvement for 4  years, the STATE SUPERINTENDENT MAY direct the school  board to do one or more of the following after consulting  with the board, the school district superintendent and each  collective bargaining unit:

            A) Implement or modify activities described above in   section 1, A-D.

            B) Implement (page 4, line 22) a new instructional   design, which may include expanded hours or   additional supports and services.

            C) Implement professional development programs that   focus on improving pupil academic achievement.

            D) Implement changes in administrative and personnel   structures that are consistent with applicable collective   bargaining agreements.

            E) Adopt accountability measures to monitor the school   district’s finances or “other interventions.”

      4) If the superintendent (page 5, line 6) determines that a  school is located within a district in need of improvement for  4 years and the school itself is in need of improvement for 5  years or among lowest performing 5 percent of schools in  the state, the SUPERINTENDENT MAY direct the school board  to do the following after consulting with the board, local  superintendent, and the collective bargaining units:

            A) Implement a new instructional design, including   expanded hours or additional pupil supports and   services.

            B) Create a school improvement council to make   recommendations to improve the school. 
 

      5) If the State Superintendent issues a directive under 3) or  4), the Superintendent shall:

            A) Notify the education committees and legislators   impacted.

            B) Provide a system of support to the school board   (page 6, line 1).

            C) If the school board receives a directive, the local   school board shall seek input from everyone.

      6) The state superintendent (page 6, line 6) shall  promulgate rules establishing criteria and procedures for  determining whether a school or school district is in need of  improvement and whether a school is among the lowest  performing 5 percent of all public schools in the state. 

      7) Nothing in this section alters or otherwise affects the  rights or remedies afforded school districts and school  district employees under federal or state law or any  applicable collective bargaining agreement.

SECTION 3 (page 6, line 13) – various statutory references.

SECTION 4 (page 7, line 1) – various new requirements of the MPS School Board.

      1) Master Facilities Plan – by July 1, 2011, evaluate all  buildings and develop master plan.

      2) School Board shall prepare a budget for each school

      3) School Board shall collaborate with nonprofit  organizations and government to provide pupils with social  services and educational support.

      4) School Board shall provide alternative methods for  graduating.

      5) If School Board determines money is available, the Board  shall participate in a educational research consortium.

      6) School Board shall conduct a parent survey annually  (page 8, line 5).

SECTION 5 (page 8, line 10) Any MPS school may apply to set up a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pilot program for K – 5 if money is available.

SECTION 6 - If State Superintendent withholds state aid, school board my request a hearing.

SECTION 7 - “Comply with a directive issued by the state superintendent  under s. 118.42(3)(a) or (b).”

SECTION 8 -  Non-statutory provisions – In promulgating the rules required, the State superintendent shall consult with everyone impacted by this law.

SECTION 9 - Initial applicability – “The treatment of section 118.24(10) of the statutes first applies to contracts entered into, modified, or renewed on the effective of this subsection.

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“Wisconsin has long prided itself on being a progressive state; however, in K-12 education Wisconsin needs much more progress,” said Matthew Ladner, the report’s author. “Florida’s decade of education reform demonstrates just how much progress could be achieved.”

On Wednesday, the Wisconsin-based free market, pro-liberty think tank, issued a report authored by the Goldwater Institute’s Ladner, which compared Wisconsin and Florida’s position on three key issues: Academic Standards, Alternative Certification and School Choice.

Wisconsin lags the sunshine state in all three areas.

“Florida students are improving academically at a significantly higher rate than Wisconsin students,” the report concludes. “In addition, children from minority populations are making the greatest improvements, demonstrating that Florida is making progress in the reduction of the achievement gap.  The aggressive education reforms implemented by Florida policymakers over the past decade appear to be having a positive impact.”

The gap between the achievement of minority students in Wisconsin and their counterparts is among the widest in the nation. To close the achievement gap, the MacIver Report suggests Wisconsin follow Florida’s lead in three areas:

• On School Choice, the comparison between Florida and Wisconsin actually involves what Florida did right, rather than what Wisconsin did wrong. Both states have pursued expanded parental choice options, but Florida has simply done more.
• Alternative certification opens whole new pools of talent for entry into the profession. When judging the racial and ethnic composition of the teaching workforce compared to that of their population over the age of 21, Florida, which has embraced genuine alternative certification for teachers, has one of the most racially integrated public school teaching forces in the nation. By contrast, Wisconsin schools have only half the number of minority teachers as there are minority adults, aged 21 and older, in the population.
• The report finds the largest gap comes when comparing the states’ academic standards. In fact, Wisconsin’s accountability standards are embarrassingly far off from Florida’s; with what might be the most lax academic standards in the country.

“When we commissioned this report, we had hoped to find results that would spur debate and lead to real efforts to improve education in Wisconsin,” said MacIver President Brett Healy. “It is clear that policymakers from Wisconsin and across the country should study Florida’s model and implement similar systemic reforms.”

The John K. MacIver Institute for Public Policy is a Wisconsin-based think tank that believes in free markets, individual freedom and responsible government.

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Find the paper here: MacIver Report Wisc./Fla.

“High School dropouts dramatically impact Wisconsin’s finances,” said the study’s author, Emily House. “Each student who fails to graduate from high school produces direct costs to taxpayers through lower tax revenues and greater social costs.”

The report finds that dropouts cost the state of Wisconsin $121 million in tax revenue each year due to lower wages. Because the average dropout earns approximately $10,000 less per year than a high school graduate, the report estimates that if all the high school dropouts did graduate from high school, earnings in Wisconsin would increase by almost $4.5 billion.

“This increase in earnings could be reinvested in the Wisconsin economy, resulting in job and wage growth, as well as increased productivity and revenue from taxation,” said House.

In addition, because high school dropouts are much more likely to rely on public programs such as Medicaid, social costs are increased. Approximately 40-percent of high school dropouts receive Medicaid benefits, as opposed to about 15% of high school graduates. The difference, according to the study, is an extra $120 million each year.

Higher incarceration rates also put an added financial burden on taxpayers. Because dropouts are statistically much more likely to be incarcerated than high school graduates, the study estimates that there would be 5000 fewer inmates if Wisconsin’s graduation rate was 100 percent. Such a drop in the inmate population would save an additional $154 million in incarceration costs each year.

“While most people understand the personal consequences of dropping out of school, less emphasis has been placed on the public cost of decreasing graduation rates,” said MacIver Institute President Brett Healy. “Our hope is that once people understand the tangible costs on each taxpayer, efforts at reform can move forward.”

The author of the report, Emily House, is a Fellow with the Friedman Foundation for Education Choice, a non-profit organization established in 1996 and founded upon the ideals of Nobel Laureate economist Milton Friedman and economist Rose Friedman

The MacIver Institute is named after John K. MacIver, who was a sterling example of the public spirited citizen. The MacIver Institute is a 501 c3 charitable foundation. For more information on this research report – or to view the entire report – please click the link below.

Drop Out Study PDF

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“Wisconsinites of every political stripe are united in their belief that less spending is the best way to cut the deficit,” said pollster Gene Ulm.  “They oppose by a more than three to one margin the Governor’s plan to increase spending by eight percent in the next state budget. The people of Wisconsin believe state government should follow their lead and cut back in these tight times.”

According to Ulm, 83% of the people polled believe the best way to cut the deficit is to cut spending. Only 15% believe the state should focus on raising taxes to help balance the budget. In addition, 75% of the people polled oppose the Governor’s plan to increase the state budget by nearly eight percent, while only 22% thought that was a good idea. The MacIver poll of 500 likely voters in Wisconsin was conducted late last month by Public Opinion Strategies, one of the nation’s largest and most respected political and public issue survey firms.  The poll has a margin of error of +/- 4.38%.

Voters oppose most of Doyle’s tax increases

The MacIver Poll respondents were overwhelming in their belief that Governor Doyle’s budget is going about solving the budget crisis in the wrong way.

•    78% of the respondents say they oppose the budget plan, which raises taxes by more than two billion dollars.
•    73% oppose the budget plan to increase Wisconsin’s current tax on businesses and other employers.
•    70% oppose the Governor’s plan to allow local governments to raise property tax levies by 3% rather than 2%.
•    61% oppose the Governor’s budget proposal to raise the capital gains tax by $180 million.

However, voters are willing to support tax increases they feel they are unlikely to pay.

•    53% support extending the sales tax to purchases of Wisconsin products by out-of-state buyers
•    62% support the Governor’s plan to raise income taxes on individuals making more than $225,000 and couples earning more than $300,000.
•    65% endorse the Governor’s proposed increase in the cigarette tax from $1.77 to $2.52 per pack.

“As a general rule, voters don’t like taxes they think they will have to pay,” said Ulm. “But if they think someone else will be stuck covering the costs, then voters may be more willing to accept the tax increase.”

Residents want the state to hold the line on spending

The survey also strongly indicates that residents want state government to curb its spending.

•    74% of residents oppose the Governor’s plan to add 946 positions to state government over the next two years.
•    64% oppose the Governor’s proposal to extend taxpayer funded health care benefits to unmarried partners of state and university employees.
•    51% oppose the Governor’s plan to lift the 3.8% cap on increases in teachers’ salaries and benefits.

The poll is much less clear-cut on whom or what to blame for the current deficit. According to the study, 35% of residents blame the state’s budget woes on the downturn in Wisconsin’s job and economic situation. 19% of the respondents blame Governor Doyle for the budget shortfall, while 15% blame the state legislature as a whole.  12% blame only the Democrats in the legislature, while 9% say the Republicans in the legislature are to blame.

The study was commissioned by The MacIver Institute for Public Policy.  The MacIver Institute is a free market think tank using a fresh and innovative approach to advance the idea that individual freedom, limited government, and personal responsibility are the best principles for the development of effective public policies in Wisconsin.

Link to PowerPoint Presentation

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“The economy is the only issue right now,” said Gene Ulm a partner with Public Opinion Strategies, the firm that conducted the study for the MacIver Institute.  “People are worried about their money, they’re worried about their job, and they’re not sure when things are going to get better.”

When asked “what is the single most important problem” facing them and their families, 64% of state residents said the economy – far more than any other issue.  15% of residents said their top concern was health care while 6% said taxes.  Even fewer residents chose crime, education, state and local government or the environment as the most important problem.  The portion of residents listing the economy as their top concern has risen 17 percentage points since a similar survey was conducted in May of 2008.

Most say state and nation are on the wrong track

“People are upset; they’re angry; they think things have gotten seriously off track” said Ulm.  “The overall mood remains sour.”  Indeed, 65% of those surveyed say things in this country “have gotten off on the wrong track.”   An almost equal number – 64% – say things in Wisconsin are on the “wrong track.”  Just 28% of state residents think the country is going in the right direction while 29% believe the state is headed in the right direction.

That negativity carries over into their outlook for the future. Only 37% of the respondents feel the economy will be better one year from now. 43% feel things will be about the same, and 17% think the economic situation will be even worse in 12-months.

The survey of 500 likely voters in Wisconsin was conducted in late February, and has a margin of error of +/- 4.38%.

Stimulus was too big but Wisconsinites hopeful it will work

Voters aren’t quite sure what to make of the Federal Stimulus plan.  A slim majority believe the package will help, but nearly the same percentage of respondents believe the package spends too much money. 53% of likely voters say the federal plan costs too much.  31% say the cost is just about right.

At the same time, 52% of those surveyed believe the stimulus plan will help.  25% believe it will make things worse, and 19% say the plan will have little or no impact on the current crisis.  Breaking down the numbers, Democrats are more likely to feel the stimulus plan will help the economy, and Republicans are more likely to believe the plan will make things worse.

Ulm’s firm is one of the nation’s largest political and public issue survey firms. They were commissioned by the MacIver Institute to conduct the survey.

Link to PowerPoint Presentation

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