In State Campaigns, Schools Emerge as Topic A

By Bess Keller

With "education" on their lips at every campaign stop, state politicians are heading into electoral contests this fall that could help determine school funding and improvement efforts for years to come.

Part of the power of the Nov. 7 elections comes from the sheer number of legislative seats up for grabs in 44 states—more than 5,900, or about 80 percent of the total. But analysts see a strong possibility that party control could shift in a number of state legislatures, with greater influence over next year's state and federal legislative redistricting the most obvious prize.

Voters in 11 states will pick governors, and in seven they will decide a total of 14 ballot measures directly affecting precollegiate education, as well as some tax-related proposals with potentially important implications...