Poll on school reforms reveals

two-thirds of Philadelphia parents want

principals to be able to hire teachers

PHILADELPHIA, September 28 – Results from a new poll of Philadelphia public school parents show that most parents believe the quality of education at their school could be improved if principals were given the authority to hire teachers.  

The survey conducted by Franklin and Marshall College's Center for Opinion Research for the Pennsylvania Economy League and the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition was taken June 28 - August 1, 2004, when contract issues between the School District of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers were talked about behind closed doors.   Since then, the issue of who gets to decide where teachers should teach has been fiercely and publicly debated.  

The telephone survey asked parents to tell how much they thought various school reforms could improve the quality of education at their school.   Poll results reveal that parents support the same school reforms championed by the School Reform Commission, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and the School District of Philadelphia, including smaller class size, improved teacher training and additional resources.   More than 70 percent of parents want to give principals more authority to manage schools and hire teachers.

"It's no surprise that additional resources, smaller class size and improved teacher training were ranked high by Philadelphia public school parents," said Sharmain Matlock-Turner, president of the Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition.   "These are issues that are commonly talked about by policy makers and parents alike.   They are also the more traditional approaches to education reform.   What surprised us is that 70 percent or more of all parents agreed with the longer list of reforms we presented:   giving principals more authority to manage schools, hire and fire teachers, and be able to relate teacher pay to teacher performance."

Commenting further, David Thornburgh, executive director of the Pennsylvania Economy League and a member of GPUAC's board of directors and Education, Children and Youth Committee had this to say:   "Given that 40% of Philadelphia high school students currently do not graduate, it would seem substantial quality improvements are indeed necessary to turn the tide.   In the corporate community, it is standard procedure for executives to select the most competent staff from the available workforce and be given the authority to manage their own enterprises. Clearly Philadelphia parents support the idea that principals should have the same authority."

Philadelphia Public School Parents Attitudes Toward Specific School Reform Measures

Q20        Please tell me how much you think each of the following school reforms could IMPROVE the QUALITY of EDUCATION at [fill name] school.   First, how much you think [fill] could improve the quality of education at [fill name] school?   Would you say.a great deal, somewhat, not much, or not at all?

Issues in chart listed in order presented to parents. Sample error is plus or minus 4.5%.

The survey was directed by Berwood Yost, director, Center for Opinion Research, Floyd Institute for Public Policy, Franklin and Marshall College.   It used random sampling techniques to select households and parents within each household to interview.   An eligible household was any that contained at least one school-aged child.   A total of 304 Philadelphia public school parents were polled.   Demographics of the public school parents surveyed:   39% single, never married; 38% married; 82% female; 68% Black or African American, 12% Hispanic or Latino, 20% White; 1% Asian; 58% work full-time; 44% with incomes at or below $30,000 per year.  

The survey of parents' perceptions on school reform issues is part of a larger poll of 481 Philadelphia public and non-public school parents conducted by Franklin and Marshall College's Center for Opinion Research.   Analysis is continuing. Question #20, about school reform, is released now to present the views of parents at a time when "teacher assignment" has emerged as one of the most hotly contested teacher contract issues.   The current contract is set to expire  September 30, 2004.

Additional poll results, including the views of Philadelphia public and private school parents on parental involvement, will be released over the next two months.  

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The Pennsylvania Economy League (PEL) is an independent, nonprofit public policy research organization. PEL is a force for positive change -- the state's leading regionally based, statewide public policy organization. Working with Pennsylvania's public and private sectors, PEL provides independent research and insight on emerging issues to stimulate public and private action to make Pennsylvania a better place to live, work, and do business. PEL's goal is to create a knowledgeable corporate and civic audience that will ensure the Commonwealth's economic competitiveness.

The Greater Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition (GPUAC) brings together business and community leaders to solve urban problems, operates programs, and supports an array of government and private sector-sponsored initiatives to help the disadvantaged and working poor of the Metropolitan Philadelphia region.   Program areas: Economic and Business Development; Workforce Development; Health; Neighborhood and Community Services; and Education. For more information visit www.gpuac.org

GPUAC's Education Children and Youth Committee (ECY) is a public policy committee that brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to improve the quality of education in the City of Philadelphia.   Activities include public education and advocacy related to charter schools, school readiness and parental engagement.