Arizona Voters' Agenda: Voters Overwhelmingly Support Increased Education Funding & Training Beyond High School

Big Question for Candidates: "What is your plan to ensure that Arizona students have quality teachers and principals?"

PHOENIX, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) today released its education findings from the newly launched Arizona Voters' Agenda, which identifies what likely voters in the general election want candidates to address as they campaign for their votes. The results on education demonstrate overwhelming support from voters across all political parties and age groups on important education issues, including increasing education funding, expanding secondary education opportunities, and improving education outcomes.

"The Arizona Voters' Agenda is a data-driven look at the issues likely Arizona voters across every partisan segment and age group agree and prioritize when considering whom to vote for in the upcoming elections," explained Dr. Sybil Francis, President & CEO of CFA. "There is no better place to start than on education, which is essential to our long-term success and which was the top issue in CFA's Gallup Arizona Survey in 2020. Voters are more interested in hearing about these issues than they are about many hot-button issues currently dominating political dialogue. And they want to know where candidates stand on these issues as well as their plans for addressing them when making their decision about whom to support with their vote."

The top education issue on the Arizona Voters' Agenda is "Ensuring that Arizona schools have quality teachers and principals," a topic that is supported by 97% of likely voters, including 96% among Republicans, 95% independents/unaffiliated, and 98% Democrats. This was also the top education finding from CFA's report on the Gallup Arizona Survey in 2020.

In addition, 72% of voters strongly support "Increasing teacher pay," which rises to 88% including those who somewhat support it. This includes 80% of Republicans, 90% of independents/unaffiliated, and 98% of Democrats. And 65% strongly support the broader concept of "Increasing funding for K-12 public education," with another 17% somewhat supporting it. This includes 69% of Republicans, 90% of independents/unaffiliated, and 97% of Democrats.

"Voters continue to believe that schools are underfunded and teachers are underpaid," said Dr. Francis. "It's important to note that super-majorities of voters – Republicans included – want to invest in quality education."

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SOURCE Center For Future of Arizona