{"id":40802236092,"date":"2011-09-16T17:09:00","date_gmt":"2011-09-16T21:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/2011\/09\/16\/informed-opinion-on-education-reform-poll\/"},"modified":"2021-01-25T11:22:06","modified_gmt":"2021-01-25T16:22:06","slug":"informed-opinion-on-education-reform-poll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/2011\/09\/16\/informed-opinion-on-education-reform-poll\/","title":{"rendered":"Informed Opinion on Education Reform Poll?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cross-posted at PolitickerNJ<\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n

Last month, Monmouth University and NJ Press Media released a poll on education reforms<\/a> proposed by the Christie administration.\u00a0 It has produced a whirlwind of blogosphere commentary from a few folks who took exception to the poll\u2019s results.<\/p>\n

The poll found broad, general support for the governor\u2019s proposals, but with a few caveats.\u00a0 When we asked questions pertaining to public awareness, we found a widespread lack of knowledge about these policies (especially with regard to charter schools).\u00a0 We also found some concerns about implementation:\u00a0 performance-based pay is a good idea, but using the current standardized tests as the metric on which to base that may be unfair.\u00a0 And finally, we found that one of the arguments used by reform proponents \u2013 that it would close the achievement gap \u2013 does not necessarily hold water with the general public.<\/p>\n

I initially chose to let the poll stand for itself.\u00a0 Polling results frequently draw criticism when the results undermine a particular strategic perspective.\u00a0 For example, Governor Christie was not happy with a poll we conducted early in his term that showed New Jerseyans expressing skepticism about his ability to bring about change (which was less about Christie and more about their jaded view of Trenton).\u00a0 And individual election polls have been criticized at times by candidate\u2019s campaigns \u2013 sometimes from both parties in the same cycle.\u00a0 It\u2019s understood.\u00a0 Negative polling results can impact campaign contributions and undermine the storyline you are trying to put forward.<\/p>\n

In most cases, the critics will question the poll\u2019s methodology, say they see it differently, and move on.\u00a0 That\u2019s fair.\u00a0 It\u2019s all part of being the messenger about where the public stands on important issues of the day, a role I take very seriously.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s usually the end to it.\u00a0 Rarely does a critic try to misrepresent the poll or how it was conducted.\u00a0 In fact, that has only happened to me twice.\u00a0 This education poll is one of those times.\u00a0 Unfortunately, I feel I must now respond directly to those criticisms.<\/p>\n

To start, most of the criticism has come from people without expertise in the field of survey research.\u00a0 Some has, which I will treat more seriously.\u00a0 But it\u2019s important to note that all of these critics, including some who are academic researchers, have taken very public normative positions on education policy.\u00a0 Normative is one of those great social science words.\u00a0 It simply means they already have a clear opinion about how things ought to be.\u00a0 When normative values get applied in a research setting, they lead to bias.<\/p>\n

The Monmouth University Polling Institute, on the other hand, has a record of measuring public opinion \u201cas it stands\u201d without bias<\/a>.\u00a0 For example, one of the charges levied against this poll centered on the question about tenure.\u00a0 The criticism is that we used a colloquial definition of tenure rather than a legal one.<\/p>\n

Well, that\u2019s the point!\u00a0 If you are trying to measure extant public opinion you need to use colloquial language.\u00a0 This is especially important when it is not clear how well the public already understands the issue.\u00a0 In these situations, most pollsters will look to see how other pollsters have handled it.<\/p>\n

Our own search turned up a few poll questions on tenure, including one from the well-respected national Phi Delta Kappa survey conducted each year by the Gallup organization.\u00a0 Their question defined tenure for public school teachers as \u201cafter a two- or three-year period, they receive what amounts to a lifetime contract.\u201d \u00a0A Time magazine poll also used the word \u201clifetime\u201d to describe tenure.<\/p>\n

Based on my experience, I felt that the word lifetime could be a bit loaded in this context.\u00a0 Our team spent a great deal of effort searching for something that reflected a more common definition of tenure, such as this entry in the Oxford English Dictionary: \u201cOf an official position, usu. one in a university or school: carrying a guarantee of permanent employment until retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n

I decided to word our poll question as: \u201cAfter working in a New Jersey public school for three years, a teacher is either given tenure or let go.\u00a0 A teacher who gets tenure after this trial period is basically given a permanent job unless they engage in serious misconduct.\u201d<\/p>\n

I think the improved fairness of my question was borne out by the results.\u00a0 In our question, 42% approved of tenure compared to 26% to 28% in the polls that defined tenure as a \u201clifetime\u201d appointment.<\/p>\n

Critics also took issue with way we described how a teacher can lose tenure since the question didn\u2019t use statutory language regarding dismissal, i.e. for \u201cinefficiency, incapacity, or conduct unbecoming a teaching staff member or other just cause.\u201d\u00a0 Again, the poll\u2019s intent is not to measure the public\u2019s opinion on the theoretical concept of tenure, but what they think of it in practice.\u00a0 And considering the data available on tenure dismissal in the state (see: PolitifactNJ<\/a>), only a handful of teachers have ever been dismissed for \u201cinefficiency\u201d \u2013 far fewer then are probably dismissed for this reason in any other profession (a good empirical question in itself).<\/p>\n

As such, I stand by the question wording as an accurate measurement of public opinion on current tenure practices, to the extent the public is aware of them.\u00a0 Even still, I am confident that using the legal language to describe dismissal conditions would have had little to no effect on the end result.<\/p>\n

Our poll included a follow-up question, asking people if they would support a change to \u201climited tenure\u201d which requires periodic evaluation and potential loss of tenure.\u00a0 Even though this is technically not \u201ctenure\u201d by the dictionary definition, it is a common term used in public discussions of this proposal.<\/p>\n

There is widespread support \u2013 77% in fact \u2013 for changes to the tenure system that would make it easier to dismiss underperforming teachers.\u00a0 Here are some interesting facts about that statistic.\u00a0 These changes to tenure are supported by a whopping 71% of teacher households and 73% of those who actually approve of the current tenure system.<\/p>\n

In our press release I wrote, \u201cIt appears that New Jerseyans want some type of job protection for teachers, but broadly support modification to the current system.\u201d\u00a0 I don\u2019t know how you argue with that considering that teachers themselves support these changes.<\/p>\n

Critics of this poll have focused on minor wording issues without considering the larger context within which this opinion is formed.\u00a0 During an extended economic downturn with persistently high unemployment, 4-in-10 New Jerseyans feel that teachers should benefit from an extraordinary level of job protection \u2013 and I use extraordinary in the sense that this is something that no other profession enjoys.\u00a0 And fully 3-in-4 New Jerseyans feel that teachers should have at least better job protection than most other workers.\u00a0 That should be somewhat surprising, and heartening to these critics, given the current economic climate.<\/p>\n

There are many ways to ask about tenure, and I strove to provide a definition that was fairer than other polls I have seen.\u00a0 I am open to discussing other ways to approach this issue.\u00a0 And if this was the nature and tone of all the critiques, I would have welcomed the debate.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the poll was also subject to a number of other attacks that were ill-informed and downright malicious.\u00a0 Since those attacks have gone unabated, I feel it is important to respond on behalf of the reputation Monmouth University\u2019s Polling Institute has earned in New Jersey.<\/p>\n

In some cases, critics oddly misinterpret questions that actually support their normative view.\u00a0 For example, standardized tests would be a major component in determining tenure and merit pay under current proposals.\u00a0 One critic<\/a> saw our poll results as saying \u201cpeople think standardized tests are reasonably accurate at measuring student abilities.\u201d\u00a0 The results show quite the opposite, which actually bolsters the argument against merit pay!\u00a0 Just 38% give a positive response of excellent or good to the accuracy of the tests, compared to 59% who give a negative response of only fair or poor.\u00a0 [By the way, the \u201conly fair\u201d or \u201cjust fair\u201d construction is textbook polling procedure to delineate between two positive responses and two negative responses in a balanced response set].<\/p>\n

Furthermore, the critic takes issue with the same question as it relates to how these tests reflect teacher competence.\u00a0 He writes: \u201cImplied within that question is that student achievement and good teaching are a 1 to 1 ratio.\u201d\u00a0 Well, I\u2019m not sure what he was reading, but the question we posed pretty clearly asks<\/strong> if people think there is a direct correlation between student test scores<\/strong> and teacher ability \u2013 and a clear majority (62%) do not!\u00a0 So, I\u2019m left scratching my head at the charge.<\/p>\n

Critics have also charged that the headline of our press release was misleading.\u00a0 It stated that the public \u201csupports\u201d proposed education reforms. \u00a0The data show that the public does support these ideas.\u00a0 And anyone who has followed opinion in New Jersey knows that the public has become increasingly supportive of all measures that promote greater accountability and choice.\u00a0 It would certainly have been misleading if we wrote that the public \u201cdemands\u201d or \u201ccalls for\u201d these reforms.\u00a0 Instead, we accurately reflected that the public expresses \u201csupport\u201d for these proposals as they are generally understood by the public.\u00a0 No more, no less.<\/p>\n

The real problem is when critics lower themselves to base accusations that we conducted a \u201cpush poll<\/a>,\u201d which shows a clear misunderstanding of that term.\u00a0 Or try to plant rumors with the media that nefarious forces were behind the poll questions.\u00a0 That\u2019s where the criticism steps over the line.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned before, this is one of only two times that displeasure with a poll I conducted reached a level where critics actively tried to misrepresent the poll.\u00a0 The other time in question, the criticism came from members of the Tea Party.\u00a0 This was in response to a poll that showed their candidate not doing as well as they believed she was. \u00a0That poll turned out to be right on the mark, by the way.<\/p>\n

The criticism aimed at this poll is more disappointing because these advocates are doing so on behalf of our teachers.\u00a0 I know they don\u2019t represent all teachers, including the NJEA members who teach my own child.\u00a0 However, because their actions reflect on the teaching profession, one hopes that they would engage in a more productive dialogue regarding public opinion on these reforms, and indeed on the reform proposals themselves.<\/p>\n

As the poll results indicate, public opinion on education policy is not always well informed and at times is misinformed.\u00a0 But it is the public\u2019s present opinion on this issue; the opinion that policymakers listen to.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s my advice to critics who disagree with the poll results.\u00a0 Spend more time working to change public opinion rather than disparage the poll that measures it.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cross-posted at PolitickerNJ Last month, Monmouth University and NJ Press Media released a poll on education reforms proposed by the Christie administration.\u00a0 It has produced a whirlwind of blogosphere commentary from a few folks who took exception to the poll\u2019s results. The poll found broad, general support for the governor\u2019s proposals, but with a few […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":939,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-40802236092","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40802236092","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/939"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=40802236092"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40802236092\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":40802237213,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40802236092\/revisions\/40802237213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40802236092"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40802236092"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/polling-institute\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40802236092"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}