Election Results 2000 
from the Center for Education Reform

SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATE #3
November 14, 2000

More Election Reflections:

·      UNIONS: The union factors heavily in the election of Hillary Rodham Clinton to U.S. Senate. United Federation of Teachers president Randi Weingarten boasted of her union's involvement in this all-eyes-on race last week, noting, "The union was very engaged in this race – more than most." The UFT made 120,000 pro-Clinton phone calls to members, sent out 300,000 pieces of literature and dispatched 3,000 volunteers on election night.

        The UFT is the largest AFT affiliate, and is where both the late AFT president Al Shanker and current AFT president Sandy Feldman cut their teeth.

·      TESTING: Speaking of unions: the Massachusetts Teachers Union is on an all out assault against the state's accountability package, using $600,000 in dues money to fund a TV campaign against the state's testing program, MCAS. Governor Paul Celucci derided the union for "giving up" on the state's children. State Board of Education Chairman James Peyser blasted the ads, noting, "If they (the teachers union) were investing this $600,000 on developing effective remedial programs for high school students or middle school students in math, they'd be making a much greater contribution to education."

        Nevertheless, last week, the state's local school board members voted to ask the state to suspend the requirement, despite a recently released Mass Insight poll showing strong support for using MCAS as a graduation requirement. The motion was not without significant opposition, however. And the best argument to support the test came from the nine-year-old daughter of Middleborough school board member John McDonald, who was told a lot of people don't want the test and responded, "Why, didn't they study?"

·      CHARTER SCHOOLS: The jury is still out on Washington state, where 400,000 absentee ballots on the state's charter school initiative have yet to be counted. Our analysis of the vote so far shows much greater support in the more densely populated areas of the state; less support in the rural areas. UPDATE: After the final ballot tally, the Washington Charter School Initiative was defeated.

        In other cities and other states, public sentiment on charters is very clear. A new poll in Vista, California, found 79% of voters surveyed supported using charter schools to solve the district's severe overcrowding problem.

        The "Five Year Charter School Study" by the Center for Market Based Education of the Goldwater Institute looks at "mature" charter schools – those up and running for 5 years. Examining eight areas (including curriculum, student achievement and finance/reporting), the study finds that Arizona's mature charters offer parents choices, innovation and the ability to quickly respond to student needs – yet another repudiation of the recent NSBA report vilifying charter schools. The Goldwater Institute report can be found at http://www.cmbe.org. CER's analysis of more than 50 charter studies found that the vast majority show positive results from charters.

·      THE LONG HAUL: Some editorial writers are declaring the movement for school choice dead based on two ballot defeats in Michigan and California. As reported last week, those efforts failed to win even close to a majority, but as Bill Ballenger, of Inside Michigan Politics newsletter noted, "Every time there's a ballot proposal and there’s a lot of confusion, people are going to vote no." Which is why, in the end, education reform will best be advanced in legislative battles.

        The results from the elections – on choice and charters – have emboldened advocates of the status quo to say "Give up." We hear that at a National Press Club speech, NEA president Bob Chase muttered that he wished the reformers would "just go away." (For CER President Jeanne Allen's response, see SCHOOL CHOICE IS HERE TO STAY; PUBLIC TRIES IT, LIKES IT.)

        But we're reminded of the late Rep. Bella Abzug, who once noted that in order for women to get the vote, it took 56 state referenda, 480 legislative campaigns, 47 constitutional convention campaigns, 19 attempts to get a plank in party platforms, and 19 attempts in 19 successive Congresses before an amendment passed -- which then required a ratification campaign and approval by 2/3rds of the states.

        At what point should they have given up?

SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATE #2
November 9, 2000

Not Over Till the Fat Lady Sings

        In this case, a fat lot of 900,000 still-uncounted ballots in Washington State, where the charter school Initiative 729 is behind by only about 43,000 votes out of 1.7 million. Many of these are from urban counties like King County (where 25 percent of Washington's voters live), and where the charter initiative has been winning clear majorities. The count on the absentees may not be finished until November 21 so stay tuned! UPDATE: After the final ballot tally, the Washington Charter School Initiative was defeated.

Flying Below the Radar

        When the selection of the president of the United States is yet to be known more than 24 hours after the polls close, its not surprising that some of the best election stories are the ones flying below the radar.

        But in Escambia County, home of the only two failing Florida schools to see vouchers offered to their students, under the Governor's A+ Program, supporters of the A+ Education Plan have been clear winners.

        The A+ program offered a strong accountability plan, funding to improve schools, and scholarships for students in failing schools. It drove a variety of improvements in Florida schools, but came under heavy attack from the education establishment for its key components: opportunity for children in the form of scholarships to the school of their choice.

        The newly-elected Escambia County School Superintendent, Jim Paul, defeated a bitter critic of the A+ plan and of scholarships for children in failing schools.

        Meanwhile, Durell Peaden defeated state Representative DeeDee Ritchie for the open Pensacola state senate seat. As a state representative, Ritchie had spearheaded the Democratic attack on the A+ education reform program.

        And so, in the county the teachers unions and choice opponents would have you believe was most vividly opposed to school choice, the voters sent two clear choice supporters to represent them in Tallahassee and to run their schools.

SPECIAL ELECTION UPDATE #1
November 8, 2000

Part I: The Day After

        With those words now fully ingrained in our minds after several hours of watching and waiting for election returns, it's time to get specific about just what various results means for the fate of education reform:

        Despite education topping the list of American voters, only a few races for political office are a reflection of public sentiment for or against:

Part II: Initiative and Referenda

        Once again Americans show they are uncomfortable voting directly on any issue that would dramatically change the way schools do business. They are much more comfortable with increasing money and resources to schools, which as an issue may have little impact on how schools perform but sounds as American as apple pie. The more complex you get with voters, the more they turn a blind eye:

Part III: Initial Reaction

        Opponents of choice are saying (with glee) that these various reform failures show how much the American people reject issues like school choice. But while voters put education at the top of the list consistently in the polls, and when surveyed, support real education reform at significant levels, they apparently made their votes based on other considerations.

        The reality is that the ballot initiative outcomes say little about whether or not school choice is embraced by the majority of Americans or whether it's a viable reform for the thousands of children trapped in failing schools.

        REVOLUTIONS BEGIN AT THE DINNER TABLE.

        With no clear mandate at the national level and some of the closest margins of victory at the state and local level for all manner of candidates, education reform activists will continue taking their cause directly to the people, among whom rests the fate of the battles for better schools, equity and higher standards.

        CER will be bringing you regular updates of election results and what the people around the country most affected by school reform are saying. Please keep an eye here for more information.

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Links to Election News Coverage and Other Related Articles:

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The Center for Education Reform [CER] is a national, independent, non-profit advocacy organization providing support and guidance to individuals, community and civic groups, policymakers and others who are working to bring fundamental reforms to their schools. For further information, please call (202) 822-9000.