Between April 1999 and October 2000, McKeon and Associates, a Joliet market research firm, conducted four telephone polls of a sample of Chicagoans for schools chief Paul Vallas and the Board of Education. The following is a sample of the respondents’ more strongly held beliefs |
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94% | believe in holding back students who are not academically prepared for the next grade |
85% | believe local school council members should meet “minimal educational requirements.” |
81% | believe students who fail “to achieve a minimum score” on a year- end “examination” should be required to go to summer school. |
66% | believe that the CPS policy for expelling students is “fair” or “very fair.” |
64% | believe students who fail “to achieve a minimum score” on a year- end “examination” should be held back. |
64% | believe CPS is doing all it can to make schools safe for students and teachers. |
61% | believe that local school councils are providing a “necessary” service. |
57% | believe that the Chicago public school system is “heading in the right direction.” |
52% | believe that CPS, not parents, should pay for student transportation. |
For more questions and detailed results, see our Web Extra. |