A recent poll by the Indiana State Teachers Union reveals some interesting results regarding standardized testing and charter schools.

1. Indiana State Teacher’s Association
Indiana Statewide
November 10-13, 2014
600 Registered Voters
1901 L Street, NW Suite 702, Washington, DC 20036 | Tel: 202-621-1411 | Fax: 202-785-5305 gbastrategies.com
Q.1 Generally speaking, do you think that things in Indiana are going in the right direction, or do you feel
things have gotten pretty seriously off on the wrong track?
Total
Right direction.........................................................................50
Wrong track.............................................................................35
(Don't know/refused)................................................................16
Right - Wrong ........................................................................15
(ref:DIRECT2)
Q.2 How would you rate the quality of public schools in Indiana - excellent, good, just fair or poor?
Total
Excellent ..................................................................................5
Good.......................................................................................45
Just fair ...................................................................................37
Poor .........................................................................................9
(Don't know/refused).................................................................4
Excellent/Good.......................................................................50
Just Fair/Poor ........................................................................46
Excellent/Good - Fair/Poor......................................................4
(ref:EDUQUAL)

2. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 2
Q.3 And thinking about the public schools children attend in your neighborhood, how would you rate the
quality of public schools in your neighborhood - excellent, good, just fair or poor?
Total
Excellent .................................................................................26
Good.......................................................................................47
Just fair ...................................................................................17
Poor .........................................................................................7
(Don't know/refused).................................................................4
Excellent/Good.......................................................................73
Just Fair/Poor ........................................................................24
Excellent/Good - Fair/Poor.....................................................49
(ref:LEDUQUAL)
Q.4 And generally speaking, do you think that the public schools in Indiana are getting better, getting
worse, or not changing one way or the other?
Total
Much better ..............................................................................4
Somewhat better ......................................................................26
Somewhat worse......................................................................19
Much worse..............................................................................7
Not changing ...........................................................................37
(Don't know/refused).................................................................7
Total Better............................................................................30
Total Worse............................................................................26
Better - Worse.........................................................................4
(ref:EDUDIR)
Q.5 Do you think the quality of public schools in Indiana is better than most other states, worse than most
other states, or about average?
Total
Better ......................................................................................17
Worse .....................................................................................10
About average..........................................................................61
(Don't know/refused)................................................................12
Better - Worse.........................................................................6
(ref:EDUCOMP)

3. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 3
Q.6 How would you rate the quality of the teachers at public schools in Indiana - excellent, good, not so
good, or poor?
Total
Excellent .................................................................................13
Good.......................................................................................69
Not so good .............................................................................10
Poor .........................................................................................2
(Don't know/refused).................................................................6
Excellent/good........................................................................82
Not so good/poor ....................................................................12
Excellent/good - Not so good/poor ..........................................69
(ref:SCHOSAT2)
Q.7 And how would you rate the quality of the teachers at the public schools children attend in your
neighborhood - excellent, good, not so good, or poor?
Total
Excellent .................................................................................24
Good.......................................................................................60
Not so good ..............................................................................7
Poor .........................................................................................2
(Don't know/refused).................................................................6
Excellent/good........................................................................85
Not so good/poor .....................................................................9
Excellent/good - Not so good/poor ..........................................76
(ref:SCHOSAT3)

4. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 4
Q.8 Thinking about teachers in Indiana public schools, please give me a word or phrase that describes
them.
Total
WORK ETHIC POSITIVE....................................................29
Dedicated/Devoted/Determined/Committed/Enthused ............15
Hardworking ........................................................................9
They try/Willing to try/Best they can......................................5
Engaging/Interactive .............................................................1
POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES.....................................................26
Good/ Doing a very good job.................................................9
Friendly/Nice/Caring.............................................................5
Qualified ..............................................................................2
Excellent/Awesome ..............................................................1
Other positive attributes ........................................................9
SYMPATHETIC ATTRIBUTES ...........................................19
Underpaid/ Not paid enough ..................................................5
Restricted/Overregulated/Challenged/Difficult battle/
Trapped................................................................................5
Overworked/Overwhelmed....................................................4
Need some help/Need help/Struggling....................................4
Unappreciated/Not supported enough.....................................4
NEGATIVE ATTRIBUTES...................................................10
Not caring/Indifferent/Not concerned enough/Lazy/
Complacent/Inattentive..........................................................3
Poor/Lousy/Unqualified/Bad .................................................2
Robots/Teach to test..............................................................1
Other negative attributes........................................................5
NEUTRAL ATTRIBUTES......................................................6
Average/Fair/Decent/Okay ....................................................6
POLITICAL REFERENCES..................................................1
Unionized/Union oriented/Too unionized ...............................1
Too liberal............................................................................0
OTHER...................................................................................6
Other....................................................................................6
DON'T KNOW .......................................................................9
Don't know/Refused/No comment/Suggestion ........................9
(ref:TEACHEROE)
Q.9 Generally speaking, do you think public school teachers in Indiana are paid too little, too much or the
right amount?
Total
Too little .................................................................................60
Too much .................................................................................3
Right amount...........................................................................26
(Don't know/refused)................................................................10
Too little - Too much/Right amount .......................................31
(ref:TEACHPAY)

5. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 5
[300 Respondents]
Q.10 (SPLIT A) What do you think is the biggest problem that public schools in your community face?
Total
Lack of parental involvement....................................................31
Too much focus on standardized testing ....................................25
Cuts to programs like art, music and PE.....................................12
Lack of student discipline .........................................................12
Too many students per class ......................................................9
Difficulty getting good teachers .................................................3
(Don't know/refused).................................................................7
(ref:EDCONC1B)
[300 Respondents]
Q.11 (SPLIT B) What do you think is the biggest problem that public schools in Indiana face?
Total
Lack of parental involvement....................................................25
Too much focus on standardized testing ....................................24
Lack of student discipline .........................................................14
Cuts to programs like art, music and PE.....................................14
Too many students per class .....................................................11
Difficulty getting good teachers .................................................5
(Don't know/refused).................................................................8
(ref:EDCONC2B)
Q.12 Which of the following is closer to your own view on Indiana public schools in the last few years?
Total
Funding for public schools has been increased ...........................13
Funding for public schools has stayed the same..........................22
Funding for public schools has been cut.....................................55
(Don't know/refused).................................................................9
Has been increased/Stayed the same - Has been cut ..............-20
(ref:EDCUTS)

6. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 6
Q.13 Do you favor or oppose expanding the number of charter schools in Indiana?
Total
Strongly favor..........................................................................17
Somewhat favor.......................................................................24
Somewhat oppose ....................................................................15
Strongly oppose .......................................................................23
(Don't know/refused)................................................................21
Total Favor ............................................................................41
Total Oppose..........................................................................38
Favor - Oppose........................................................................3
(ref:CHARTER)
Q.14 Do you favor or oppose allowing students and parents in under-performing schools to choose a
private school to attend at taxpayer expense?
Total
Strongly favor..........................................................................19
Somewhat favor.......................................................................19
Somewhat oppose ....................................................................20
Strongly oppose .......................................................................37
(Don't know/refused).................................................................5
Total Favor ............................................................................38
Total Oppose..........................................................................57
Favor - Oppose......................................................................-19
(ref:VOUCHER)

7. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 7
Now, I want to read you some different things people believe public schools should focus on. For each
one, please tell me how important of a focus this should be for K-through-12 public schools in Indiana - a
very important focus, an important focus, a somewhat important focus or not an important focus.
Very Smwt Not Very
Impt Impt Impt Impt DK/ Impt/ Total
Focus Focus Focus Focus Ref Impt Impt
15 Developing a lifelong love of learning.................60 21 16 2 1 81 97
[300 Respondents]
16 (SPLIT A) Teaching students to think
critically and solve problems...................................74 18 6 0 1 93 99
[300 Respondents]
17 (SPLIT B) Teaching students to solve
problems................................................................77 17 6 - - 94 100
18 Preparing students for college .............................54 20 23 2 1 74 97
19 Preparing students for 21st century jobs...............71 18 9 1 1 90 98
20 Developing well-rounded citizens who
contribute to society ...............................................73 15 10 1 1 88 98
21 Building character like self-discipline and
respect ...................................................................77 12 9 2 0 88 98
22 Preparing students to succeed on standardized
tests.......................................................................22 19 35 21 2 41 77
(ref:PUBEDROLE)
Finally, I would like to ask you a few questions for statistical purposes.
Q.23 In what year were you born?
Total
18 - 24......................................................................................8
25 - 29......................................................................................8
30 - 34......................................................................................6
35 - 39......................................................................................9
40 - 44......................................................................................7
45 - 49......................................................................................8
50 - 54......................................................................................8
55 - 59......................................................................................9
60 - 64.....................................................................................11
Over 64 ...................................................................................22
(No answer)..............................................................................3
(ref:AGE)

8. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 8
Q.24 Generally speaking, do you think of yourself as a Democrat, a Republican, or what?
Total
Strong Democrat......................................................................15
Weak Democrat .......................................................................14
Independent-lean Democrat .......................................................9
Independent.............................................................................12
Independent-lean Republican....................................................13
Weak Republican.....................................................................14
Strong Republican....................................................................21
(Don't know/Refused) ...............................................................3
(ref:PTYID1)
Q.25 Thinking in political terms, would you say that you are liberal, moderate, or conservative?
Total
Liberal ....................................................................................14
Moderate.................................................................................33
Conservative............................................................................46
(Don't know/refused).................................................................6
(ref:IDEO1)
Q.26 What is the last year of schooling that you have completed?
Total
1 - 11th grade............................................................................3
High School graduate ...............................................................24
Non-college post H.S. ...............................................................2
Some college ...........................................................................23
College graduate ......................................................................30
Post-graduate school ................................................................17
(Don't know/refused).................................................................2
(ref:EDUC)
Q.27 Do you have any children eighteen years of age or younger living at home?
Total
Yes .........................................................................................30
No...........................................................................................68
(Don't know/refused).................................................................1
(ref:KIDS)

9. ISTA: November 10-13, 2014 9
[182 Respondents]
Q.28 (IF YES IN Q.27) Do you have children in public schools, public charter schools, or private
schools?
Total
Public schools..........................................................................73
Public charter schools................................................................1
Private schools.........................................................................17
(Don't know/refused)................................................................15
(ref:PUBPRIV)
Q.29 And what is your race?
Total
White/Caucasian......................................................................85
Black/African American............................................................6
Hispanic/Latino/Mexican American/Chicano..............................2
Native American/Indian/Pueblo/Navajo......................................1
(Other) .....................................................................................1
(Refused)..................................................................................5
(ref:RACE)
Respondent’s gender
Total
Male .......................................................................................47
Female ....................................................................................53
(ref:GENDER)