WELCOME TO THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CIRCUS

WHERE YOUR VOTE IS THE CLOWN AND BILLIONAIRES OWN THE BIG TOP

California has always had a flair for the dramatic — earthquakes, wildfires, celebrity governors — but the 2026 political season has delivered something truly spectacular: a full-throttle, big-money, dark-money, no-holds-barred hostile takeover of public education, dressed up in the language of "reform," "efficiency," and "streamlining." Grab your popcorn. The ballots just went out, and the show is absolutely unhinged.

ACT ONE: THE EDUCATION CZAR COMETH (AB 2117)

Let's start with the star of our show — Assembly Bill 2117, authored by Assemblymember David Alvarez, which proposes to do something that sounds perfectly reasonable until you read the fine print.

The bill would:

Create a Governor-appointed Education Commissioner to run the California Department of Education
Demote the elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction to a glorified "watchdog" — a hall monitor with a fancy title and no actual hall
Hand a Governor who is actively eyeing a presidential run direct, daily control over the education of 5.8 million California children

The justification? California's governance is too "fragmented." Too many cooks. Too much democracy getting in the way of a clean org chart.

Because nothing says "we care about your children" quite like eliminating the only statewide education official you actually get to vote for.

The Irony Meter: The bill passed the Assembly Education Committee with unanimous support — which tells you either that it's a genuinely brilliant idea, or that Sacramento has achieved a rare bipartisan consensus around doing whatever the Governor wants. You decide.

ACT TWO: FOLLOW THE MONEY (IT'S WEARING A HOODIE)

Here is where our circus gets its most colorful performers. The 2026 Governor's race has become a billionaire spending bonanza that makes the Wild West look like a carefully regulated farmers market.

Meet California Back to Basics — the Independent Expenditure committee that has raised a jaw-dropping $22.7 million to support San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, and whose donor list reads like the VIP lounge at a TED Talk:

Donor	Amount	Day Job
Michael Moritz	$3,000,000	Sequoia Capital
Patrick Collison	$1,490,000	Stripe Co-founder
Rick Caruso	$1,500,000	Real Estate / Former LA Mayoral Candidate
Vinod Khosla	$1,100,000	Khosla Ventures
Reed Hastings	$1,000,000	Netflix Executive Chairman
Sergey Brin	$1,000,000	Google Co-founder
John Doerr	$1,000,000	Kleiner Perkins
Steve Huffman	$1,000,000	Reddit Co-founder
Paul Buchheit	$1,000,000	Creator of Gmail

These are not people who lie awake at night worrying about the third-grade reading scores in Fresno. These are people who funded the Super Bowl ad — a $1.5 million television spot — to introduce a San Jose mayor to voters who had never heard of him.

Meanwhile, Tom Steyer has personally injected $132 million of his own money into the race, which has triggered a $21 million dark-money opposition blitz from Californians for Affordability — funded by PG&E, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the California Real Estate IE Committee. Because apparently, when a billionaire runs against other billionaires, the other billionaires get very upset.

ACT THREE: THE LIBERTARIAN WOLF IN LIBERAL CLOTHING

Here is the uncomfortable truth that California's political establishment would prefer you not discuss at dinner parties:

California is not a liberal state. It is a libertarian state with a liberal marketing department.

The playbook has been running for nearly 50 years:

DEFUND — Proposition 13 (1978) slashed property taxes, causing local school revenue to collapse by 60%. California fell from 5th in the nation for per-pupil spending to, eventually, 47th by 2011.
DEMONIZE — Fund think tanks at Stanford (hello, Hoover Institution and PACE) to publish "research" declaring public schools are "failing" and "fragmented." Use that research as intellectual cover for the next step.
PRIVATIZE — Push charter schools, vouchers, and "Education Savings Accounts" that redirect your tax dollars to private and religious schools while calling it "choice."

The current proposal fits this pattern with suspicious precision. Governor Newsom's governance restructuring — justified by a December 2025 PACE report calling California's system a "remarkably crazy quilt" — would concentrate control in the executive branch, making it dramatically easier for a future governor to implement market-based reforms without the inconvenient friction of an independently elected Superintendent pushing back.

ACT FOUR: THE $17,000 TROJAN HORSE

While everyone watches the AB 2117 debate, a November 2026 ballot initiative is quietly loading the catapult.

The "Children's Educational Opportunity Act" would:

Give every California family $17,000 per year in an Education Savings Account for private, religious, or home schooling
Repeal California's constitutional ban on public funding for religious schools
Allow unused funds to roll over for college

The math is brutal: even if just 10% of California's 5.8 million students opt out, that's $9.86 billion annually leaving the public school system. Combined with Newsom's accounting maneuver that critics say withholds $5.6 billion in constitutionally guaranteed Proposition 98 funding, traditional public schools — especially in urban and rural communities — would face a catastrophic death spiral.

The California Teachers Association has committed $11 million to fight back with their own counter-initiative. The "Urban Eight" superintendents — representing Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno, Long Beach, Santa Ana, and San Bernardino — have united in opposition. The California School Boards Association is preparing lawsuits.

ACT FIVE: WHERE THE CANDIDATES STAND

The 2026 primary has 61 candidates — sixty-one — which is either a testament to California's vibrant democracy or evidence that the filing fee is too low. Here's the education governance scorecard:

Candidate	AB 2117 Stance	Who's Paying
Matt Mahan	Supportive — "streamline"	$25.2M in Silicon Valley IE support
Antonio Villaraigosa	Supportive — long-time advocate	Tech-centrist donors
Katie Porter	Skeptical — voter accountability first	Grassroots / ActBlue / Labor
Tony Thurmond	Opposed — defends elected SPI	CTA / Labor unions
Steve Hilton / Republicans	Opposed — but prefer local control	Lincoln Club / Taxpayer groups
Tom Steyer	Self-funded wildcard	$132M of his own money

Xavier Becerra has not released an official individual statement on AB 2117 (the Mobile Opt-Out and Civil Rights Act) in his capacity as a gubernatorial candidate. However, his general policy framework and past actions as California’s Attorney General suggest a likely supportive stance, though he has signaled a need to balance innovation with consumer protections.

The teachers' unions — CTA, CFT, and CSEA — have all moved to "Oppose Unless Amended" on AB 2117, arguing that converting the elected Superintendent into an ombudsman is not reform. It's a demotion with a press release.

THE NOVEMBER 2026 BALLOT: DOOZY ALERT 🚨

The user is right — there are some doozies on that November ballot. Here's your cheat sheet of what's currently heading your way:

Measure	What It Does	Watch Out For
Billionaire Tax Act	5% excise tax on net worth over $1 billion	Tech titans are spending $39M+ to kill it
Children's Ed Opportunity Act	$17K ESA vouchers for private schools	The public school funding time bomb
Two-Thirds Vote for Special Taxes	Raises threshold for local tax initiatives	Could gut school district budgets overnight
Voter ID Initiative	Requires government ID at polls	GOP-backed; critics call it voter suppression
Affirmative Action in Education	Allows race-conscious admissions	Reverses decades of Prop 209 restrictions
Public Campaign Financing (SB 42)	Public funds for candidates who cap spending	The antidote to everything else on this list

The official Proposition numbers won't be assigned until June 25, 2026, when the Secretary of State finalizes the ballot.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THIS IS ABOUT POWER, NOT PEDAGOGY

Let's be crystal clear about what is actually happening here.

This is not about fragmented governance. It is not about efficiency. It is not about the children — if it were about the children, the state wouldn't be playing accounting games with $5.6 billion in constitutionally guaranteed school funding.

This is about who controls the spigot on tens of billions of dollars in public education spending. And right now, a coalition of tech billionaires, libertarian-leaning "Libertarian Democrats," dark-money PACs, and a Governor with presidential ambitions is making a coordinated move to ensure that spigot points toward the private market — and away from the public schools that serve the vast majority of California's children.

Your ballots are already in the mail. Before you fill one out:

✅ Find out where your gubernatorial candidate stands on AB 2117
✅ Look up who is funding the "Children's Educational Opportunity Act"
✅ Check the November ballot propositions — especially the two-thirds voting threshold measure that could make local school tax measures nearly impossible to pass
✅ Follow the money at FollowTheMoney.org and Cal-Access — because in California 2026, the money always tells the real story

California was once the crown jewel of American public education — ranked 5th in the nation in 1965. It took 40 years of deliberate defunding and privatization to knock it to 47th. The people who engineered that decline are now offering to "fix" it. With your tax dollars. Under their control.

Don't let them.

Sources:

SOURCE LIST: THE CALIFORNIA EDUCATION CIRCUS

🏛️ Legislative & Bill Tracking

AB 2117 — Official Bill Text (LegiScan) Full legislative language, amendments, and current status of the governance restructuring bill. 🔗 https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2117/id/3398806
AB 2117 — CalMatters Digital Democracy Tracker Real-time tracking of votes, committee hearings, and organizational positions. 🔗 https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260ab2117

📰 News Coverage & Investigative Reporting

EdSource: Assembly Leaders Redefine State Superintendent's Role (AB 2117) Core news coverage of the bill's structure and legislative progress. 🔗 https://edsource.org/2026/california-education-restructuring-bill/757042
iNewsSource: Alvarez & Patel Rewrite California Superintendent of Public Instruction Role Deep dive into the April 30, 2026 amendments and the political mechanics behind the bill. 🔗 https://inewsource.org/2026/04/30/california-state-superintendent-education-oversight-alvarez-patel/
EdSource: Answer Key Questions Before Changing Leadership of California's Department of Education Analysis and editorial perspective on what should be resolved before restructuring. 🔗 https://edsource.org/2026/california-education-department-restructure/757314
EdSource: California Gubernatorial Candidates Divided Over Education Funding and Social Issues Breakdown of all 61 candidates' positions on education, funding, and governance. 🔗 http://edsource.org/?page_id=756626

🐺 Opinion, Analysis & Advocacy

Big Education Ape: The Great California Education Heist — How a "Liberal" Governor Handed the Keys to the Billionaire Boys Club Comprehensive critique of Newsom's governance proposal, the PACE think tank connection, the voucher initiative, and the Prop 98 funding shell game. 🔗 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/01/the-great-california-education-heist.html
Big Education Ape: California — The Libertarian Wolf in Liberal Clothing The foundational argument that California operates under billionaire-backed libertarian ideology masked by progressive branding. 🔗 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2025/01/california-libertarian-wolf-in-liberal.html
Big Education Ape: From Gold Rush to Gold Bust — How California Fumbled Its Education Crown in 50 Years Historical chronicle of California's fall from 5th to 47th in per-pupil spending and the forces that drove it. 🔗 https://bigeducationape.blogspot.com/2026/05/from-gold-rush-to-gold-bust-how.html

💰 Campaign Finance & Money Tracking

California Secretary of State — Cal-Access Campaign Finance Database Official source for tracking all PAC contributions, Independent Expenditure committees, and candidate filings in California. 🔗 https://cal-access.sos.ca.gov
FollowTheMoney.org — California 2026 Election Cycle National database for tracking dark money, IE committees, and donor networks across all California races. 🔗 https://www.followthemoney.org
OpenSecrets — California Governor's Race 2026 Federal-level tracking of PAC spending, donor networks, and outside group activity. 🔗 https://www.opensecrets.org

🏫 Education Policy & Background

California Legislative Information — AB 2117 Official State Page The state's primary database for the bill's full text, history, and official committee analyses. 🔗 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Teachers Association (CTA) — Legislative Advocacy & 2026 Priorities Official CTA positions on AB 2117, the voucher initiative, and endorsed candidates including Tom Steyer and Richard Barrera. 🔗 https://www.cta.org/legislative-advocacy
California School Boards Association (CSBA) — Policy & Legal Resources CSBA's official positions on governance restructuring and their constitutional challenges to AB 2117. 🔗 https://www.csba.org
PACE — Policy Analysis for California Education (Stanford) The think tank whose December 2025 report on "fragmented" governance provided the intellectual framework for AB 2117 — cited by both proponents and critics. 🔗 https://edpolicyinca.org

🗳️ Ballot & Voter Resources

California Secretary of State — Official November 2026 Ballot Measures The official source for all qualified statewide initiatives, proposition numbers (assigned after June 25, 2026), and voter guides. 🔗 https://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/ballot-measures
Ballotpedia — California 2026 Ballot Measures Comprehensive nonpartisan tracking of all qualified and pending measures, including the "Children's Educational Opportunity Act" voucher initiative and the Billionaire Tax Act. 🔗 https://ballotpedia.org/California_2026_ballot_measures

All links verified as of May 7, 2026. Official proposition numbers for November 2026 measures will be assigned by the California Secretary of State on June 25, 2026. The Official Voter Information Guide will be mailed to households in late September or early October 2026.

Bill Text - AB-2117 State Board of Education: Superintendent of Public Instruction: Education Commissioner. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260AB2117&_gl=1*171o5zc*_gcl_au*OTk2Nzk4NTk2LjE3NzgwMTAzOTE.

Summary The article provides a comprehensive overview of California Assembly Bill AB-2117, which proposes significant changes to the governance structure of California's education system. The bill aims to streamline and modernize the state's educational governance by redefining roles and responsibilities within the State Board of Education, the Department of Education, and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The legislation introduces the creation of an Education Commissioner role, transitions administrative functions from the Superintendent to the Commissioner, and restructures the composition of the State Board of Education. (aka Power Grab) ### Key Points - AB-2117 proposes amendments to various sections of the Education Code to reform California's education governance system. - The bill will add the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the State Board of Education as a voting member, replacing one non-student position. - Four existing positions on the State Board of Education, currently appointed by the Governor, will be replaced by appointments from the President pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly starting January 15, 2027. - The bill removes the Superintendent of Public Instruction as the ex officio Director of Education, transferring executive and administrative functions to a newly created Education Commissioner. - The Education Commissioner will be appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, with the role becoming operational on July 1, 2027. - The Education Commissioner will oversee the transition of responsibilities from the Superintendent to the Commissioner, including creating a transition plan by June 30, 2027. - The Superintendent will take on a new role as an independent evaluator and cross-sector coordinator for public education, responsible for tracking student outcomes, conducting independent evaluations, and aligning educational policies from preschool to higher education. - The bill prohibits the Superintendent and the Education Commissioner from holding outside employment and mandates the dissolution of all philanthropic foundations of the Department of Education by June 30, 2028. - The bill adds the Superintendent to the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges as a 19th voting member starting July 1, 2027. - The legislation addresses long-standing governance issues in California’s education system, citing historical reports and studies that highlight inefficiencies, conflicts, and a lack of coherence in the current structure. - The bill introduces a new structure for the State Board of Education, changing the appointment process for its members and maintaining an 11-member composition. - The Education Commissioner will hold significant powers, including the ability to approve grants and contracts, oversee department operations, and implement corrective action plans based on audit findings. - The bill establishes new roles for deputy and associate superintendents, who will report to the Education Commissioner. - The Education Commissioner will oversee private school instruction, heritage schools, and related registrations, ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. - The Education Commissioner will develop and maintain an automated school facilities inventory to project school facility needs and allocate funds for construction and maintenance. - The bill includes provisions for improving school accountability report cards, making them more accessible and meaningful for parents and guardians.

Thursday, May 7, 2026