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Results For Education And School Choice Ballot Measures 2024

Leo Migdal
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results for education and school choice ballot measures 2024

While the corporate media focused on issues like the economy, immigration, crime and abortion in the 2024 election, voters were also deeply concerned about education. An October Gallup poll listed education sixth out of 22 election issues, with 41% of voters saying it was “extremely important.” In addition, 47% said education was “very important” to them. Together, education then tied for second overall in the list of biggest voter concerns. Certainly much of this is due to what has been exposed about our nation’s education system in the past few years, such as schools working to circumvent parents’ rights, teaching radical ideologies, sexualizing and... Overall, results were mixed for educational freedom and excellence, which was on the ballot via school board elections, state ballot initiatives and legislative seats.

Here’s a look at what happened in those arenas on Tuesday, November 5. Local boards have a lot of power over students’ education, as they set budgets and priorities, choose curriculums, establish teacher hiring criteria, set student achievement standards, write bathroom and locker room policies, select books... Voters largely rejected school choice initiatives but embraced a variety of school funding measures and elected state leaders. With former President Donald Trump set to reenter the Oval Office next year, K-12 will likely face a slew of changes on key policy issues — from Title IX to education funding. However, in addition to electing the next president, voters on Tuesday also cast their ballots on a number of state education issues. Here is how those state measures fared.

Some 2024 ballots were heavy on school choice in a number of states, including Colorado, Kentucky and Nebraska. In Kentucky, nearly two-thirds of voters decided against Amendment 2, which would have amended the state constitution to allow for the General Assembly to provide state funding for non-public education. The issue divided political leaders in the state, with Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul staunchly on either side of the debate.

The November 2024 election results provide insight into evolving community priorities for K12 education. A closer look at 12 states reveals a range of ballot measures influencing funding, governance and educational standards. For district leaders, these outcomes highlight community sentiment and a mandate for responsive leadership as public opinion shifts. Research confirms that, despite varied approaches, Americans consistently seek stronger schools and accountability. Here’s how these new policies could reshape education and what they mean for district leaders facing increasing scrutiny. With state-level measures supporting increased funding through various means, many districts can expect expanded resources—often through unconventional channels.

Arkansas: Lottery-funded vocational training The results of the 2024 election could have massive implications for K-12 schools. Donald Trump’s victory over Kamala Harris provides momentum to Trump’s calls to slash federal K-12 spending, enact a federal school choice program, and abolish the U.S. Department of Education. But the presidential race wasn’t the only one on the ballot with the potential to affect schools. Voters also selected governors, state superintendents, and state board of education members.

In 10 states, voters decided on education-related ballot measures that proposed to expand or repeal school choice, change testing requirements for graduating seniors, shore up new funding for K-12 schools, or eliminate property taxes—a... This election guide highlights results from key races and ballot questions. Click on a topic area to navigate to that section. Voters approved seven of the 12 education-related statewide ballot measures during the November elections. They approved several education funding measures, rejected school choice policies, and split on governance-related initiatives. Table 1: Status of 2024 Education-related Ballot Measures in States

All school choice-related ballot measures failed. With seeming momentum at the state level, these school choice losses may seem counterintuitive, especially since voters in multiple states elected candidates expected to pursue school choice policies. For instance, after primarying and opposing members of their party who previously opposed school choice, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee strengthened their pro-school choice legislative coalitions and have said school choice proposals will be priorities in 2025. As to why voters rejected school choice, Cato Institute’s Neal McCluskey told Reason magazine that “referenda for school choice are always at a disadvantage because you’re trying to take on entrenched, easily organized interests...

Multiple efforts that supported giving parents public funds to spend on private or alternative schools fared poorly in the 2024 election. Voters rejected separate proposals in Colorado and Kentucky aiming to add language supporting school choice, an issue that has divided parents and school staffers across the nation for years, to their states' constitutions. And voters in Nebraska chose to repeal a $10 million school voucher program passed by its state legislature earlier this year, which aimed to help private school families with state funding. School choice supporters argue that families should have the right to choose what schools their kids attend, and that state funds should be used to defray costs for some families who opt out of... Opponents say that school vouchers, education saving accounts and other school choice programs hurt public schools and the kids who attend them. They argue that public schools need all the funding they can get.

The results reflect a national rural and urban divide on school choice, said Deven Carlson, a professor and associate director of education at the University of Oklahoma's Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis. Voters decided on 12 education-related state ballot measures—the most in 18 years— on the November 5, 2024, general election. Here are some highlights: Measures were on the ballot in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Utah. The measures regarded school choice programs and non-public education, standardized testing, school board elections, school governance, and funding. Here are the results.

The three ballot measures regarding school choice programs, which include policies that provide families with taxpayer funding for private education or homeschooling, were all defeated: Massachusetts Question 2, concerning standardized testing requirements, was approved by 59% of voters. It eliminates the requirement that students must pass a standards-based exam to graduate high school. Florida Amendment 1, which would've changed school board elections from nonpartisan to partisan starting in 2026, was defeated. It needed 60% approval from voters but received 55%.

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