NJ Voters: Preschool As Important As Reducing Taxes

Recognizing the value of giving children an early start in learning, New Jersey voters believe all kids benefit from pre-kindergarten. They also rank preparing children for kindergarten as important as reducing taxes, according to a recent statewide survey of likely voters.

The poll, conducted in April 2005, also found that likely voters feel strongly that state government should play an active role in helping all parents afford high-quality preschool. The majority – 55 percent – say they would pay more taxes to help finance preschool.

The survey sends a strong message to candidates in the 2005 gubernatorial and legislative races. It shows that New Jersey’s highly-educated electorate understands that children who attend quality pre-k do better in school and in life. It tells candidates that supporting pre-k gives them an edge at the polls.

The survey sampled 600 likely voters statewide. The Association for Children of New Jersey and Pre-K Now commissioned the poll to measure voter support of preschool.

Key Findings

All Kids Benefit

·    66 percent agreed that all children, regardless of background, benefit from quality preschool.

·    Younger voters overwhelmingly support pre-k, with 89 percent of respondents ages 18-35 registering strong support, signaling a shift in future voters’ priorities.

Preschool Is A Voter Priority

·    69 percent rank getting kids ready for kindergarten as important as reducing taxes and improving the quality of K-12 education.

·    Sixty-eight percent of respondents favored expanding state funding so all 4-year-olds could attend pre-k, if their parents wanted it.

·    Fifty-five percent said they would pay higher taxes to provide high-quality pre-k to all families who want to send their children.

·    71 percent supported some form of government funding for pre-k.

Preschool Candidates Earn an Edge

In this heated election year, many New Jersey voters want candidates who support preschool. Seventy-eight percent say a candidate’s stance on preschool would factor into their decision of whether to vote for that candidate, with 52 percent ranking this issue as very or fairly important.

When voting for New Jersey’s next governor, 43 percent said they would be more likely to vote for a candidate who supported making voluntary high-quality preschool available to all 4-year-olds. Only 17 percent said they would be less likely to support a preschool candidate. The same held true for state legislators.

Budget a Barrier

While voters strongly support preschool, some admit that weighing budget priorities in the current fiscal climate is a barrier to expanding preschool to all children. Still, 52 percent of respondents were not completely convinced that New Jersey should meet other financial obligations before expanding preschool.

That could be because 75 percent believe teaching children literacy skills when they are young will make them better readers.

NJ Voters Want Preschool

New Jersey voters, among the most highly-educated in the country, clearly understand the importance of giving children a strong start to learning. They realize quality preschool can help children gain the ground they need to start kindergarten ready to learn. And they believe that investing in these programs is as important as reducing taxes and improving education. These are strong messages. And they bode well for the future of New Jersey’s children – as long as our politicians listen.

To view the preschool poll and learn about ways to influence key state leaders, go to www.makekidscountnj.org.

About the Poll

From April 12 to April 17, 2005, Peter D. Hart Research Associates and The Tarrance Group conducted a statewide survey among 600 voters in New Jersey on behalf of the Association for Children of New Jersey and Pre-K Now. The survey is representative of voters statewide. It carries a margin of error of ±4 percentage points for the full sample, and a larger margin of error for sample subgroups.

About Us

The Association for Children of New Jersey is a statewide child research and action organization, serving as a voice for children at the highest level of government.

Pre-K Now collaborates with advocates and policymakers to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary pre-kindergarten for all 3- and 4-four-year- olds. With support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and other funders, Pre-K Now’s vision is a nation in which every child enters kindergarten prepared to succeed.