On Tuesday, voters will decide on more education-related ballot measures than ever before, says Michelle Exstrom, director of the education program at the National Conference of State Legislatures. Most of the questions fall into one of two buckets—revenue-raising measures for K-12 schools and community colleges or school choice initiatives.
Funding for public schools has been an historically popular issue, but “in general, we’re seeing in some states, especially in some school districts, it seems to be harder and harder to pass revenue raising measures,” Exstrom says. Indeed, California voters struck down a $15 billion bond measure for capital improvements at K-12 schools and community colleges in 2020. In Michigan, Republican and Democratic districts alike have had a harder time getting local bond measures passed since 2020. In addition to statewide bond questions, voters in 317 school districts across the country will decide on local education bond measures, per Ballotpedia, with a majority focused on funding for infrastructure repairs and improvements.
“It is something that legislatures are keeping their eye on because so much of education funding comes from the local side,” Exstrom says. “And so as school districts or the state are more and more challenged to pass those revenue measures, they’re falling further and further behind, particularly on capital and facilities [maintenance].”
School choice remains a hot-button issue, and three states will ask voters to decide on measures that could cement existing or clear the way for school choice programs. For example, in Colorado, school choice advocates are working to add language to the state constitution that would enshrine students’ and families’ right to school choice, and which could open the door to state-sponsored voucher programs and tax credits that would allow public dollars to go to private schools. Nebraska voters will face a referendum on an existing voucher program that distributes $10 million in scholarships each year for students to attend accredited private schools in the state.
Though education has taken a back seat this election season, both former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have spoken about education related topics on the campaign trail—Trump has suggested shuttering the federal Department of Education and Harris wants to boost support for early childhood education. That said, public education funding and policy is largely in the hands of the states. In total, 14 states will put education-related ballot questions before voters next week, covering everything from lottery-funded scholarships, partisan school board elections, high school graduation assessments and college governance. Read on for an explanation of all 16 ballot initiatives, listed alphabetically by state.
Alabama
Alabama Amendment 1, “Allow Franklin County Board of Education to Manage, Sell, or Lease Land in the Franklin County School System Amendment”
If voters say “yes,” Alabama Amendment 1 would allow the Franklin County Board of Education to control the land in Fayette and Walker counties donated to the state by the U.S. federal government, called sixteenth section lands. Currently, the land is owned by the Franklin County School System and managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation, and Walker and Fayette counties earn no property tax on the land. Under the amendment, the land could be leased or sold by the school board, and proceeds would go to the Franklin County Board of Education General Fund. Walker County, home to a valuable parcel of land along State Highway 13 and I-22, could earn property, sales and lodging taxes from any businesses that are developed on the plot. Rep. Jamie Kiel (R), who sponsored the bill in the state legislature, says the measure would be a “win-win” for Franklin County schools and Walker County residents.
Arkansas
Arkansas Issue 1, Lottery Proceed Funding for Vocational-Technical School Scholarships and Grants Amendment
If passed, Arkansas Issue 1 would allow revenue from the state lottery program to fund scholarships for students at vocational-technical schools and technical institutes. The state created its lottery in 2008, and it already provides scholarships to students at public and private nonprofit two-year and four-year colleges in the state. Since its creation, the lottery has funded 720,000 scholarships worth a combined $1.2 billion, and paid out $4.6 billion in lottery winnings. Vocational-technical schools and technical institutes were left out of the original amendment, and advocates say including more institution types would make the program more equitable.
While there has been no public opposition to this amendment, according to the University
of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s public policy center, state lotteries are controversial; critics of lotteries say they’re exploitative, because low-income people play the lottery much more frequently than higher-income people. Forty-five states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have a lottery, and of those, 30 states earmark some amount of lottery revenue to education. Seven states—Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia—use lottery proceeds for college scholarships, and they do include vocational and technical colleges in their programs, according to Andrew Smalley, a senior policy specialist at the National Conference of State Legislatures.
California
California Proposition 2, Public Education Facilities Bond Measure
California Proposition 2, if passed, would authorize an additional $10 billion in bonds to modernize and construct education facilities, including $8.5 billion for K-12 schools and $1.5 billion for community colleges that have fallen into disrepair. If approved, the bonds would add to the state’s existing $80 billion bond debt (plus an additional $35 billion in bonds that have been approved by voters but haven’t yet been sold). According to the Public Policy Institute of California, 38% of California K-12 students attend schools that don’t meet minimum facility standards, which encompass a host of issues—from gas leaks, to damaged walls, to power failures. The bond revenue would be distributed via matching grants, and the state will pay a larger share of the cost at schools in poorer districts. California voters last approved a bond measure for education in 2016, which issued $9 billion in bonds for K-12 schools and community colleges. Four years ago, voters defeated a bond measure that would have authorized $15 billion for schools, including K-12 schools, community colleges and universities.
Proponents of the measure, which include the state superintendent, California Federation of Teachers and the Los Angeles Times, say the money is necessary to improve classroom safety and create modern education facilities, like science labs and performing arts theaters. Opponents of California Proposition 2 argue that taxpayers are already overburdened, according to CalMatters.
Colorado
Colorado Amendment 80, Constitutional Right to School Choice Initiative
Colorado Amendment 80 proposes that language be added to the state constitution that would enshrine families’ right to school choice. The amendment would add the lines “each K-12 child has the right to school choice;” “all children have the right to equal opportunity to access a quality education,” and that “parents have the right to direct the education of their children.” It defines school choice to include neighborhood schools, charter schools, private schools, homeschools and open enrollment options, as well as “future innovations in education.”
Supporters argue that school choice already exists in Colorado (and it does, but it doesn’t include any private school programs). Opponents believe the amendment would open the door for public funding to be routed to private schools via voucher programs, education savings accounts and other new legislation. If the amendment passes, any move by the legislature to open up public dollars for private schools will likely be challenged in court, Exstrom says. “We haven’t seen a state consider something like this before, where you would put in your state constitution that you are a school choice state, and school choice is defined as both public options and private options,” she says.
Colorado Proposition KK, Excise Tax on Firearms Dealers, Manufacturers, and Ammunition Vendors Measure
If voters say “yes” to Colorado Proposition KK, the state would impose a 6.5% excise tax on the manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition, levied against firearms dealers, manufacturers and ammunition vendors. Revenue from the tax would feed into the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax Cash Fund, and about 10% of that fund would pay for school security and safety programs, as well as mental and behavioral health services for children each year.
Florida
Florida Amendment 1, Partisan School Board Elections Amendment
Florida Amendment 1 proposes that school board elections at all districts in the state become partisan starting with the general election in November of 2026. If passed, the first primary elections for school board candidates would also be held in 2026. Currently in Florida, and in most states, school board elections are non-partisan, Exstrom explains. “In the vast majority of school districts across the country, school board members have to run in a nonpartisan way, meaning they have to convince voters based on their ideas, their thoughts, their opinions, that sort of thing,” she says. “They can’t put a party stamp beside their name on the ballot or on their campaign materials.” Advocates for the amendment say that these races are already partisan, and that the amendment would make it easier for voters to identify school board candidates’ party alignment. Opponents argue that the state should keep party politics out of school board elections as much as possible. School board races in Florida have only been nonpartisan since 2000.
The amendment echoes a string of decisions by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis that has made public education in the state a political lightning rod, including book bans, limiting discussions of gender and sexuality in classrooms and mandating that his six appointees to the board of the New College of Florida overhaul the public liberal arts college.
Indiana
Indiana Amendment 1, Indiana Remove Superintendent of Public Instruction from Gubernatorial Line of Succession Amendment
A “yes” vote on Indiana Amendment 1 supports removing the state superintendent of public instruction from the gubernatorial line of succession. In other words, if the governor of Indiana becomes incapacitated or dies, the superintendent would no longer be in line to fill the role or others in the chain of command. Currently, the state superintendent is last in the line of succession, behind the president pro tem of the state Senate, the speaker of the state House of Representatives, the state treasurer, the state auditor and the secretary of state. Proponents of the amendment say the superintendent was added to the line of succession when it was an elected position, but the role became governor-appointed in 2019, and therefore should be removed so that no unelected official has a chance of becoming governor in Indiana.
Kentucky
Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2, Allow State Funding for Non-Public Education Amendment
Kentucky is asking voters directly if they want to channel public dollars to private schools in Kentucky Constitutional Amendment 2. If approved, the amendment would add to the state constitution: “the General Assembly may provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools,” defined as public K-12 schools. It also adds that “the General Assembly may exercise this authority by law, Sections 59, 60, 171, 183, 184, 186, and 189 of this Constitution notwithstanding”—these sections prohibit using public funds for private education. Charter schools have been legal in Kentucky since 2017, but have not been publicly funded. Support for the amendment falls along party lines, with Republicans, including U.S. Senator Rand Paul, advocating for the amendment and Democrats, including Governor Andy Beshear, opposing it. Both sides have spent money trying to sway voters on the issue—supporters have spent a combined $2.5 million and opponents have spent $6.4 million, per Ballotpedia.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts Question 2, Repeal Competency Assessment Requirement for High School Graduation Initiative
If voters say “yes” to Massachusetts Question 2, the state would scrap the test that all high schoolers are required to pass in order to graduate, called the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, which has been in place since 1993. According to the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy, about 10% of Massachusetts students don’t pass the exam on their first try, and 4% don’t pass after subsequent attempts (though only 1% of students don’t graduate with a diploma solely because they failed the assessment). State assessments for high school graduation are becoming less common, Exstrom says, “it is highly unusual that you would put to a vote of the general public whether or not you should have a high stakes assessment for high school graduation.” Typically, state legislatures or boards of education would repeal the test requirements. Eight states—Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Virginia, and Wyoming—still require a passing exam for high school graduation, a decline from the mid-1990s, when 27 states required such tests, according to the National Center for Fair & Open Testing.
The Massachusetts question has a long list of supporters and opponents, with prominent Democrats on both sides of the issue. Among those who want to keep the test are Massachusetts Governor Maura Healy (D) and the state secretary of education Patrick Tutwiler, who is nonpartisan. U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D), the Massachusetts AFL-CIO and the Massachusetts Teachers Association support the move to nix the test.
Missouri
Missouri Amendment 5, Osage River Gambling Boat License Initiative
If approved, Missouri Amendment 5 would allow the Missouri Gaming Commission, which oversees all gambling in the state, to issue a license for a gambling boat on the Osage River near the Lake of the Ozarks. What does this have to do with education? Revenue from issuing gambling licenses supports early childhood literary programs at public elementary schools.
New Mexico
New Mexico Bond Question 2, Public Libraries Bond Issue
The first of two fundraising measures that would benefit education in New Mexico, Bond Question 2 asks voters to decide whether to authorize $19.3 million in bonds to fund resource acquisitions and cultural affairs at public libraries, including public school libraries, academic libraries and tribal libraries. If approved, property taxes would increase slightly—$0.82 per $100,000 property value over 10 years, according to the state board of finance. There have not been active campaigns in support or opposition to this bond issue.
New Mexico Bond Question 3, Public Education Bond Issue
Bond Question 3 asks if voters would support a $230.26 million bond issue to fund capital improvements and acquisitions at public colleges, special public schools and tribal colleges. Since 2006, voters in New Mexico have decided on 31 bond issues, approving all but one, a $155.57 million bond for higher education in 2010. The 96.8% approval rate suggests that both bond questions have a good shot of winning voters this election.
Nebraska
Nebraska Referendum 435, Private Education Scholarship Program Referendum
Nebraska’s school choice battle centers on vouchers this election. A “retain” vote for Nebraska Referendum 435 would keep in place a $10 million state scholarship program for eligible students to attend accredited, private K-12 schools in the state. A “repeal” vote would partially repeal the bill, but keep the portion that allows tax credits for taxpayers that contribute to education scholarships. The effort to repeal the program has been led by the advocacy group Support Our Schools Nebraska, the Nebraska Democratic Party and the Nebraska State Education Association, which argue that the vouchers threaten state funding for public schools, where nine in 10 Nebraska children attend. Advocates for keeping the program include Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts (R) and U.S. Representative Adrian Smith (R).
Nevada
Nevada Question 1, Remove Constitutional Status of Board of Regents Amendment (2024)
A “yes” vote on Nevada Question 1 would support demoting the state’s Board of Regents, a 13-member elected board that oversees eight state universities, including University of Nevada System. If passed, management and control over the colleges would pass to the state legislature. This is the second year such a question made it onto the ballot—voters defeated a similar measure in 2020 by 50.15%-49.85%, according to Ballotpedia. Proponents of the measure seek to reign in what they see as an unruly board that believes it can operate above the state legislature. Currently, 39 states have a board of regents to govern their public colleges and universities, but Nevada is unique in having an elected Board of Regents that oversees all public higher education, says NCSL’s Smalley. “A few other states—Colorado and Nebraska—have some elected Board of Regents for specific university systems, and Michigan has elected boards at state universities with no statewide coordinating agency or board. The majority of states have statewide boards appointed by a governor and approved by the legislature,” he says.
Last week, the Nevada Faculty Alliance endorsed the question, and encouraged members to vote “yes.” The endorsement follows internal strife over the question—an NFA poll revealed in September that 41% of members supported question 1, while 43% opposed it. The NFA cites a host of reasons to support the measure—from racist comments by board members, a low bar for service on the board, and a general lack of accountability. The Nevada teachers union, the Nevada State Education Association, opposes the question.
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Question 2, Higher Education Facilities Bond Measure
Rhode Island voters will decide whether to issue $160.5 million in bonds this November, $87.5 million of which would fund a biomedical sciences building at the University of Rhode Island, and $73 million of which would pay for renovations at the Rhode Island College Institute of Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies. Voters approved all 32 bond measures, including six higher education bond measures, on the ballot between 2008 and 2022, totalling $2.1 billion. With no vocal opposition to the question, it’s likely Rhode Island Question 2 will also be approved.
Utah
Utah Amendment B, State School Fund Distribution Cap Increase Amendment
Utah Amendment B asks voters whether the state should increase annual distributions from its $3.3 billion State School Fund for public education from 4% to 5%. For the 2024-25 school year, public schools received a total $106 million from the fund—the largest distribution to date—which pays for things like reading aides, college prep programs and career training. Distributions are made to schools using a per-student formula, and school-specific “school community councils” composed of parents and teachers determine how the money should be spent.