When a USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times survey prompted California voters to select the top ways to improve the state's public education system, STEM education prevailed while providing computers and technology did not.
STEM education, according to California's voters, should be the state's number one focus. Almost half of voters, "49%, picked 'increasing funding for math, science and technology instruction,'" according to The Los Angeles Times.
But the poll also revealed voters' desire for emphasis on the arts, as a third of them said "funding should be increased for subjects like art and music education."
The fifth most popular choice- with only 20% of voters selecting it- was "providing technology, such as tablets and laptops, to students."
One voter offered insight into his decision to deprioritize technology, according to the article.
'If I had my druthers I would have gone with technology as much as possible because it’s the wave of the future, but it’s cost prohibitive,' said poll participant Henry Yoshikawa, who headed a tiny school district in Placer County before he retired to Sacramento. For his students, he managed to provide a computer lab in half of a triple-wide trailer, but not at the expense of traditional materials like books.
Another reason behind technology trailing in voter priorities could be because of a desire for a "back to basics" approach.
Voter Arianna Rivera told The Los Angeles Times: 'Arts and music, that needs to come back as a No. 1 priority. And then supplies and then electronics. Some students don’t have enough money for pencil and paper, and that should be provided.'
Read the full article here and comment below.
Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor
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