Report: Americans Support Universal Pre-K and Free Community College

The May 2021 Daily Kos/Civiqs Poll asked 1,464 registered voters in the United States about taxes, public education funding, lowering the Medicare enrollment eligibility age, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Americans' jobs, schooling, and housing, the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and more.

The American Families Plan

President Joe Biden recently announced the American Families Plan, which would establish funding for universal pre-kindergarten and two years of free community college. Both of these proposals are supported by a broad majority of Americans. Free pre-kindergarten for all three and four year olds receives 61% support nationwide, including 90% of Democrats and 32% of Republicans. Tuition-free community college for all Americans is also a popular idea, with 55% support nationwide.

Americans support expanding access to Medicare by lowering the enrollment eligibility age from 65 to 60 -- or even younger. A majority (52%) of Americans think that people should become eligible to enroll in Medicare at age 60 (37%), or before age 60 (15%). Fully 26% of 18-34 year olds want the Medicare enrollment age to be lower than 60, compared to 4% of those aged 65 or older. Only 37% of Americans want to leave the eligibility age at 65, and 11% are unsure.

The Coronavirus Pandemic

Nearly one in three Americans are reconsidering where they want to live as a result of the coronavirus pandemic -- but especially young people. Among those aged 18-34, 19% have either moved or are planning to move because of the pandemic. Another 21% have thought about moving but decided against it. Nationwide, 12% of Americans are changing residences, and 18% have considered it.

Americans are optimistic that schools will reopen in the fall, with or without vaccination requirements. Of those who are students or have a child in school, over half (52%) are "very confident" that they or their child will be returning to school in the fall. There is near-unanimous agreement that colleges and universities should fully reopen in the fall. However, 41% believe universities should require vaccinations, whereas 40% think that there should be no vaccination requirements. Another 14% believe that it should be up to each school to decide for themselves.

January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol

Americans want more done in response to the attack on the U.S. Capitol building on January 6, 2021 by supporters of former president Donald Trump. By a margin of 57% to 39%, Americans support the creation of a bipartisan, independent commission to investigate the attack, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and others have proposed. Support for the commission is largely -- but not entirely -- polarized along partisan lines. Democrats overwhelmingly support the commission, with 89% in favor. Yet 20% of Republican voters also support the commission. The large majority (75%) of Republicans remain opposed.

Only 21% of Americans say that they are satisfied with how United States law enforcement, including the FBI, is responding to the attack on the U.S. Capitol. A significant 40% want more people arrested -- a view shared by 67% of Democrats. A plurality (41%) of Republicans, however, want fewer people arrested in connection with the attack on the U.S. Capitol, compared to 20% of Americans overall.

Civiqs surveyed 1,464 registered voters in the United States from May 8-11, 2021. The survey was conducted online, among selected members of the Civiqs research panel. Sampled individuals were emailed by Civiqs and responded using a personalized link to the survey at civiqs.com. The survey results are weighted by age, race, gender, education, party identification, and region to be representative of the population of registered voters in the United States. The general design effect due to weighting is 1.05. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.6% at the 95% confidence level, accounting for the design effect.