Policy & Finance

Topic

Elections and Education

Elections have a major impact on California education. Voters have passed ballot measures such as Proposition 98 in 1988, which set the level of state education funding, and Proposition 227 in 1998, which banned bilingual education until voters reversed the ban with Prop. 58 in 2016. Voters also elect the state superintendent of public instruction and local school board members for the state’s nearly 1,000 districts. Perhaps most significantly, they elect governors who have the most control over what happens to education in terms of funding, in appointing members to the State Board of Education and to the UC Board of Regents and the CSU Board of Trustees.

November 10, 2018

Thurmond substantially increases lead over Tuck in race for California schools chief

Thurmond has a 67,000 lead, with millions of votes yet to be tallied.

Louis Freedberg

November 8, 2018

Most California school construction bonds, parcel taxes pass

Voters approved about 80 percent of 112 school facility bonds and 8 of 13 parcel but a lot of votes remain to be counted.

John Fensterwald

November 8, 2018

Millions of votes still uncounted in California’s tight state superintendent race

As of Thursday evening, election results show Marshall Tuck leading Tony Thurmond 50.6 percent to 49.4 percent, a margin of about 69,000 votes.

Nico Savidge

November 7, 2018

Tuck has thin edge over Thurmond race for California schools chief

High-spending campaign for a job with little power but a big megaphone comes down to wire.

John Fensterwald, Nico Savidge, And Mikhail Zinshteyn

November 6, 2018

A half century ago, race for California schools chief was most contentious in the state

Contest between Wilson Riles and Max Rafferty in 1970 far more incendiary than current race for state superintendent of public instruction

Louis Freedberg

November 4, 2018

What Tuesday's election could mean for California education

California's new governor will be the key player in introducing new reforms. But where the funds to pay for them would come from is anyone's guess.

Louis Freedberg

November 3, 2018

Charter school supporters and critics are big spenders in some Bay Area school board elections

School board races in Oakland Unified and West Contra Costa Unified attract contributions

Theresa Harrington

November 2, 2018

Differences between Marshall Tuck and Tony Thurmond are real, as are areas of agreement

Whether it's clamping down on charter schools or changing teacher tenure, candidates can say a lot more than they can actually do.

John Fensterwald

November 2, 2018

Major donors in California schools chief contest also influencing local races

EdVoice and the California Teachers Association are making their influence felt in dozens of campaigns for Assembly and Senate.

Nico Savidge

October 31, 2018

Tuck leads Thurmond in race for California schools chief in new poll

Poll shows Marshall Tuck favored by two-thirds of Republicans, half of independent voters, and one-third of Democrats in the week before the Nov. 6 election.

Louis Freedberg

October 30, 2018

New California leadership must take up educational justice

There can no longer be complacency with incrementalism when it comes to education equity in California. The stakes are too high for our children, for our state, and for our nation

Carrie Hahnel and Elisha Smith Arrillaga

October 28, 2018

Asking candidates the right questions about public education

Pretty much every candidate who talks about education at all this year will promise change. It’s up to us as voters to figure out whether they mean it.

Jonathan Klein

October 28, 2018

Donations reach $50 million in race for California state superintendent of schools

Marshall Tuck has a more 2-to-1 advantage over Tony Thurmond in direct donations and $28.7 million in funding from independent committees.

John Fensterwald And Daniel J. Willis

October 25, 2018

Non-citizen parents hesitant to register for San Francisco’s school board elections

San Francisco is the only city in California where parents without U.S. citizenship are allowed to vote in school board elections, but only 49 registered, amid warnings that ICE could find their addresses.

Zaidee Stavely

October 23, 2018

Youth advocates say some Central Valley schools resisting their voter education efforts

Organizers are attempting to reverse the historically low turnout among young voters.