Policy & Finance

Topic

Elections and Education

Elections have a major impact on California education. Voters have passed ballot measures that set the level of state education funding. They banned bilingual education and later reversed that ban. Voters elect the state superintendent of public instruction and local school board members. And they elect governors who have power over school funding, appointing members to the State Board of Education and to the UC Board of Regents and the CSU Board of Trustees.

Commentary

May 20, 2022

California education to be spared divisive statewide election battles this year

Education ballot measures that promised to be most divisive failed to gather enough support and signatures to make it to the ballot this year.

Louis Freedberg

Commentary

April 22, 2022

State Superintendent Tony Thurmond on path to reelection

After two contentious and expensive elections in 2014 and 2018, this year's race for California state superintendent of public instruction seems to be generating far less interest.

Louis Freedberg

Elections and Education

March 10, 2022

Redistricting gets political as California school boards draw new boundaries

School districts across California were required to draw new maps for trustee elections by Feb. 28, a process that's become political in some districts.

Emma Gallegos

Gig by gig at California Community Colleges

February 14, 2022

Health care benefits key battleground for California’s adjunct community college faculty

2022 may be the year of health benefits for part-time faculty at California's community colleges, where adjuncts teach about half of the courses and make up about two-thirds of the faculty. Gov. Newsom is proposing more funding that could give some of these instructors coverage for the first time.

Thomas Peele

Parent Involvement

February 4, 2022

Noncitizen parents can vote in San Francisco school board recall. But will they?

Elected officials and advocates for allowing noncitizen parents to vote in the San Francisco school board recall say it’s important because many of the district’s parents are not citizens.

Zaidee Stavely

Elections and Education

September 14, 2021

Gov. Gavin Newsom resoundingly beats back recall election

Democratic voters rally around the California governor in the closing days of the campaign, in a strong turnout to keep him in office.

John Fensterwald And Thomas Peele

Elections and Education

September 8, 2021

Could a recall-elected Republican governor really shake up K-12 schools?

A supermajority in the Legislature would rein in a new governor, who'd also face long odds on the big prize: selling a voucher initiative next year.

John Fensterwald

Elections and Education

September 8, 2021

Leading recall candidates lay out positions on K-12 issues

The four candidates leading in California recall polls respond to questions about their views on several K-12 education issues.

John Fensterwald

Elections and Education

January 6, 2021

California educators condemn and reflect on Capitol attack

Educators offered support services for students and families while underscoring the importance of a robust education system.

EdSource staff

Elections and Education

November 24, 2020

Biden’s nominee for homeland security chief likely to change immigration policies affecting children and youth

Alejandro Mayorkas’ background as a refugee from Cuba shapes his views on immigration policies.

Louis Freedberg

Elections and Education

November 11, 2020

Defeat of Prop. 15 to raise commercial property taxes denies schools more revenue

The first major challenge to Prop. 13’s limit on property taxes would have provided an estimated $2.5 billion to $4.5 billion annually for K-12 schools and community colleges.

John Fensterwald

College & Careers

November 10, 2020

Community colleges find an advocate in future First Lady Jill Biden

When she moves into the White House, Jill Biden will make history as the first First Lady to hold a job outside the White House — as a community college English professor.