Education is California’s largest state expense, consuming more than a third of the state budget through K-12 schools alone. Yet as voters prepare to choose a successor to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom, candidates across the political spectrum agree the system is falling short.
Related Articles
San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan considers run for California governor State of the State address Thursday. California’s urgent issues loom over Newsom, would-be successors Barabak: Unhappy with the choices for California governor? Get real Could this mysterious California news site influence the 2026 election? Letters: Eric Swalwell is a great choice for next California governorReading and math scores among California’s 5.8 million K-12 students trail national averages, and more than half of students are reading below grade level. Meanwhile, declining enrollment, chronic absenteeism and the end of pandemic recovery dollars have forced school leaders to close campuses or issue widespread layoffs to plug multimillion-dollar budget holes.
Those pressures have turned public education into one of the sharpest dividing lines in the race for governor.
Democrats and Republicans largely agree California’s schools are struggling — but they offer starkly different explanations for why, and competing visions for how much power, money and control the state should exert over classrooms, teachers and parents.
The debate unfolds as California faces an escalating clash with President Donald Trump over education policy, with federal funding increasingly at risk amid disputes over transgender athletes’ participation in sports and immigration enforcement on school campuses.
Newsom’s two-term legacy looms over the race.
As governor, Newsom has provided universal free school meals, added transitional kindergarten for all preschool-aged children, pushed to restrict cellphone use on campuses, and launched initiatives aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ students’ mental health and well-being.
At the same time, he has faced criticism for extensive school closures during the pandemic, budget maneuvers that educators say have threatened funding, legislation preventing schools from being required to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity, and new laws and guidance aimed at addressing antisemitism in schools.
Polling shows a wide-open race ahead of the June primary, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election regardless of party affiliation. Democrats are heavily favored in a state where the party holds a roughly 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans, who hope voters are ready for a change
Democrats
Most Democratic candidates share broad agreement on increasing school funding, addressing workforce shortages and improving equity — but diverge on how much control the state should exert over districts and how education should be funded.
Among the candidates is the current state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who argues California does not have an achievement gap, but rather an opportunity gap for low-income, minority and homeless students.
Thurmond said schools are chronically underfunded and supports shifting California to an enrollment-based funding model, rather than the state’s current system, which ties funding to daily attendance. Advocates say the move could deliver more money to nine in 10 schools statewide.
He also backs taxing billionaires to boost education revenue, increasing teacher pay and improving working conditions to address persistent shortages — despite California having the nation’s highest average teacher salary — and using underutilized district land for workforce housing.
Like several other Democrats, Thurmond said he would continue California’s legal and political battles with the Trump administration over threats to withhold federal funding tied to transgender student policies and immigration enforcement on campuses.
Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, also a Democrat, said she would focus on investing in the education workforce, addressing the teacher shortage, and making school funding more equitable and reliable.
Porter said the state has a responsibility to guide districts and create conditions where students can learn and thrive, including through universal before- and after-school care, free school buses, fully funding and expanding universal school meals, and continued legal challenges to Trump administration policies.
“As a proud public school parent, I understand firsthand the value of investing in public education and protecting it from Donald Trump’s attacks,” Porter said in a statement to this news organization. “As Governor … I’ll take on Donald Trump when he cuts funding for education, including for second-language learners and students with disabilities.”
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, another Democrat, said the system is “broken” and partly blamed what he called a top-down approach and bureaucracy within districts.
Villaraigosa said his role as governor would be to lead “with a light touch,” arguing districts and teachers need more control over education decisions.
He pointed to gains in graduation rates and efforts to turn around struggling schools during his tenure as mayor, though critics have questioned how much progress was sustained.
Villaraigosa opposes school vouchers but supports switching to an enrollment-based funding formula. He said while California has a revenue problem, it also must address spending and grow its economy.
“We are not educating our kids in the way that we should,” Villaraigosa said. “Information is the currency of our economy, and yet we have too many kids who can’t read and write. And when you look at who those kids are, they’re disproportionately poor, they’re disproportionately of color, and it’s unacceptable in a state this rich that we have that situation.”
Ian Calderon, a former Democratic Assembly member and the youngest candidate at 40, said California’s education system is failing because of a one-size-fits-all approach across its 1,015 school districts.
Calderon said educators need a greater role in decision-making, parents must be more involved, and student success depends on broader stability, including access to secure housing.
He also called for tax reform to create alternative sources of education funding.
“We cannot continue to base the future of our funding on a volatile income tax system,” Calderon said.
Former State Controller Betty Yee, also a Democrat, agreed the state must move away from a one-size-fits-all model, arguing California’s economic health is inseparable from student achievement.
Yee said the state’s current school funding formula is too rigid and needs reform, and pledged to veto legislation that imposes new mandates without providing funding.
She attributed the teacher shortage partly to high housing and health care costs, but said districts should not be responsible for developing workforce housing.
“I do not want school districts to be landlords,” Yee said.
East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat who entered the race in November, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about his education platform.
Republicans
Republican candidates, by contrast, largely argue that California’s education problems stem from centralized control, cultural priorities and excessive state mandates.
Among them is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who has campaigned on increased funding for teachers and schools, expanded mental health counseling for students, support for career-technical education and stronger parental rights.
Bianco has argued for returning control to local school districts, a stance that contrasts with Newsom’s proposal to restructure the state’s Department of Education by placing it under the governor’s office and the State Board of Education.
Bianco also supports expanding charter schools and school vouchers, which allow public funds to be used for private school tuition. He is a vocal critic of a state law that bars districts from being forced to notify parents if a student changes pronouns or gender identity at school.
“It is no secret that California has failed an entire generation — if not two — of our students,” Bianco said.
Also running as a Republican is former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who says his priority is ensuring students meet reading and math standards while removing what he calls “social and political indoctrination” from classrooms.
Hilton supports expanding school choice, enforcing parental rights, removing underperforming teachers, and allowing students to attend schools outside their neighborhoods, often using public education funds to do so. He also opposes allowing transgender students to compete in women’s sports.
Hence then, the article about as california s schools struggle governor hopefuls clash over who s to blame and who should fix it was published today ( ) and is available on mercury news ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( As California’s schools struggle, governor hopefuls clash over who’s to blame — and who should fix it )
Also on site :
- After the Fire, Hope Valley Faces Its First Reckoning in 'When Calls the Heart' Season 13 Episode 3
- Merz criticizes Germans for getting sick too often
- '90s Alternative Rock Band Announces U.S. Tour Dates After Dropping New EP