With the results in from the midterm elections, the question looms of how the results in federal, state, and local races will affect education policy, politics, and funding.
The political landscape is changed. Twenty states will have a new governor in January. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives will shift to Democrats, while the U.S. Senate will retain its Republican majority.
With the results in from the midterm elections, the question looms of how the results in federal, state, and local races will affect education policy, politics, and funding.
The political landscape is changed. Twenty states will have a new governor in January. Control of the U.S. House of Representatives will shift to Democrats, while the U.S. Senate will retain its Republican majority.
Meanwhile, five state legislative chambers flipped from Republican to Democratic control, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. And in Connecticut, the tied state Senate tipped to Democrats.
As we noted in a blog post right after the election — “How Did Education Fare at the Ballot Box in 2018?” – the story this year was one of seeming contradictions, especially in terms of high-profile state races.
If that’s not enough to keep an eye on, a host of local school boards around the country will see turnover as a result of the elections. Furthermore, voters weighed in directly on a host of ballot measures, including many that asked them to approve new funding for schools.
So, even as the elections are over, there is no shortage of important stories for reporters to tell about how the outcomes will reshape education priorities in the coming year, and beyond.
Election 2018: NC Teachers Break GOP Legislative Supermajority
“Remember, remember, we vote in November!” teachers shouted in May as they marched on the streets of Raleigh and in the General Assembly’s gallery, drowning out state lawmakers as they opened the legislative session.
Organizers of the historic May 16 teachers march in Raleigh say the words of the protesters became reality this week when North Carolina voters elected enough Democrats to break the Republican supermajority in the state legislature.
Wisconsin Needs $2 Billion More to Cover Programs and Schools, Report Says
Incoming Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers and state lawmakers would need to come up with more than $2 billion just to keep doing what the state already does and provide a healthy increase to schools, according to a new report.
Such a budget situation would be difficult in any year but could prove particularly tricky with split control of state government for the first sustained period since 2011.
2018 Elections: Top Education Takeaways on State Bond Measures
Education Commission of the States
In addition to selecting top leadership roles, voters in at least 17 states considered 23 measures related to education on their statewide ballots this cycle — 16 of which passed, according to National Conference of State Legislatures. Measures considered by voters this year included:
Democratic State Gains Could Spark More Scrutiny of Student Loan Industry
It’s not just newly empowered House Democrats who might be pushing back on Trump administration higher education policies come January. A slew of Democratic wins in state capitals in Tuesday’s elections increases the likelihood that more states will pass laws to crack down on companies collecting federal student loans — in defiance of the Trump administration’s efforts to stop them.
Democrats flipped six state legislative chambers this week, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. They also picked up seven new governor’s seats.
Two School Board Candidates Critical of IPS Win Election, Incumbents Ousted
The final absentee ballots from Tuesday’s midterm election were counted Thursday evening, sealing the victory of Indianapolis Public School board of commissioner candidates Susan Collins and Taria Slack.
The two are critics of the IPS administration and ousted incumbent first-term board members Mary Ann Sullivan and Dorene Rodriguez Hoops. Sullivan, a former board president, championed the reforms designed by IPS Superintendent Lewis Ferebee the past four years.
Dozens of Teachers Were Elected to State Office, But Many More Fell Short
In the first big election since teachers across the country walked out of their classrooms this spring, dozens of current teachers claimed state legislative seats—joining the policymaking bodies that greatly influence pay and funding for schools.
Wisconsin School Referendums Break Records in ‘Landslide for Public Education’
Wisconsin taxpayers voted to pour at least $1.3 billion more into their local public schools on Tuesday, raising their own property taxes in most cases to pay for it and making 2018 another record year for school district referendums.
Capping an election cycle in which education issues dominated the governor’s race, voters approved 77 referendums by school districts asking to borrow money for capital projects or exceed their state-mandated revenue limits to maintain or expand programming. They rejected just five, totaling almost $44 million.
What’s Next for Education in Idaho? Big Changes Loom in Legislature
With the election behind, eyes are about to turn to the legislature’s organizational session next month.
That’s because what happens next for education will be shaped by leadership changes coming to the House Education Committee and the budget-writing Joint-Finance Appropriations Committee. Depending on how the dominos fall, changes could come to the Senate Education Committee as well.
School Choice Advocates Double Down on Vouchers After Prop. 305 Loss
Less than a day after the crown jewel of their school choice policies was crushed at the ballot box, prominent school choice advocates doubled down by calling for the Arizona Legislature to promote school choice and vouchers laws.
Both the Goldwater Institute and American Federation for Children issued statements backing school choice in the hours after voters rejected by a 65-35 margin Proposition 305, a massive expansion of school vouchers.
How Did Education Fare at the Ballot Box in 2018?
What was the big takeaway for education in the 2018 elections? Sorry if this disappoints, but there just doesn’t appear to be a clear, simple story to tell. It was an election of seeming contradictions.
This was especially true in gubernatorial races, which matter a lot, given the key role state leaders play in education.
Parkland Activists Took on the N.R.A. Here’s How It Turned Out.
After the shooting massacre at a high school in Parkland, Fla., survivors found themselves taking on the National Rifle Association as they crisscrossed the country rallying young adults to register and vote against candidates opposed to gun control.
On Tuesday, the Parkland students got a dose of political reality.
How Many Teachers Ran for Office in 2018?
Even before the election, pundits were calling 2018 “the year of the teacher.”
The Christian Science Monitor and the Associated Press both said an unprecedented number of educators sought political office this year. “The teacher strikes pushed a record number of educators to run for office,” wrote Vox, in an article noting that “more than 1,000 teachers will be on the ballots across the country.”
Colorado Amendment 73, Tax Increase For Public Education, Has Failed
Voters rejected Amendment 73, which would have raised money for Colorado’s public schools by increasing income, corporate and property taxes.
Great Education Colorado director and measure supporter Lisa Weil said she knew Amendment 73 would be an uphill battle.
“Adequate funding, fighting for equitable funding and making sure that every student has the opportunities they need to thrive, we know that that’s not about one day. It’s not about one election. It’s not about one year. It is a movement,” Weil said.
Disappointment Largely Prevails for Teacher Caucus in Oklahoma
For politically active teachers and parents, the defeat of gubernatorial candidate Drew Edmondson was the night’s biggest disappointment.
There were other disappointments, too. Two sitting lawmakers who are former educators lost re-election: Rep. Karen Gaddis, D-Tulsa, and Rep. Donnie Condit, D-McAlester.
How Teacher Unrest Failed to Shake Up the States in the Midterms
The nation’s largest teachers union declared a “major victory” in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, but the reality is far more mixed and, in some cases, deeply disappointing for educators.
The #RedforEd movement that rocked some state capitals earlier this year — which unions sought to harness as thousands of educators demanded better school funding and salaries — didn’t break through in Republican strongholds.
Dallas, Richardson and Frisco Voters Approve School Tax Increases
Voters on Tuesday approved tax ratification elections intended to raise more money for schools in Dallas, Richardson and Frisco ISDs, according to unofficial results.
The Dallas and Richardson school districts will each get an additional 13 cents on their maintenance and operations tax rate, placing it at the state maximum of $1.17.
Walz, a Former Teacher, Wins Minnesota Governor’s Race
Timothy J. Walz, a Democrat from Mankato, will be the 41st governor of Minnesota after defeating Republican Jeff Johnson in Tuesday’s election.
“Hello, one Minnesota!” Walz, a congressman from southern Minnesota who served 24 years in the National Guard and worked as a high school teacher and coach, proclaimed in his victory speech. “Our democracy is strong tonight.”
Arizona Proposition 305 Results: Voucher Expansion Handily Defeated
A grassroots group of parents successfully overturned the massive school voucher expansion supported by the state’s Republican establishment, as the “no” vote on Proposition 305 won by a wide margin, the Associated Press has projected.
The “no” vote victory on Prop. 305 has major implications for the school-choice movement in Arizona and nationally, as the state has long been ground zero for the conservative issue and Republican leaders have crowned the Empowerment Scholarship Account expansion as a national template.
Illinois’ Next Governor J.B. Pritzker Faces 8 Education Issues, Starting With Funding
Steinmetz High School in northwest Chicago, where Emily Jade Aguilar graduated last year, had just four school counselors. In a school of more than 1,200 students, that simply wasn’t enough.
“We need more mental health resources in our schools,” said Aguilar, who spent Election Day knocking on doors with Voices of Youth in Chicago Education, “to have at least a safe space for 15 or 30 minutes where I could let someone know what is going on.”
Idaho Election 2018: What Happened, and What It Means for 2019 and Beyond
Election Night told us a lot about Idaho politics, circa 2018. And it raised several important questions for 2019 and beyond.
Let’s dive into the takeaways.
Serious question: When will Democrats win a statewide race?
It’s not that Cindy Wilson ran a perfect race for state superintendent. But she ran a more than capable race.