Public Attitudes Toward Higher Education

1
Public Attitudes TowardHigher Education

• A New Survey from The National Center for Public
  Policy and Higher Education and Public Agenda
• Supported by the Lumina Foundation for Education
  Making Opportunity Affordable Initiative

2
New Survey

• Latest collaboration between the National Center
  and Public Agenda
• Surveys going back to 1993
• Current survey 1000 Americans
• Over-sample of parents, minority parents
• Interviews with 25 opinion leaders
• Seven focus groups

3
Who We Are

• The National Center
• Independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit
• Enhance opportunities to pursue high-quality
  education beyond high school
• Public Agenda
• Nonpartisan, nonprofit
• Opinion research and engagement
• Focuses on the gaps between leaders and the public

4
Overview

• Growing importance of higher education
• Coupled with growing anxiety
• Confidence in higher education institutions, but
  . .
• More public skepticism the bloom is off the
  rose

5
A College Education More Important than Ever,
But . .

• College is NECESSARY to participate in U.S.
  economy
• 2000 31
• 2003 37
• 2007 50
• 67 Employers want college, even for jobs that
  dont require it
• 88 We should not allow cost to keep qualified
  students from attending college
• 62 Many dont have opportunity to attend college

6
The Big Squeeze More Important, but Declining
Opportunity
7
Parents Are Worried, but Coping

• 76 worried about costs
• 84 well find a way to work out the costs
• Less than half (44) think students are getting
  their moneys worth

8
Minority Parents Are More Concerned

• Many dont have opportunity
• Non-Hispanic white parents 56
• Hispanic parents 67
• African-American parents 84
• Ethnic/racial minorities have less opportunity
• Non-Hispanic whites parents 14
• Hispanic parents 30
• African-American parents 40
• Higher-income minorities concerned too
• 7 in 10 higher income minority parents say many
  dont have opportunity

9
The Bloom Is Off The Rose

• 52 college more like a business, focus on the
  bottom line
• 44 waste and mismanagement are major causes
  of high cost
• More willingness to blame colleges (vs. high
  schools or students) for college dropouts
• 2000 10
• 2007 25

10
State Colleges An Overhaul in the Offing?

• Percent Favoring Overhaul

11
Public Believes Colleges Can Do More

• 58 colleges could take more students without
  harming quality
• 56 colleges could spend less and still maintain
  quality

12
Support for Some Reforms

• 75 Give grants and tax breaks to students to
  improve access
• 68 Make greater use of two-year schools
• 67 Making more efficient use of facilities and
  distance learning
• But . .
• 66 oppose reducing credits needed for degree
• 65 oppose consolidating programs, closing
  branches

13
Conclusions

• Broad recognition of importance, high quality
• But fault lines in public support
• More signs of concern, skepticism, an
  undercurrent of tougher questions