SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- A new poll released Wednesday shows that Californians are worried about the budget crisis' impact on public schools.

But Californians remain divided in their willingness to pay more taxes to maintain current school funding.

The survey by the Public Policy Institute of California also found a sharp decline in residents' confidence that their elected officials can affectively handle the challenges ahead.

Four in 10 Californians, or 41 percent, approve of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's overall performance. That's down from 44 percent last month and 57 percent in December.