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Breckenridge �Public Schools��2024 Community Survey�Summary of Results

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Survey outline

INTRODUCTION

    • Survey included interviews with 300 registered voters in the Breckenridge school district.
    • Interviews were completed between September 16th and September 27th.
    • Survey included 36 questions; average interview length was 10 minutes.
    • Approximate margin of error is ±5.3%.

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Who we called

INTRODUCTION

    • Interview process included demographic targets intended to provide a representative sample of voters in the district.
    • To the extent that any demographic dimension was under- or over-sampled, sample weights were adjusted to compensate.

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Who we called (cont.)

INTRODUCTION

    • Demographic targets included:
      • Age
      • Gender
      • Parent status
      • Voting history
      • Geographic area
    • Cell phones and homeownership were tracked but were not demographic targets.

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Survey structure

SURVEY RESULTS

    • Main body of survey asked about potential property tax increase to support programs and facilities.
      • Participants were asked to respond to details about specific programs and facility improvements, as well as reacting to potential tax impacts.
    • Additional questions asked for general opinions about the District.

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Initial support for tax increase

“A community task force has been working on a ten-year facilities plan to address future student enrollment and operational needs, capacities of existing buildings, and long-term maintenance needs. ��As a result of the work of the task force, the District may ask voters to increase property taxes to provide needed resources to fund investments in students, teaching and learning, transportation, and school buildings and sites.

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Based on what you know now, would you favor or oppose such a proposal?”

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TAX INCREASE

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Initial support

TAX INCREASE

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Effect of information

TAX INCREASE

    • Participants were asked to react to 21 different statements describing potential impacts to school programs and facilities if a property tax increase is approved.
    • Items were presented in random order to minimize positional bias.

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Effect of information (cont.)

“I am going to read some statements about the potential school operational needs and facility and grounds projects and upgrades.

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For each of these statements, please tell me whether the information would make you much more likely, somewhat more likely, somewhat less likely, or much less likely to support the proposal.”

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TAX INCREASE

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Reaction to details

TAX INCREASE

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Labels show combined % for more/much more likely, less/much less likely and no difference.

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Reaction to details (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Labels show combined % for more/much more likely, less/much less likely and no difference.

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Reaction to details (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Labels show combined % for more/much more likely, less/much less likely and no difference.

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Informed support

“Now that you have heard more information about the potential to raise property taxes to fund projects addressing high priority operational and facility needs in the school district, would you favor or oppose such a proposal?”

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TAX INCREASE

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Comparison – initial and informed

TAX INCREASE

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Difference is not statistically significant.

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Demographic differences

    • The following slides show a quick snapshot of differences in support between demographic groups:
      • Parent status
      • Gender
      • Age
      • Location
    • Charts show level of support after hearing information about each proposal.

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TAX INCREASE

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      • Voting activity
      • Income
      • Education
      • Homeownership

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Demographic differences (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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* “Parent” includes respondents with children attending Breckenridge Schools.

** “Alumni Parent” includes parents whose grown children attended Breckenridge�Schools in the past.

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Demographic differences (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Demographic differences (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Demographic differences (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Demographic differences (cont.)

TAX INCREASE

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Impact of cost information

TAX IMPACTS

“I am going to ask you some questions about the potential costs to fund high priority operational and facility improvement needs in the school district. Each question presents you with both the monthly and the annual costs for an average home worth approximately $200,000. �

For each one, please tell me if knowing the cost�of the proposal would make you support or oppose�such a referendum.”

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Impact of cost information (cont.)

    • Participants were asked about three potential property tax increases to fund programs: $360, $480 and $600 per year on an average home valued at $200,000.
    • Dollar amounts were presented in terms of both monthly and annual impacts.
    • To preclude responses given in anticipation of higher or lower options, impacts were presented in random order.

TAX IMPACTS

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Impact of cost information (cont.)

TAX IMPACTS

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Potential tax impacts tested were $360, $480 and $600 per year.

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Impact of cost information (cont.)

TAX IMPACTS

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Grading the district

“Students are often given the grades of �A, B, C, D and Fail to denote the quality �of their work. Suppose the Breckenridge �Public Schools were graded in the same way.

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What grade would you give to the �public schools in the Breckenridge �School District?”

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Grading the district (cont.)

GRADING THE DISTRICT

    • 59% of participants gave the district a grade of A or B.
    • 7% gave grades of D or Fail.
    • 5% had no response to offer.

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Benchmark comparisons

GRADING THE DISTRICT

    • For reference, we compare the community’s grades from the current survey against a national benchmark.
    • National benchmark is the PDK Poll of the Public’s Attitudes Toward the Public Schools, conducted in 2022.
    • For purposes of comparison between surveys, we do not include “I Don’t Know” responses.

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Benchmark comparisons (cont.)

GRADING THE DISTRICT

    • Overall grades were better than national benchmark.
      • Slightly more A and B grades.

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Basis of grade

GRADING THE DISTRICT

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    • Respondents were asked for the basis of the grade they gave to the District.
    • Six options were presented.

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Basis of grade (cont.)

GRADING THE DISTRICT

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Opinions about the school district

SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY

    • Late in the survey, participants were asked to react to two statements about investments in the public schools:
      • Our community receives a good value from the investment in its public schools.
      • Since 1960, Wilkin County's population has decreased by approximately 4,400 residents, and the State Demographer predicts this trend will continue through 2030. Declining student enrollment in Breckenridge will require a larger local investment to maintain quality programs and schools for fewer students.
    • Respondents were asked for their level of agreement with each statement.

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Opinions about the school district (cont.)

SCHOOLS IN THE COMMUNITY

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Labels show combined % for agree/strongly agree, disagree/strongly disagree and no opinion.

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Tax aversion

Participants were asked how much they agreed with the following statement:

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“I would never vote for a tax increase,�no matter what the amount or how the money �raised would be used.”

COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS

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Tax aversion (cont.)

COMMUNITY PERCEPTIONS

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  • Agree/strongly agree of 21% is consistent with the 15%-25% range typically seen in Minnesota school districts.

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Findings: potential tax increase

    • Initial support for tax increase was 56.7%.
    • Informed support was 60.5%.
    • Information about the proposal increased support �by 3.8 percentage points.
      • Difference not enough to be statistically significant.

SURVEY FINDINGS

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Findings: tax increase (cont.)

    • Positive impacts ranged from 42% to 78%.
    • Negative impacts ranged from 2% to 28%.
    • Greatest positive impact seen from improvements to school safety and security, special education spaces and help for struggling students.
    • Much more ambivalence for new auditorium, improvements to natural light and air quality, and expansions of athletic facilities.

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SURVEY FINDINGS

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Findings: demographic support

    • Highest support for facilities plan comes from parents, voters 18-34 years of age and households with annual income below $25,000.
    • Lowest support from voters over 65 years of age, very active voters, residents of Precinct 1 and households with annual income above $150,000.

SURVEY FINDINGS

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Findings: potential tax impacts

    • At the time of data collection, overall support levels rise above margin of error (55.3%) at an impact of �$390 per year.
    • Looking at weighted turnout of Less Active, Active and Very Active voters, support rises above margin of error at the $385 impact level.
    • Undecided voters were less than 2.5% at each tax impact level.

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SURVEY FINDINGS

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Findings: grading the district

    • 59% gave A and B grades to the district; 7% gave D or Fail grades.
    • Grades were better than national benchmark.

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SURVEY FINDINGS

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Findings: tax climate

    • 21% of participants indicated that they would not support any tax increase for any reason.
    • Typical tax aversion levels seen in Minnesota school districts range from 15% to 25%.

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SURVEY FINDINGS

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Thank you!

The Morris Leatherman Company��612-920-0337

morris-leatherman.com

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Survey demographics

    • The following slides show proportions of total interviews versus targets before any sample weighting was performed.
    • After re-balancing, samples were each within 1% of targets.

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Demographic targets: Gender

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Demographic targets: Age

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Demographic targets: Parent households

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Supplementary demographics: Location

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Demographic targets: Past voting activity

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Supplementary demographics: Survey channel

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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Supplementary demographics: Homeowner/renter

SURVEY DEMOGRAPHICS

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