STATEWIDE SURVEY MIRRORS SCHOOL POLL RESULTS HERE

Key findings of a new statewide opinion poll on Missouri's public schools closely match results of a fact-finding effort by Cape Girardeau public schools.

Missourians want public schools to teach students basic skills in reading, writing and mathematics, the statewide survey found. Schools should also offer a safe learning environment.

Locally, Cape Girardeau's public schools collected information from the community as part of a long-range planning process. The top priority gleaned from that survey was the same: an emphasis on basic education, including reading, writing and mathematics.

Also in the top five for both the local and statewide studies were emphases on high academic standards and improving discipline.

The statewide study, titled "Committed to Change: Missouri Citizens and Public Education," was conducted by Public Agenda for the Missouri Partnership for Outstanding Schools. The partnership is a coalition of parents and business and community leaders.

The survey questioned the general public as well as targeting specific groups: educators, community leaders, parents and African-Americans.

Missourians, the statewide survey found, are highly critical of the state's public schools but are strongly committed to improving public education.

The Cape Girardeau Board of Education is beginning to develop a plan to meet these challenges. A study session will be held Monday at 6 p.m. to talk about how to meet the priorities outlined locally.

Statewide, disagreement exists among educators, civic leaders and the general public about public schools' ability to meet these needs. For example, the issue of whether Missouri students receive solid education in the basics prompted disagreement between educators and community leaders.

By a 2-to-1 majority, Missouri educators believe a high school diploma is a guarantee that a student has learned the basics. However, Missouri leaders, also by a 2-to-1 majority, don't believe a high school diploma brings with it any guarantees.

Educators think schools are doing a better job than in the past, but community leaders say schools use social problems and lack of funding as an excuse for poor performance.

Compared to the rest of the nation, Missourians are more likely to want to send their children to public schools. Even when given a list of alternatives to fixing the problems of public education, Missourians overwhelmingly prefer to work to fix those problems rather than abandon their public schools.

The survey shows only 13 percent of Missourians would prefer a voucher plan to make private schools an affordable option.

Missourians would like to see more emphasis on teaching skills relevant to the job market, like computers, math and science.

A high percentage of all respondents favored "clear guidelines on what kids should learn and teachers should teach in every major subject so the kids and teachers will know what to aim for," according to the survey's conclusions.

Over 60 percent of the general public say that public schools should take responsibility for dealing with the social problems that prevent some students from learning. Conversely, only 32 percent believe that public schools "should stick to teaching academic subjects, and not get sidetracked trying to solve the social problems schools face."

The issue of racial integration of public schools showed African-Americans and whites generally agreeing that, "Instead of spending limited resources on integrating Missouri's public schools, the schools would be better off fixing up and improving the schools that kids attend now."