1. CA Latino Voter Poll:
Early Learning is a Winning Issue
HART
RESEARCH
A S S O T E SC I A
THETARRANCEGROUP
Key findings from statewide survey
Conducted for
2. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for2
Latinos In California
More than one third of California’s population is
Latino.
Latinos will be California's largest ethnic group
by 2020.
There are 5.4 million eligible Latino voters in
California, 24% of all eligible voters in the state.
Starting in 2006, a majority of new registered
voters in California have been Latinos.
3. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for
Latino Voters In California
Latino voters support candidates who
speak to the issues most important to
them:
In this November’s election, 28% of Latinos
voted for Meg Whitman.
In the 2003 Gubernatorial recall election, 42%
of Latino voters supported Governor
Schwarzenegger over Cruz Bustamante.
3
4. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for
Latino Voters in November 2nd
Election
Latinos made up 22% of all voters in
November’s election.
Latinos made the difference in some of
California's most important races.
Governor-Elect Jerry Brown – advantage among
Latino voters accounted for just over 7 percent
advantage in the overall vote. He won by 11 percent.
Senator Barbara Boxer – Latinos accounted for just
over 8 percent of advantage. She won by 9 percent.
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5. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for5
Latino Children In California
Latino children account for more than half of all kids
under age 5 in CA.
By 2025, Latinos will make up almost half of new
labor force in CA.
Our state’s future depends on ensuring young Latino
children have opportunity to access early education.
Builds foundation to excel in K-12.
Places on pathway to success in college, careers.
6. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for6
Survey Methodology
Statewide telephone survey conducted July
19 – 25, 2010, among 895 registered Latino
voters in California.
Bilingual interviewers were used for all
interviews; 252 respondents took the survey
in Spanish.
Margin of error = ±3.4 percentage points.
7. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for7
43%
51%
54%
56%
66%
75%
75%
% saying each candidate description for governor/legislator appeals a great deal
Believes education
is the pathway
to opportunity
Will ensure children
have opportunity to
get a great education
Will do what’s best
for CA families
Knows/looks out for
CA Latino community
Will hold down taxes
for average CA
Wants to invest in
infrastructure for
CA future
Fiscal conservative,
will make needed cuts
to balance budget
Education Candidate Is Most Appealing
8. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for8
7% 22% 30% 39%
9% 21% 33% 35%
9% 23% 33% 33%
10% 22% 29% 36%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Providing Latino children
with same educational
opportunities as others
Giving children the
opportunity to get
a good education
Providing children an
education that will allow
them to compete/succeed
in today’s economy
Ensuring students are
grounded in the basics of
math, reading, writing
State Receives Poor Marks
On Education
Excellent job Poor job Not sureGood job Fair job
Evaluation of California’s Performance in Selected Areas
9. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for9
Description of Preschool Programs: “Organized learning programs outside the home for
young children that help children develop social skills and introduce them to early
reading and math”
Importance of Attending
Preschool before Kindergarten
Latinos Believe Preschool Is Important,
Gives Children An Advantage
Children’s Advantage in School
after Attending Preschool
49%
34%
17%
Extremely
important
Very important
Less important/
not sure
83%
HIGHLY
IMPORTANT 14%
72%
14% Large
advantage
86%
CHILDREN HAVE
ADVANTAGE
Small
advantage
No advantage/
not sure
10. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for10
Ready for Kindergarten: Greatest
Gains for Kids Who Need It Most
11. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for11
22%
23%
50%
5%
California’s Efforts to Ensure
Quality Preschool Available
and Affordable to All
California Not Doing Enough To
Ensure Preschool Access
How many families in your community
have access to affordable quality pre-
school programs?
23%
5%
7%
Doing
too much
65%
CA NOT
DOING
ENOUGH
72%
HALF/FEWER
HAVE ACCESS
Not
sure
Doing
right
amount
Not
sure All/
most
About half
Less
than half/
very few
12. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for12
What Groups of Children Are Least
Likely To Be In High-quality Preschool?
Percent of children in high-quality preschool that
prepares them for success in school:
14% of Latino children
13% of low-income children
12% of children whose mothers have high school
diploma or less
5% of African American children
13. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for13
21%
25%
26%
28%
40%
52%
58%
% saying each is a major reason why some children might not attend preschool
Not enough
affordable programs
Three-hour programs
not long enough for
parents to work
Parents not aware of
available programs
No programs in my
community
Teachers/staff don’t
speak Spanish
Programs available
here are poor quality
or unsafe
Better for kids to stay
home with relatives
until kindergarten
Reasons Children Don’t Attend
Preschool
14. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for14
Strong Support For Greater Preschool
Investment, Even In Current Budget/
Economic Environment
13%
9%
Support for CA Ensuring Low-
Income Families Have Access
to Voluntary, Quality Preschool
Strongly
favor
71%
84%
“Even though CA economy and budget are
in bad shape, CA needs to continue to sup-
port access to high-quality preschool to
prepare children for success in kindergar-
ten and beyond.”
91%
Strongly
agree
75%
Favor Oppose Agree Disagree
Total Favor
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
87%
87%
68%
Total Agree
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
94%
93%
76%
15. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for15
Messages That Resonate With Latino Voters
Before age 5, children’s brains are like sponges, and they are
eager to learn. We should take advantage of this important
opportunity to stimulate and feed their minds. (89%)
Preschool helps kids develop social skills, cooperation,
problem solving and a love of learning. (86%)
Attending preschool leads to better student performance,
including better reading and math scores in kindergarten and
beyond. (82%)
% saying the following are convincing arguments for why CA should
make quality preschool more accessible and affordable
16. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for16
Latino Voters Support Candidates Who
Support Preschool & Early Learning
17% 16%
Support for Candidate for Governor/Legislator who wants to:
Much
more
likely
50%
13%
21%
More likely
to support
INCREASE Funding For
Preschool/Early Learning
DECREASE Funding for Preschool/
Early Learning to Balance Budget
Makes no
difference
Less likely
to support
69%
Much
less
likely
44%
More likely
to support
Makes no
difference
Less likely
to support
61%
Total More Likely
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
71%
67%
62%
Total Less Likely
Democrats
Independents
Republicans
65%
59%
52%
17. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for17
45%
48%
48%
53%
56%
Will lead California
to a better future
Focused on the
right priorities
Looking out for
me and my family
Shares my values
Understands the
Latino community
Profile Of A Pro-Preschool, Early
Learning Candidate
How well does this describe a candidate who wants to increase funding
to make quality preschool, early learning more affordable/accessible?
Describes pro-preschool candidate very well Describes fairly well
78%
74%
69%
69%
65%
18. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for18
Summary Of Key Findings
Education is a top priority for Latino voters as a pathway to
opportunity, but Latino voters give California poor marks
when it comes to providing those educational opportunities.
Latino voters see preschool as a critical piece of the state’s
educational mission and believe preschool provides
important benefits to children.
Latinos face multiple barriers to preschool, so even in the
context of the state's fiscal challenges and competing
priorities, Latino voters support expanding access to quality
preschool.
Latino voters support candidates who support preschool
and early learning funding, and would oppose candidates
who would decrease such funding.
19. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for
Looking Ahead: Supporting Our Future
through Early Learning
Ensuring a successful future for California and the Central Valley
means ensuring Latino children are ready to excel in school, college
and careers.
California early learning policy priorities:
Transitional Kindergarten
Development of quality rating scale to improve school readiness and
raise quality of existing programs
Protecting current budget investments
Fresno local efforts
2007 Economic Impact Report
2008 Master Plan for Voluntary Preschool
2010 Professional Learning Communities for Transition Kindergarten
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20. CA Latino Voters and Preschool – July 2010 – Hart Research/Tarrance Group for
Ways to Get Involved and Show
Your Support
Share poll results and other materials with colleagues
and friends. All materials are available at
www.preschoolcalifornia.org/latinopoll
Sign up for Preschool California’s email updates to learn
about latest policy developments at
www.preschoolcalifornia.org.
Talk with community members and leaders about the
importance of early learning in Fresno County.
Join us at Preschool California’s 2011 Early Learning
Advocacy Day in Sacramento.
20
21. Thank you!
Ernesto Saldaña, Statewide Field Director
esaldana@preschoolcalifornia.org
Rebecca Chamow, Local Communications Consultant
rchamow@preschoolcalifornia.org
HART
RESEARCH
A S S O T E SC I A
THETARRANCEGROUP
More information at
www.preschoolcalifornia.org/latinopoll