Summary
Key findings from the current survey:
- More than eight in ten Californians think K-12 students are falling behind academically during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Most Californians approve of Governor Newsom’s handling of the K-12 education system; most also approve of the way he is handling school reopening.
- Most say that the state’s public schools should be at least partially open now, and six in ten are concerned that schools will not be open for full-time in-person instruction this fall.
- Majorities say their local public schools do an excellent or good job of preparing students for college and for the workforce, but four in ten parents would opt for private school if cost and location were not at issue.
The PPIC Statewide Survey delivers nonpartisan, objective, advocacy-free information on the perceptions, opinions, and public policy preferences of California residents. PPIC invites input, comments, and suggestions from policy and public opinion experts and from its own advisory committee, but survey methods, questions, and content are determined solely by the PPIC survey team. The PPIC Statewide Survey relies on a rigorous survey methodology and is a charter member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research Transparency Initiative. The survey is conducted regularly throughout the year in the key areas of government, the environment, K-12 education, and higher education.