New Jersey Voters Express Strong Support for School Choice, New Poll Finds

CAMDEN, N.J., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Almost seven in 10 voters in New Jersey support a scholarship tax credit program for students from low-income families, according to survey results released yesterday by the American Federation for Children (AFC)—the nation's voice for school choice—and the Hispanic Council for Reform and Educational Options (HCREO).

In total, 68 percent of likely voters in New Jersey said they support scholarship tax credits for families most in need, the survey said. The poll, conducted by Democratic-leaning polling firm Beck Research, surveyed likely voters in five states—New Jersey, Arizona, Florida, New Mexico, and Nevada.

The remarkably high number comes as the state legislature is considering the Opportunity Scholarship Act (OSA), which would create a scholarship tax credit program for students from low-income families who attend schools in the state's lowest-performing districts.

"New Jersey residents clearly want additional options, as evidenced by their strong support for scholarship tax credit programs," said Assemblyman Angel Fuentes (D), sponsor of the Opportunity Scholarship Act in the state Assembly. "It's time for the General Assembly to come together and pass the Opportunity Scholarship Act."

Support for private school choice also extended to vouchers (62 percent favorability); education savings accounts (59 percent favorability); and special needs scholarships (70 percent favorability). The numbers among New Jersey respondents matched or exceeded favorability for school choice programs among all of the likely voters surveyed.

The poll results come just over a week after Gov. Chris Christie (R) and Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D) renewed their calls to pass the OSA, which has strong bipartisan support in both the state Senate and the state Assembly, yet neither chamber has sent the bill to the floor for final votes. 

Both Christie and Booker urged lawmakers to pass the OSA earlier this month at the American Federation for Children's third annual National Policy Summit, which took place in Jersey City.

In addition to strong support among Garden State residents, the survey showed strong support for reform among Latinos nationally. Education ranks behind only the economy and jobs as the most important consideration among likely Latino voters.

The Beck Research survey interviewed a total of 1,050 likely November voters, including an oversample of 300 Latinos. The poll's margin of error is +/- 3.6 percent.

SOURCE American Federation for Children and Hispanic CREO