Dearborn, Mich--Nearly two out of three members of state boards of education say that Walter F. Mondale would be more likely than President Reagan to improve the quality of education in the United States if he is elected to the nation’s highest office next month.
Sixty-two percent of those board members responding to a poll taken at this month’s annual meeting of the National Association of State Boards of Education here said the Democratic candidate for the Presidency would be more likely than Mr. Reagan to improve the quality of American education; 36 percent said President Reagan would support education more, and 2 percent said they were undecided.
The question asked of state-board members was identical to one asked in a recent Gallup poll. In that poll, 42 percent of those responding said Mr. Mondale would be more likely to improve education if elected, compared with 34 percent who cited3President Reagan and 24 percent who said they had no opinion.
Among other findings of the nasbe poll:
Nearly 70 percent of those polled said the Constitution should not be amended to allow prayer in public schools. About 33 percent said they favored Mr. Reagan’s proposed school-prayer amendment.
Approximately 60 percent of those responding said they believe the federal government should increase its financial support of public education during the remainder of this decade. Thirteen percent said federal support should be decreased and 28 percent said the level of support should remain unchanged.
Seventy percent of those responding said they favor a longer school year. Of those who would like to see the school year lengthened, 25 percent favor a minimum of 200 days of instruction, 20 percent favor 190 days, and 20 percent favor 185 days.--tm
