1. Key findings from a statewide survey of 600 registered voters in Ohio conducted July 28th - August 1st, 2016.
LORI WEIGEL
JAY CAMPBELL
13252

2. METHODOLOGY
Statewide survey of 600 registered voters in Ohio conducted on both landlines and cell phones
Interviewing completed July 28th – August 1st, 2016
Overall margin of error of + 4.0%
Sample distributed proportionally throughout the state and is demographically representative of the electorate
Bipartisan research team of Hart Research and Public Opinion Strategies
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 2

3. Holding the line on taxes and spending
Ensuring adequate funding for state needs like education remains more important than keeping taxes low to voters.
2014
2016
54%
42%
53%
Making sure that there is sufficient funding for needs such as education
43%
Holding the line on taxes and spending
Which of the following do you think is a greater priority right now – holding the line on taxes and spending, or making sure that there is sufficient funding for needs such as education?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 3

4. Extremely/Very Important
Early education is on par as a top national priority with controlling health care costs and job creation.
Extremely Important
Extremely/Very Important
Improving the quality of public education
Increasing the number of good paying jobs
Controlling the cost of health care
Making sure that our children get a strong start in life through quality early childhood education
Decreasing the number of people living in poverty
Reducing the tax burden on families
Fixing the immigration system
Providing low- or no-cost college
Now I'm going to read you some goals that people might have for our country right now, and I'd like you to rate how important you personally consider each goal to be – is it extremely important, very important, somewhat important or not that important to you?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 4

5. Seven-in-ten Ohio voters say birth to age five is the most important time for developing a child’s capacity to learn.
Ages %
Ages %
What do you think is the most important age for developing a child's capacity to learn? Is it…
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 5

6. Just one-in-five feel early education programs in their area are high-quality and affordable.
All/Most
20%
Some/Few
41%
About how many of the early education programs in your area would you say are high‐quality AND affordable for lower‐ and middle‐income families?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 6

7. Other Media Markets (11%)
Voters throughout the state say there is a lack of affordable quality early education programs.
Dayton (11%)
All/Most
24%
About Half
11%
Some/Few
48%
Cleveland (33%)
All/Most
16%
About Half
24%
Some/Few
41%
Cincinnati (15%)
All/Most
20%
About Half
15%
Some/Few
46%
Columbus (21%)
All/Most
17%
About Half
16%
Some/Few
46%
Other Media Markets (11%)
All/Most
36%
About Half
24%
Some/Few
31%
About how many of the early education programs in your area would you say are high‐quality AND affordable for lower‐ and middle‐income families?

8. This is also true across all income levels.
High-Quality/Affordable Early Education by Income
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 8

9. A significantly larger proportion of Ohio voters today say we should be doing more for young children’s education.
And when it comes to ensuring that children here in Ohio begin kindergarten with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school, do you think we should be doing more, doing less, or are doing enough?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 9

10. Increase in Doing More (+11% Overall)
Significant increases in desire to take action on early childhood education were made across most key sub-groups.
Increase in Doing More (+11% Overall)
2014
2016
Net Increase
Party
Republicans
45%
50%
+5%
Independents
49%
73%
+24%
Democrats
82%
+9%
Gender/Age
Men Ages 18-44
47%
61%
+14%
Men Ages 45+
59%
+0%
Women Ages 18-44
67%
72%
Women Ages 45+
56%
78%
+22%
Parents
Dads
64%
+19%
Moms
62%
66%
+4%
Men Without Kids
58%
+1%
Women Without Kids
60%
80%
+20%
And when it comes to ensuring that children here in Ohio begin kindergarten with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school, do you think we should be doing more, doing less, or are doing enough?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 10

11. FEDERAL INVESTMENT PROPOSAL
“Now, thinking about one potential national proposal – Congress could consider a plan that helps states and local communities provide better early childhood education programs to low‐ and moderate‐income parents of children from birth to age five. The plan will make available ten billion dollars per year, for ten years, in grants to states in order to provide voluntary access to high‐quality early childhood education through child care for infants and toddlers, preschool programs, home visiting and parent education."
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 11

12. Nearly three-quarters support this significant investment by the federal government in early childhood education.
Total Support
74%
Total Oppose
22%
Would you support or oppose this plan to help states and local communities provide better early childhood education?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 12

13. A majority of voters across the political spectrum support this significant federal investment.
Early Education Proposal By Party
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14. More than two-thirds in every region back this significant federal investment.
Early Education Proposal By Media Market
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15. Critical swing voter sub-groups are some of the most enthusiastic about funding quality early education.
Early Education Proposal By Key Sub-groups
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16. Almost all respondents feel Congress should work together with the next president to improve access to early education.
Total Should – 92%
81%
Strongly Should
Even if they are from different political parties, do you think the next president and Congress should or should not work together to improve access to quality early childhood education?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 16

17. A candidate’s support for early education is seen as positive for more than half of Ohio voters and negative for almost none.
By Party
By Parents
41%
Much More
29%
Much More
26%
Much More
24%
Much More
21%
Much More
12%
Much More
And if a candidate for elected office here in Ohio supported investing in early childhood education, would you have a more favorable impression of him or her, less favorable impression or would it not affect your opinion much one way or the other?
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 17

18. Proposals Ranked by % Total Support
Ohio voters express strong support for state funding for early education, whether that is income-targeted or not.
Proposals Ranked by % Total Support
Total
Support
Total Oppose
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for low- and middle‐income three- and four-year-olds whose families want to send them.*
82%
16%
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for all three- and four-year-olds whose families want to send them.*
81%
18%
Providing more families with voluntary home visiting and parent
education programs that help parents improve their child's health and help ensure children are ready to learn when they start school.
78%
20%
*Split sampled (asked of N=300 respondents)
Please tell me if you support or oppose each of the following…
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 18

19. Proposals Ranked by % Strongly Support
Moreover, this support is quite intense.
Proposals Ranked by % Strongly Support
Strongly
Support
Total
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for low- and middle‐income three- and four-yea-olds whose families want to send them.*
52%
82%
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for all three- and four-year-olds whose families want to send them.*
50%
81%
Providing more families with voluntary home visiting and parent
education programs that help parents improve their child's health and help ensure children are ready to learn when they start school.
40%
78%
*Split sampled (asked of N=300 respondents)
Please tell me if you support or oppose each of the following…
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 19

20. Proposals % Total Support by Party
Each proposal earns majority support across party lines.
Proposals % Total Support by Party
GOP
IND
DEM
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for low- and middle‐income three- and four-year-olds whose families want to send them.*
68%
84%
95%
Providing state funded high‐quality early education programs for all three- and four-year-olds whose families want to send them.*
63%
83%
Providing more families with voluntary home visiting and parent education programs that help parents improve their child's health and help ensure children are ready to learn when they start school.
65%
78%
91%
*Split sampled (asked of N=300 respondents)
Please tell me if you support or oppose each of the following…
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 20

21. Three-in-five Ohio voters side with supporters of investing in early childhood education over critics.
This proposal is a good idea. Investing in our children is investing in our future. We must do more to make sure our children begin kindergarten with the knowledge and skills they need to do their best in school. Too many families can't afford the quality early childhood education their children need to get a strong start in life. This proposal will help states to expand local programs so that children who need them can participate and do well in school and life.
60%
This proposal is a bad idea. We can't afford another huge government entitlement program that costs billions of dollars. This is particularly true in the instance of early childhood education when we already have federal programs serving children birth to age five. If we want to do more to help low-income children access quality early learning opportunities we should be working within the existing programs.
38%
Thinking again about the proposal to invest in early childhood education. Please tell me which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion, even if neither one matches your opinion exactly.
PUBLIC OPINION STRATEGIES • HART RESEARCH ASSOCIATES 21

22. THE BOTTOM LINE
There is overwhelming support for state investment in early childhood education, either targeted at lower- and middle-income families or universal.
The state’s electorate also expresses support for federal investments that would help states meet the need in this area, and rates this as a top-tier goal for the nation at this time. Support is very significant among key “swing” sub-groups of the electorate.
This solid and consistent support for investments and policies that help families find affordable, quality early childhood education programs is grounded in a strong sense that a need exists, and that early childhood is when children have the greatest capacity to learn.
Support withstands criticism, as three-in-five state voters say they agree more with a statement in support of greater investments in early childhood education over one critical of such investments.
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23. THANK YOU

24. Lori Weigel
PARTNER
Jay Campbell
SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT