Abstract:
The study presented in this paper identified public perceptions in four key areas related to education: first, the extent to which public support exists for a range of possible objectives of schooling; second, Australian public opinion on the performance of schools and teachers; third, community views on the levels and sources of funding for government schools; and fourth, the relative levels of influence of a range of sources of information about schools and their performance. A national telephone survey of 1213 adult Australians, conducted at the University of Tasmania in mid-1999, revealed broad public agreement with six suggested objectives of schooling; public perceptions of schools and teachers as performing moderately well; support for increased funding for government schools; and revealed personal contacts and experience as the most influential sources of information about schools and school performance.