Minnesotans have long recognized the value of a strong public school system. But they are growing concerned that lack of financial support for public schools is jeopardizing school quality.

In a 2006 public opinion poll ¹, a majority of Minnesotans gave our state's educators high approval ratings - but they said school funding needs to be increased. And they supported holding elected officials accountable for maintaining the quality of public schools.

Minnesotans are particularly unhappy about large class sizes. While nearly all survey respondents said small classes that allow individual attention are important to school quality, six out of 10 said public schools are doing a poor job in the area of class size.

Educator quality

• Eight out of 10 Minnesotans hold a high opinion of public school teachers in general, and they approve of local teachers' job performance by the same margin.

Funding

• Sixty-two percent say state spending for public schools should be increased.
• Just 29 percent believe schools currently have enough money "to do things right."
• Two-thirds agree that Minnesota should make investing in education a top priority, even if it means raising taxes to keep our schoools among the best in the nation.

Accountability

• Nine out of 10 say holding elected officials more accountable for their decisions on education is an effective way to improve public schools.

The survey results echo many comments at listening sessions that took place throughout Minnesota in 2005. Read what participants said in Rochester, Duluth, Hibbing, Brainerd, Moorhead, Alexandria, Minneapolis, Burnsville, Maple Grove, Bemidji, St. Cloud,  Mankato, Willmar, East Grand Forks and Worthington.

¹ Cooper & Secrest Associates research for Education Minnesota, November 2006