Stand Up
Stand Up is a community-based response to America’s education crisis. They are parents, students, and everyday citizens who "Stand Up" for better high schools.

• Visit www.standup.org
  

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
In 2000, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was created to help reduce inequities in four primary areas, including education. The education program seeks to ensure that all students in the United States graduate from high school ready for college, work, and citizenship.

• Visit www.gatesfoundation.org
  

DonorsChoose
DonorsChoose is an online charity that allows teachers in needy school districts to post educational materials and resources that they need for their classrooms. Donors can search the listings and decide what they want to support.

• Visit www.donorschoose.org
  

Time magazine-Oprah Winfrey Show Poll
In March 2006, Time magazine teamed up with The Oprah Winfrey Show to poll 1,000 Americans—of all ages, classes and races—about their views on the educational system and high school dropouts. How do your views compare?

1. Where do you think the United States ranks internationally when it comes to the quality of education we provide overall? Would you say that the United States is best when it comes to quality of education, in the top 5, top 10, top 20, or below that?

Best	3%
Top 5	25%
Top 10	29%
Top 20	22%
Below that	17%
No answer/don't know	3%

2. In general, what grade would you give public schools in the United States—an "A" for excellent, a "B", "C", "D" or a failing grade of "F"?

A (excellent)	5%
B	31%
C	44%
D	10%
F (failing grade)	7%
No answer/don't know	3%

3. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the public schools in this country?

Satisfied	39%
Dissatisfied	55%
No answer/don't know	6%

4. Do you think that public schools in this country are in a "crisis," or not?

In crisis	61%
Not in crisis	34%
No answer/don't know	5%

5. Do you think that we are spending too much money on public schools, too little money, or about the right amount of money on public schools?

Too much	10%
Too little	64%
About the right amount	22%
No answer/don't know	4%

6. Would you be willing to pay higher taxes to improve the public schools, or not?

Willing to pay higher taxes	59%
Not willing	38%
No answer/don't know	3%

7. How do public schools today compare to, say, 20 years ago? In your opinion, are they better, worse, or about the same as they were 20 years ago?

Better	26%
Worse	52%
Same	18%
No answer/don't know	5%

8. Do you think that the public schools overall are teaching students the skills they will need for our economy in the 21st century, or not?

Teaching skills they will need	38%
Not teaching them	57%
No answer/don't know	6%

9. Do you have any children in your household currently attending school, grades "K" thru grade 12?

Yes	36%
No	64%

10. Do any currently attend public schools? (Respondents: 323 out of 1,000)

Yes	86%
No	14%
No answer/don't know	1%

Time magazine-Oprah Winfrey Show Poll
11. And what grade would you give your child's school—an "A" for excellent, a "B", "C", "D" or a failing grade of "F"? (Respondents: 279 out of 1,000)

A (excellent)	23%
B	46%
C	21%
D	7%
F (failing grade)	3%
No answer/don't know	less than 1%

12. Do you think that your child or children attending public schools are being adequately prepared for college if they decide to go to college? (Respondents: 279 out of 1,000)

Yes	62%
No	33%
No answer/don't know	6%

13. If you had the choice of sending your child to a different school, in your area, would you switch schools, or not? (Respondents: 279 out of 1,000)

Would switch schools	40%
Not switch schools	57%
No answer/don't know	3%

14. What percent of American students do you think graduate from high school?

0 to 25%	2%
26 to 50%	9%
51to 75%	49%
76 to 100%	35%
No answer/don't know	4%

15. How serious a problem do you consider the school dropout rate in America to be?

Extremely serious	42%
Somewhat serious	47%
Not very serious	5%
Not serious at all	3%
No answer/don't know	3%

16. Here are some measures that have been suggested to increase the number of children graduating from high school.

A) Make truancy enforcement stronger to cut down on the number of children skipping school without an excuse. Would this measure be…

Very effective	46%
Somewhat effective	37%
Not very effective	9%
Not at all effective	7%
No answer/don't know	1%

B) Increase parental involvement by offering training to parents on how to keep their children in school. Would this measure be…

Very effective	50%
Somewhat effective	37%
Not very effective	6%
Not at all effective	6%
No answer/don't know	1%

C) Lower academic standards so that more children can graduate. Would this measure be…

Very effective	7%
Somewhat effective	13%
Not very effective	18%
Not at all effective	60%
No answer/don't know	2%

D) Outlaw dropping out of school under the age of 18. Would this measure be…

Very effective	33%
Somewhat effective	31%
Not very effective	18%
Not at all effective	16%
No answer/don't know	3%

E) Penalize the parents of students who don't finish high school. Would this measure be…

Very effective	18%
Somewhat effective	27%
Not very effective	27%
Not at all effective	27%
No answer/don't know	2%

17. Did you yourself complete high school or did you drop out of school? If you dropped out of school, but got a G.E.D., please tell me.

Completed high school	87%
Dropped out, but got a G.E.D.	7%
Dropped out	5%
No answer/don't know	1%

18. Do you regret dropping out of school, or not? (Respondents: 121 out of 1,000)

Regretted	70%
Not regret	28%
No answer/don't know	2%

19. Did you ever consider dropping out of high school? (Respondents: 879 out of 1,000)

Yes, considered	11%
No, did not consider	89%
No answer/don't know	less than 1%

20. Which of the following best describes the main reason you [dropped out/considered dropping out] of school? (Respondents: 205 out of 1,000)

Your school wasn't very good	7%
You were not really motivated to finish school	18%
Your class work was too difficult	3%
You had problems at home	17%
You needed to work to earn money	18%
Pregnancy	8%
Illness	1%
Military/draft	1%
Marriage	1%
Some other reason (specify)	24%
No answer/don't know	2%

21. Which of the following describes the main reason you finished high school? (Respondents: 873 out of 1,000)

Your parents' or family member's involvement and encouragement	26%
Your own desire to succeed or go to college	46%
Both	26%
Neither	2%
No answer/don't know	less than 1%

22. Please tell me how important each of the following reasons are for why many students drop out of high school.

1) The schools they attend and the teachers aren't very good.

Extremely important	14%
Very important	25%
Somewhat important	33%
Not very important	25%
No answer/don't know	2%

2) The students are not motivated.

Extremely important	27%
Very important	39%
Somewhat important	21%
Not very important	11%
No answer/don't know	2%

3) Class work is too difficult.

Extremely important	4%
Very important	11%
Somewhat important	29%
Not very important	54%
No answer/don't know	2%

4) They have problems at home.

Extremely important	25%
Very important	39%
Somewhat important	25%
Not very important	9%
No answer/don't know	2%

5) They need to work to earn money.

Extremely important	12%
Very important	20%
Somewhat important	39%
Not very important	27%
No answer/don't know	2%

23. Some people who dropped out of school can take tests to earn a general education development certificate or G.E.D.. In your view, is a G.E.D. as good as a high school diploma or not?

As good as a high school diploma	37%
Not as good	60%
No answer/don't know	3%

24. Do you think a G.E.D. certificate provides high school dropouts as many opportunities as a high school diploma does, or not?

Provides as many opportunities	29%
Does not	64%
Depends/sometimes yes/sometimes no	4%
No answer/don't know	4%

25. In your opinion, at what age should students be allowed to drop out of school?

10 to 15	1%
16	12%
17	11%
18	38%
19 to 21	6%
Should not be allowed	26%
No answer/don't know	6%

26. Do you think that the government should forbid students younger than 18 from dropping out of high school?

Yes, should forbid	62%
No, should not forbid	35%
No answer/don't know	3%

27. If a student younger than 18 chooses to leave school, should the state be allowed to deny them driver's licenses until they turn 18, or not?

Yes, state should be allowed to deny	65%
No, state should not be allowed to deny	32%
No answer/don't know	3%

28. And if a student younger than 18 dropped out of school, should the state be allowed to deny them child work permits, or not?

Yes, state should be allowed to deny	33%
No, state should not be allowed to deny	64%
No answer/don't know	3%

29. Should the federal government pass laws making it illegal in all states to leave high school before the age of 16?

Yes, should make illegal	69%
No, should not	28%
No answer/don't know	3%

30. In your opinion, should all students be required to pursue a college track in high school or should students be offered the option of taking vocational education to prepare them for work immediately following high school?

All students required to pursue college track	8%
Should be offered vocation education option	88%
No answer/don't know	4%

31. Do you think that schools today should spend more on vocational education, less, or are they spending about the right amount now?

Spend more	51%
Spend less	4%
About the right amount now	33%
No answer/don't know	12%

32. In your opinion, do you think that there is too much emphasis on standardized achievement testing in the public schools in your community, too little, or about the right amount?

Too much	44%
Too little	11%
About the right amount	39%
No answer/don't know	6%

33. In 2001, Congress passed President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" act. How much would you say that you know about the "No Child Left Behind" act?

Great deal	17%
Some	40%
Not much	29%
Nothing at all	14%
No answer/don't know	1%

34. Based on anything you may have seen or heard, do you think that the "No Child Left Behind" act has had a positive impact on education, a negative impact, or not much impact at all?

Positive	35%
Negative	23%
Not much impact	35%
No answer/don't know	8%

35. Who or what is most to blame when some public schools fail to improve test scores?

Not enough money	24%
School districts	21%
Parents	18%
Students	14%
Teachers	11%
No answer/don't know	11%

Demographics of Respondents:

What is your gender?

Male	48%
Female	52%

What is your age?

18-24	11%
25-29	8%
30-34	10%
35-39	8%
40-44	13%
45-54	19%
55-64	13%
65 or older	17%
No answer/don't know	1%

What is the highest grade of schooling that you've completed?

8th grade or less	2%
Some high school	9%
High school graduate	21%
Some college	28%
College graduate	25%
Postgraduate study/law or medical school	14%
No answer/don't know	1%

Are you of Hispanic origin or descent?

Yes	10%
No	89%
No answer/don't know	1%

What is your race? Are you white, black, Asian, or something else?

White	76%
Black	11%
Asian	2%
Hispanic	6%
Other	5%
Don't know/no answer	1%

What was your total family income before taxes last year?

Less than $20,000	11%
$20,000 to just under $35,000	18%
$35,000 to just under $50,000	18%
$50,000 to just under $75,000	16%
$75,000 to just under $100,000	12%
$100,000 or more	16%
No answer/don't know	9%