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Purpose of Study. Test the community’s understanding of and support for a school bond referendum that would raise the funds needed to address the District’s facilities needs. Explore community reaction to the options available to the District to address its facilities needs.
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Purpose of Study • Test the community’s understanding of and support for a school bond referendum that would raise the funds needed to address the District’s facilities needs. • Explore community reaction to the options available to the District to address its facilities needs. • Determine an acceptable tax rate. • Assess the community’s perception of the overall quality of the District and its financial management.
Survey Basics • This survey involved 257 random-sample telephone interviews with registered voters in the Stewartville Public School District. • All interviews were completed between January 8 and January 17, 2014. • The overall margin of error for the results of this survey is +/- 5.95%*. • The interviews were controlled to approximate the demographics of registered voters living within the communities served by the district. * Margin of error calculated using the American Research Group’s web-based calculator.
The Uninformed Base of Support “The District may place a school bond referendum on the ballot in the future to raise the funds needed to expand schools in the district and/or to allow the District to consider building a new school. “Would you favor such a proposal?”
Presenting Information “I am going to read some statements about the potential bond referendum the district is considering. Please tell me whether the information in each statement would make you more likely or less likely to vote for such a proposal.”
The Impact of Information “Now that you have heard some information about the potential bond referendum the district may place on the ballot, I want to see if this information has changed your opinion. “Would you favor or oppose a school bond referendum that would raise the funds needed to maintain and expand schools in the district and to allow the District to consider building a new school?”
The Impact of Cost “I am going to ask you three questions about the cost of the school bond referendum the district is considering. These costs will be read to you in a random order. For each, tell me if knowing the cost of the bond would make you favor or oppose such a proposal. “Property taxes would be increased by $75 per year for a home with a market value of $150,000.”
If an Extension “Let me add one more fact. A local voter approved bond referendum will expire over the next two years. Therefore the District could ask voters to approve a property tax proposal that would not increase tax rates but would extend the length of the current bond referendum to address facilities needs. “Would you favor or oppose such a proposal?”
Overall Preferences “There are a number of ways the District can address its need for additional classroom space. I am going to read you a brief description of some of the options the District is considering.” “Please tell me which one you prefer.”
Rate the District “Do you believe the overall quality of the Stewartville Public Schools to be excellent, above average, average, below average or poor?”
Basis of Grade “Is your response to the last question based mainly on:”
Informed “Do you believe the Stewartville Public Schools have done an excellent, above average, average, below average or poor job: Keeping the public informed about District plans?”
Facilities “Do you believe the condition of the District’s classrooms, school buildings and other school facilities is excellent, above average, average, below average or poor?”
Technology “Do you believe the Stewartville Public Schools have done an excellent, above average, average, below average or poor job: integrating technology into the learning and teaching process?”
Safety “Do you believe the Stewartville Public Schools have done an excellent, above average, average, below average or poor job: taking appropriate measures to help ensure the safety and security of students, teachers and staff?”
Spend Wisely “Consider the financial management of the Stewartville Public Schools. In five of the last five years, the Stewartville Public School District has been recognized and awarded the School Finance Award by the Minnesota Department of Education. Do you believe the Stewartville Public Schools have done an excellent, above average, average, below average or poor job: spending tax dollars wisely?”
Best Thing “Describe briefly what you believe to be the best thing about the Stewartville Public Schools.”
Thing of Change “Assume that you could change one thing about the Stewartville Public Schools. Please briefly describe what you would change.”
Communication Tools “The Stewartville School District provides many new types of technology-based communication tools to local residents. “Which of the following have you used in the past year?”
Past Support “Last November the District asked voters to renew a school levy. It had a similar levy renewal proposal on the ballot in 2011. “Which of the following best describes how you voted on those levy proposals.”
Conclusions and Recommendations • There is strong support for a school bond referendum among District voters. • Before information about the need for a bond was presented 65.9% said they would favor such a proposal with 16.3% opposed and 17.9% undecided. • Information increases support to 73.0% with 13.5% opposed and 13.5% undecided. • All four of the statements presented to voters made more than 70% more likely to support a bond referendum. • Q14: As enrollment has increased both Bonner Elementary School and Central Intermediate School have become seriously overcrowded (82.1% more likely). • Q13: Enrollment in the district has increased steadily over the last few years and is projected to continue to grow in the future, increasing the need for classroom space (79.0% more likely). • Q16: The District’s buildings are aging. Bond funds will be used to address similar long term maintenance problems at all of the District’s schools (74.2% more likely). • Q16: The District has received the Minnesota Department of Education’s School Finance Award for five years in a row for its ability to manage tax dollars wisely (72.1% more likely).
Conclusions and Recommendations • To win majority support the cost of the bond referendum should be set at or below $100 per year for a home with a market value of $150,000. • 56.5% said they would favor an annual cost of $100 per $150,000. Given the margin of error for this study this response represents a narrow win or loss. Among Active Voters (who make up 27.1% of the electorate) only 51.6% favor this cost. Based on the level of support among the most active voters (and largest group of voters within the District), we recommend that any tax increase associated with a ballot proposal be kept under $100 per $150,000. • If the proposal placed on the ballot only extended the length of the current bond referendum, support increases to 81.7% with 10.0% opposed and 7.9% undecided. • There is no clear consensus among local voters concerning how the District should address the need for classroom space. • 29.1% would prefer the District “use bond funds to build a new school on a new site and close Central Intermediate.” • 28.1% would prefer the District “use bond funds to renovate and expand Bonner Elementary.” • 25.0% would prefer the District “Use bond funds to build a new school on a new site and renovate and re-purpose Central Intermediate.”
Conclusions and Recommendations • The perception of the District is very positive. • 72.3% rate the overall quality of the schools as excellent or above average. • 57.2% believe the District does an excellent or above average job keeping the public informed. • 47.4% believe the condition of District facilities is excellent or above average. • 62.4% believe the District has done an excellent or above average job integrating technology into the learning and teaching process. • 67.8% believe the District has done an excellent or above average job taking appropriate measures to ensure the safety and security of students, teachers and staff. • 68.8% believe the District has done an excellent or above average job spending tax dollars wisely. • 32.1% believe the teachers are the best thing about the Stewartville Public Schools. • When asked what they might change about the District a majority are not focused on one specific thing about the District or say there is nothing to change.
