The results are in from the states that decided on some key education ballot initiatives last Tuesday. Among the handful of measures that sought to boost funding for public education through tax increases or the sale of state bonds, there were mixed results. Voters in Oklahoma defeated a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase, which was expected to generate $615 million for education, while a 3 percent tax surcharge that has been earmarked to fund public education in Maine was approved. Additionally, the state of California got the go ahead to issue $9 billion in bonds for repairs and upgrades to K-12 schools, community colleges and other postsecondary institutions.
Despite having the backing of Gov. Nathan Deal (R-GA), voters in Georgia rejected the proposed Opportunity School District amendment, which would have given the state the authority to take control of chronically failing public schools. South Dakota’s Amendment R, a measure allowing the state legislature to establish a separate governing body for the state’s four postsecondary technical institutes, was narrowly approved. Voters also gave the thumbs up to an Oregon measure that will mandate state funding for dropout prevention and career and college readiness programs.
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