Poll shows depths of Democrats’ school choice divide

A recent poll of New York state shows the Democratic Party’s divide on school choice is for real.

The Quinnipiac University survey (hat tip: Jason Bedrick) shows New York voters largely side with the teachers union in its recent pitched battles with Gov. Andrew Cuomo. They don’t support evaluating teachers based on student test scores, or using tenure in evaluation decisions.

On school choice, however, it’s a different story:

New York State voters say 51 – 41 percent that there should be more charter schools. Support is 58 – 35 percent in New York City, with upstate voters divided 46 – 44 percent and suburban voters divided 47 – 44 percent.

Voters support 52 – 43 percent providing state income tax credits to individuals or companies which donate money to private schools, including religious schools.

By a larger 65 – 32 percent, voters support a $500 state income tax credit for parents with an annual income of $60,000 or less who pay tuition for their children to attend private schools, including religious schools. Support is strong among all groups.

The poll’s findings don’t seem too far out of step with other recent national surveys. But this one is notable because it comes from a respected political polling organization that takes no side in education policy debates. It’s also notable because it looks at New York, where Cuomo nearly prevailed in a push to make New York the largest blue state with a private school choice program.

Democrats are almost evenly split on the idea of an income-tax credit for donations to private schools, with 46 percent in support and 49 percent opposing. Republicans are more strongly in support. The partisan breakdown on charter school expansion is quite similar, with Democrats again almost evenly divided.

Cuomo’s proposal would have created tax credits for people who donated to scholarship funds, while Quinnipiac ‘s question asks about donations to schools. But the poll’s description mirrors one sometimes used in media reports about the education tax credit. Past versions have been interpreted as a gauge of public opinion on Cuomo’s proposal — and an indication that if the Democrat-controlled Legislature had supported the plan, many of its constituents would have, too.