Education Funding

Charter Advocates Dealt Loss in California Chief’s Election

By The Sacramento Bee (Calif.) — November 27, 2018 2 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

When former charter school executive Marshall Tuck called Assemblyman Tony Thurmond to concede in the hotly contested race for state schools superintendent, it marked another defeat for charter-school advocates in California.

Thurmond was elected California’s top education official in the wave that led more liberal-leaning voters to cast ballots. Although both are Democrats, Thurmond had the party’s endorsement in the nonpartisan state chief’s election. He also was backed by teachers’ unions, who were outspent more than two-to-one.

Independent groups supporting Tuck spent more than $36 million this cycle. Frequent political donor Bill Bloomfield, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, and philanthropist Eli Broad also were among the biggest contributors to those efforts. Tuck’s official campaign raised another $5 million.

Despite the job’s limited power, the race attracted more than $50 million in outside spending. It was the most expensive state superintendent contest in U.S. history, according to an analysis by The Associated Press.

“The group of people who have provided significant funding to candidates that are associated with a charter-friendly agenda have proven that they don’t have the ability to capture statewide offices,” said John Rogers, an education policy expert at UCLA.

It’s only the latest big loss the pro-charter school movement has suffered in California.

In June, many of the same donors were disappointed when their chosen candidate for California governor, Antonio Villaraigosa, didn’t make it out of the primary despite their more-than $20 million effort to bolster him.

Tuck also ran for schools chief unsuccessfully in 2014, when incumbent Tom Torlakson beat him—again with support from the teachers’ unions.

The California Teachers Association provided most of the more-than $16 million independent effort supporting Thurmond. His campaign raised more than $3 million. Labor unions and the California Democratic Party were among the biggest donors for both Thurmond’s campaign and the independent efforts supporting him.

Limited Power

The state superintendent of public instruction oversees the California Department of Education and chairs the State Board of Education. The office doesn’t have much direct control over education policy in California, although it’s seen as an influential position.

Thurmond, a member of the state Assembly, opposed diverting money from traditional public schools into public charter schools.

“I intend to be a champion of public schools,” Thurmond said in a statement announcing his victory. “All students, no matter their background and no matter their challenges, can succeed with a great public education.”

Tuck, meanwhile, emphasized giving parents more choices in where to send their children, including nonprofit charter schools. He also advocated for directing more money to teachers in schools with high populations of low-income students, English-learners, and children in foster care.

Both opposed for-profit charter schools.

The campaign spending illustrates tensions between factions of the Democratic Party more aligned with labor unions and others more aligned with business, especially in Silicon Valley, Rogers said.

“Those who were engaging in this funding wanted to communicate a message about their importance and the weight that they carried in statewide politics,” he said.

“You would never expect an election for state superintendent of public instruction to get this much attention.”

A version of this article appeared in the November 28, 2018 edition of Education Week as Charter Advocates Dealt Loss in California Chief’s Election

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
The Future of the Science of Reading
Join us for a discussion on the future of the Science of Reading and how to support every student’s path to literacy.
Content provided by HMH
Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Funding Opinion Trump's Cuts to Schools Will Hit Hard. But Leaders Need More Than Just Money
The federal funding chaos highlights a perennial dynamic in public schools.
Joshua P. Starr
5 min read
Concept of the remedy for melancholy and happiness, with a painter who transforms a brick wall into a sunny sky.
iStock/Getty
Education Funding Interactive See How Much Federal Money Trump Is Holding Back From Your District
Hundreds of districts will lose more than $1 million each, according to a new analysis.
1 min read
Collage of images: scissors cutting money, with multicultural kids in background; blue theme.
Liz Yap/Education Week and Getty/E+
Education Funding Who Will Bear the Brunt of Trump's Hold on $6.8 Billion in School Funds?
The sudden absence of expected federal funds has already cost some educators their jobs.
12 min read
Image of a $100 dollar bill that is cut into blocks for distribution.
E+/Getty
Education Funding Schools and States Scramble as Trump Freezes $6.8 Billion in Federal Funds
After-school programs, English-learner services, migrant education programs, and professional development are all at risk.
8 min read
President Donald Trump speaks to the media before walking across the South Lawn of the White House to board Marine One en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., and on to Florida, Tuesday, July 1, 2025, in Washington.
President Donald Trump speaks to the media before walking across the South Lawn of the White House to board Marine One on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. Trump's administration has told states it's holding back nearly $7 billion in already-approved federal funds for schools, sending states and schools scrambling for more information.
Mark Schiefelbein/AP