A baker’s dozen of races that matter to education
There’s a lot at stake for public education in the 2012 elections including and well beyond the presidential choice. Seats on state boards of education are being contested in nine states, and there are gubernatorial races in eight states where governors appoint school board members, Education Week reports. About one-sixth of the approximately 600 state board seats could change as a result of the elections, it said. Four states are voting on state schools superintendents, numerous states have ballot initiatives on a variety of topics, and there are a number of education-related races for the U.S. House and Senate. (Ed Week has a complete education voting guide here.)Here are 13 races to watch around the country in Tuesday’s election that will affect public education:
1) In Florida, voters will decide whether to drop from the state constitution language in the Blaine Amendment that prohibits the use of state funds at religious institutions. This would lead the way to a statewide voucher program.
2) In Georgia, voters will decide whether to approve a state commission that would have the authority to approve new charter schools over the objections of local school boards.
3) In Washington, voters will decide whether to allow charter schools to open across