Majority of Tennesseans Want Increased Rural Access to Higher Ed Opportunities
Survey
Mar. 2021
Sample Size:
500
Demographics:
voters
Registered Voters
Topics:
Educational Pathways
State-Level
Top Findings:
- A majority of respondents (53%) think Tennessee state government should increase its funding for college education, while only 7% think it should be decreased; 35% favor keeping it at its current level.
- Only 39% think Tennessee colleges and universities provide adequate financial aid for students, while 21% think they do not; 41% do not have an opinion.
- Roughly 69% agree that the state’s HOPE scholarships should be available to those enrolled in all state-approved online universities rather than only online programs offered by two- and four-year colleges in Tennessee.
- More than three-fourths (78%) of respondents say they support Gov. Lee’s focus on increasing higher-education opportunities in rural areas of the state. However, only 52% say it should be a top priority after respondents were given a battery of six areas and asked to rate each one in terms of whether they should be a top, middle or low priority for Gov. Lee. Three out of five say that affordability of college and technical training should be a top priority, and 50% agree that ensuring the ability of graduates to succeed in the workplace should be a top focus.
- 89% agree that, for Tennessee’s economy to compete with other states, it is essential that the state have an educated workforce.
- A majority thinks that online college degree programs are better than (10%) or about the same as (44%) traditional, in-person degree programs.
- Just over a quarter (27%) of respondents say they need more education and training to get the kind of job or career they would like to have. Of those, 35% would most likely pursue additional education/training at a community college, while 24% would prefer a technical school, and 22% named a four-year public college or university as their choice.
- 42% say they either plan to or may return to school, 19% and 23%, respectively. Of those, 93% say they have convenient access to high-speed, broadband internet, and 90% say they are comfortable enough with technology to take college-level courses entirely online.
- 27% of all respondents say they have had to buy new technology equipment for work or to go to school online during the pandemic. Of those, 47% say the purchase(s) created a financial hardship for them.