A majority of Latinos want candidates as well as the government to place a higher emphasis on education, including more federal funding. (Photos/Getty Images)

A new survey finds Latinos are among the groups who place the most emphasis on education as they weigh candidates and issues in November’s elections, according to a College Board Swing State Education Survey commissioned by the College Board.

“Voters are sending a very clear message that they want candidates to focus on education,” says María de los Angeles Corral, Associate Director of Latino communications and marketing for the College Board.

Corral adds “the message resonates especially with Hispanic voters - with 81 percent of Latinos believing education is an extremely important issue.” By contrast, 62 percent of whites thought it was an extremely important priority. African Americans gave it the highest priority, at 91 percent.

Women voters place a significantly higher priority on education as a voter issue, with 75 percent of women saying it is an extremely important issue versus 58 percent of men.

Though many candidates promise to reduce taxes as part of their campaign aims, the survey found 55 percent of American voters would be willing to pay two hundred dollars more in taxes to support increased funding for education.

And what is more, three in four voters believe you do need a college degree to achieve success in the workplace.

As candidates discuss their spending plans and their proposed budgets, 57 percent of Latinos, almost six out of ten - think increased funding for education is definitely necessary, and 85 percent of Hispanics think it is necessary. In contrast, less than four in ten non-Hispanic whites (38 percent) thought increased education funding is definitely necessary and 74 percent of whites say it is necessary.

And while deficit reduction is a regular topic of conversation in Washington and among legislators and candidates, the voters interviewed on the poll thought improving elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools would do more to get the economy back on track than reducing the federal budget deficit, reducing taxes on businesses or modernizing transportation or infrastructure.

In what areas of education should increased funding be spent? The top two voter priorities were ensuring art, music and physical education programs in school, and keeping college tuition down.

And as the candidates and the parties debate the role of the states versus the role of the federal government in our nation’s schools, Latinos prefer a larger role for Washington. Over half - 52 percent - of Latinos say the federal government should be doing more to improve education, versus 30 percent of whites.

Less than half of Hispanics (47 percent), however, thought the federal government was too involved and education should be left up to individual states. 64 percent of non-Hispanic whites, on the other hand, prefer the individual states to take the lead in education.

For political candidates, is there a big takeaway from the survey? According to the survey, while Democrats are slightly better positioned than Republicans on the “education issue,” the poll’s authors say the issue is “up for grabs” in the election.

“It’s time that education got the attention it deserves in Campaign 2012,” says College Board’s Maria de los Angeles Corral.

SANDRA LILLEY, NBC LATINO STAFF

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