CampusElect.org 2018 Gubernatorial coverage: on Education

Ben Jealous: Criticized proposals vouchers proposals

Hogan: No. Create more efficiency with current revenue streams, allow choice programs like vouchers.

Jealous: Yes. "Raise teacher pay by 29%, fund full-day universal Pre-K." Fund this by taxing legal marijuana.

Education: Provide vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Hogan: Yes. Increased scholarship funding for low-income students attending non-public school of their choice.

Jealous: No. Criticized proposed vouchers proposals. Would instead increase funding for public schools.

Ben Jealous: Make community college free; make 4-year college debt-free

Hogan: Expanded scholarship program to help cover community college tuition. Has limited tuition increases to 2%.

Jealous: Make community college free & 4-year public institutions debt-free for Marylanders. Establish refinancing program for existing loans.

Brian Kemp: Fully fund public school education

Abrams: Yes. Make necessary investments to reduce long-term costs & increase long-term return on investment.

Kemp: Yes. Vows to "fully fund public school education."

Brian Kemp: Supports vouchers to attend private schools

Abrams: No. Opposes vouchers for private schools & unchecked expansion of charter schools.

Kemp: Yes. Supports vouchers to attend private schools & expanding charter schools.

Bruce Rauner: Vetoed higher education bill as irresponsible funding

Pritzker: Yes. Need sustained, long-term investment to attract students and businesses dependent on well-educated workforce.

Rauner: Yes. But vetoed funding bill that he considered an irresponsible way to fund higher education.

Fred Hubbell: We've been cutting, cutting, cutting college funding

Hubbell: Yes. "We've just been cutting, cutting, cutting." Proposes tuition payback for students at Iowa colleges who commit to 5 years working in rural Iowa.

Reynolds: No. Supported major cuts to address budget shortfall.

John Bel Edwards: $47 million increase for higher education

Abraham: Supports investment in distance learning. Campaign website lists NSF grants received by LA schools. But these aren't determined by Congress.

Bel Edwards: Yes. Proposed 2019-2020 school state budget includes a $47 million increase for higher education. Called for increases in Louisiana's TOPS scholarship program.

Eddie Rispone: No position found.

Kim Reynolds: Major cuts to college funding to address budget shortfall

Hubbell: Yes. "We've just been cutting, cutting, cutting." Proposes tuition payback for students at Iowa colleges who commit to 5 years working in rural Iowa.

Reynolds: No. Supported major cuts to address budget shortfall.

Larry Hogan: Expand scholarships for community college tuition

Hogan: Expanded scholarship program to help cover community college tuition. Has limited tuition increases to 2%.

Jealous: Make community college free & 4-year public institutions debt-free for Marylanders. Establish refinancing program for existing loans.

Ralph Abraham: Invest in distance learning

Abraham: Supports investment in distance learning. Campaign website lists NSF grants received by LA schools. But these aren't determined by Congress.

Bel Edwards: Yes. Proposed 2019-2020 school state budget includes a $47 million increase for higher education. Called for increases in Louisiana's TOPS scholarship program.

Eddie Rispone: No position found.

Stacey Abrams: Needs-based college tuition for low-income students

Abrams: Yes. Includes needs-based aid for low-income students, restoring tuition-free certificates, and funding Georgia 2025 program.

Kemp: No stand found.

Adam Laxalt: Supported voucher-style Education Savings Accounts

Adam Laxalt (R): Vows not to reduce funding; will look at budget on possible increase.

Steve Sisolak (D): Restore funding to at least pre-recession levels. Shift money from hotel tax and marijuana tax toward schools.

Q: Provide support to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Adam Laxalt (R): Yes. Supported voucher-style Education Savings Accounts. "We're not funding private schools; we're funding an education for our students."

Steve Sisolak (D): No. "Will always fight against the diversion of funding from public schools into private schools."

Andrew Gillum: $1 billion Fair Share investment in public schools

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on funding, but prefers setting policy at local level.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Proposes a $1 billion "Fair Share" investment in public schools covered by increasing state's corporate tax rate & legalizing & taxing marijuana.

Q: Education: Support the expansion of charter schools or help parents send their children to private schools with public money?

Ron DeSantis (R): Yes. Expand both charters & vouchers. Let federal dollars follow students to any schools their families choose.

Andrew Gillum (D): No. Against vouchers & "unaccountable, for-profit charter schools who use public dollars to enrich their executives."

Andrew Gillum: Make college debt-free for nurses & teachers

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on state funding, but more training support for students who enter workforce from high school.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Wants to make college debt-free for professions like nursing & teaching. Also higher pay for adjuncts.

Bill Lee: Supports charter schools & vouchers

Karl Dean (D): Yes. Wants to make public education a top priority as governor.

Bill Lee (R): No. Wants to better use existing dollars. Will appoint an inspector general to "seek out waste & abuse in the system."

Q: Education: Support expansion of charter schools or provide vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Karl Dean (D): Opposes vouchers & for-profit charter schools. Believes nonprofit charter schools have a role to play in large urban districts, though "they're not a silver bullet."

Bill Lee (R): Yes. Supports charter schools. "Vouchers are an opportunity to provide another choice. We should certainly pilot voucher programs to see what positive impact they could have."

Bill Schuette: Grade schools A-F, with performance-based grants

Bill Schuette (R): No statements found on overall funding. Focus on literacy. "Grade schools on an A-F scale, giving schools performance-based grants as incentives."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Expand full-day universal pre-K. More resources for hard-to-educate children. Ensure School Aid Fund money goes to K-12 education, close tax loopholes that erode funding.

Q: Support vouchers to send children to private schools with public money. Expand charter schools?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. Use vouchers to send children to any participating school (public, private, religious). Expand charters.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Opposes vouchers. Stronger oversight of charters. "Stop the dismantling of public education."

Bill Schuette: Support more trade & vocational offerings

Bill Schuette (R): Unclear. Support more trade & vocational offerings. The proposed tax cut would likely reduce general fund, so may risk higher education funding.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Apportion $100 million to give qualifying students 2 years of debt-free post-secondary education, whether in vocational schools or colleges.

David Garcia: Make community college tuition-free for in-state students

Doug Ducey (R): Mixed. Cut college funding by $99 million in 2015. Increased by $32 million in 2016-2017, including $5 million for Koch Brothers-founded "economic freedom schools." Ended all state aid to Maricopa & Pima County community college systems.

David Garcia (D): Yes. Make college tuition-free for in-state students who attend local community colleges or trade schools. Then develop a plan to make 4-year schools free.

David Garcia: Expand Prop 301: sales tax for $500M for public schools

Doug Ducey (R): Mixed. Increased funding distributions from state land trust through Prop 123, though this erodes long-term reserves. Opposed initiative funding education by taxing individuals earning over $250,000 a year.

David Garcia (D): Yes. Would support extra funding by expanding Proposition 301 sales tax initiative, which now provides $500 million a year to K-12. Also close corporate tax loopholes & raise taxes on top 1%.

David Garcia: Vouchers are unaccountable & discriminatory

Doug Ducey (R): Yes. Signed school voucher expansion bill that extended eligibility to all 1.1 million state schoolchildren.

David Garcia (D): No. Opposes school vouchers as "harmful, unaccountable & discriminatory."

Q: Support recent AZ teacher's strike?

Ducey: Eventually came to a settlement.

Garcia: Yes. "Teachers are standing up & saying they've had enough! I stand proudly with our educators."

Doug Ducey: Cut college funding by $99 million in 2015

Doug Ducey (R): Mixed. Cut college funding by $99 million in 2015. Increased by $32 million in 2016-2017, including $5 million for Koch Brothers-founded "economic freedom schools." Ended all state aid to Maricopa & Pima County community college systems.

David Garcia (D): Yes. Make college tuition-free for in-state students who attend local community colleges or trade schools. Then develop a plan to make 4-year schools free.

Gretchen Whitmer: Opposes vouchers: Stop the dismantling of public education

Bill Schuette (R): No statements found on overall funding. Focus on literacy. "Grade schools on an A-F scale, giving schools performance-based grants as incentives."

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Expand full-day universal pre-K. More resources for hard-to-educate children. Ensure School Aid Fund money goes to K-12 education, close tax loopholes that erode funding.

Q: Support vouchers to send children to private schools with public money. Expand charter schools?

Bill Schuette (R): Yes. Use vouchers to send children to any participating school (public, private, religious). Expand charters.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): No. Opposes vouchers. Stronger oversight of charters. "Stop the dismantling of public education."

Gretchen Whitmer: 2 years of debt-free post-secondary education

Bill Schuette (R): Unclear. Support more trade & vocational offerings. The proposed tax cut would likely reduce general fund, so may risk higher education funding.

Gretchen Whitmer (D): Yes. Apportion $100 million to give qualifying students 2 years of debt-free post-secondary education, whether in vocational schools or colleges.

Jared Polis: Increased across-the-board funding and preschool for all

Jared Polis (D): Yes. Advocates for increased across-the-board funding and preschool for all. Has also supported related levies and bonds and will continue to do so.

Walker Stapleton (R): Yes. But "it is critical to ensure that these dollars actually make it into the classroom."

Q: Support recent teachers' strikes?

Polis: Yes. Stop underpaying teachers, "instead of criminalizing [their] right to.demand fair compensation."

Stapleton: Unknown.

Q: Education: Support providing vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Polis: "I've voted against vouchers every time they've come up in Congress. I don't support diverting funds from public schools to private schools. Period."

Stapleton: Yes. Advocates "school choice" and believes "each student that gets . $10,000 in funding should take that money .& .do whatever they want."

Karl Dean: Opposes vouchers & for-profit charter schools

Karl Dean (D): Yes. Wants to make public education a top priority as governor.

Bill Lee (R): No. Wants to better use existing dollars. Will appoint an inspector general to "seek out waste & abuse in the system."

Q: Education: Support expansion of charter schools or provide vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Karl Dean (D): Opposes vouchers & for-profit charter schools. Believes nonprofit charter schools have a role to play in large urban districts, though "they're not a silver bullet."

Bill Lee (R): Yes. Supports charter schools. "Vouchers are an opportunity to provide another choice. We should certainly pilot voucher programs to see what positive impact they could have."

Michelle Lujan-Grisham: Supports universal pre-K; opposes school vouchers

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supports passing constitutional amendment to allow distributions from NM Permanent Fund. Also supports universal pre-K & shifting funding from administrators to classroom teachers.

Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Reluctant to dip into Permanent Fund, for pre-K or in general. "Far more complex than just throwing more money at the situation." Support better management, mental health support & apprenticeship programs.

Q: Provide publicly funded vouchers to help pay for private schools?

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. Strongly opposes school vouchers.

Steve Pearce (R): Yes. "Vouchers break link of low-income & low-quality schools."

Michelle Lujan-Grisham: Expand Pell Grants; lower student loan interest

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Find sources of money to replace lottery. In Congress opposed budget that would have lowered Pell Grants.

Steve Pearce (R): No. "Right now we don't have the money." Must first grow the economy. so that we have the money.

Q: Increase federal or state student financial aid?

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Backed Elizabeth Warren proposal to lower student interest rates by taxing the wealthy. Also backed Pell Grant support & financial aid for people not pursuing 4-year degree.

Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Voted for a 2015 Federal budget that significantly cut Pell Grants. Also 2006 budget that cut student loan support in favor of deficit reduction.

Mike DeWine: Supports charter schools; supports vouchers

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Advocates increased funding for universal pre-K ($140 million per year) & more equitable funding of primary & secondary schools.

Mike DeWine (R): Unclear on general K-12. Supports increased pre-K funding, but when in Senate opposed Head Start funding.

Q: Support privately operated but publicly funded charter schools & programs like vouchers which allow parents to help pay for private schools?

Richard Cordray (D): No. "The for-profit charter schools have been a scandal. We've got $70 million missing in Columbus that we're never going to see again."

Mike DeWine (R): Yes. Says charters can be cost efficient & higher performing. Also supports vouchers.

Mike DeWine: Improve college affordability; new STEM funding

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Proposes free community college for all Ohioans. Expand Columbus State Preferred Pathways program that guarantees admission to partner 4-year colleges & enables students to easil

Richard Cordray: More funding for universal pre-K; no funding charters

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Advocates increased funding for universal pre-K ($140 million per year) & more equitable funding of primary & secondary schools.

Mike DeWine (R): Unclear on general K-12. Supports increased pre-K funding, but when in Senate opposed Head Start funding.

Q: Support privately operated but publicly funded charter schools & programs like vouchers which allow parents to help pay for private schools?

Richard Cordray (D): No. "The for-profit charter schools have been a scandal. We've got $70 million missing in Columbus that we're never going to see again."

Mike DeWine (R): Yes. Says charters can be cost efficient & higher performing. Also supports vouchers.

Richard Cordray: Free community college for all Ohioans

Richard Cordray (D): Yes. Proposes free community college for all Ohioans. Expand Columbus State Preferred Pathways program that guarantees admission to partner 4-year colleges & enables students to easil

Ron DeSantis: Expand both charters & vouchers

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on funding, but prefers setting policy at local level.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Proposes a $1 billion "Fair Share" investment in public schools covered by increasing state's corporate tax rate & legalizing & taxing marijuana.

Q: Education: Support the expansion of charter schools or help parents send their children to private schools with public money?

Ron DeSantis (R): Yes. Expand both charters & vouchers. Let federal dollars follow students to any schools their families choose.

Andrew Gillum (D): No. Against vouchers & "unaccountable, for-profit charter schools who use public dollars to enrich their executives."

Ron DeSantis: Fund training for high schoolers who enter workforce

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on state funding, but more training support for students who enter workforce from high school.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Wants to make college debt-free for professions like nursing & teaching. Also higher pay for adjuncts.

Scott Wagner: Support vouchers; we spend enough on public schools

Scott Wagner (R): Unclear. Has said PA spends "enough money" on public schools. More recently has talked of increase. Save money by cutting teacher benefits.

Tom Wolf (D): Yes. Worked to restore previous administration's budget cuts.

Q: Support vouchers to help parents send children to private schools?

Wagner: Yes. Parents should have choice of where to send child.

Wolf: No. Oppose any program that diverts state funding away from public schools.

Scott Wagner: All 14 state colleges die by 2022 unless we revamp pensions

Scott Wagner (R): Unclear. But unless pensions & health benefits are cut, predicts financial death of all 14 state colleges by 2022.

Tom Wolf (D): Yes, but may not be able to get past legislature. Incre

Scott Walker: Expand charters & vouchers; straight per-pupil support

Tony Evers (D): Yes. Increase by $1.4 billion. Increased $ for special education, kindergarten for 4 year olds, & teachers who work in high-poverty districts.

Scott Walker (R): Major cuts in 2011, more recent increases. Shifts from supporting low-income districts more to straight per-pupil support.

Q: Support expansion of charter schools & vouchers enabling parents getting public help for private school costs?

Evers: No. Would freeze enrollment in school choice programs & phase out unless public schools were fully funded.

Walker: Yes. Has expanded both charter schools & voucher programs.

Scott Walker: Froze UW tuition; cut $500 million from higher ed

Tony Evers (D): Yes. Will Increase investments in both our technical schools & University of Wisconsin (UW) system.

Scott Walker (R): Froze UW tuition. Cut $500 million from higher ed support. Recently restored $100 million.

Steve Pearce: Vouchers break link of low-income & low-quality schools

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Supports passing constitutional amendment to allow distributions from NM Permanent Fund. Also supports universal pre-K & shifting funding from administrators to classroom teachers.

Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Reluctant to dip into Permanent Fund, for pre-K or in general. "Far more complex than just throwing more money at the situation." Support better management, mental health support & apprenticeship programs.

Q: Provide publicly funded vouchers to help pay for private schools?

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): No. Strongly opposes school vouchers.

Steve Pearce (R): Yes. "Vouchers break link of low-income & low-quality schools."

Steve Pearce: Cut Pell Grants; no more tax money for colleges

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Find sources of money to replace lottery. In Congress opposed budget that would have lowered Pell Grants.

Steve Pearce (R): No. "Right now we don't have the money." Must first grow the economy. so that we have the money.

Q: Increase federal or state student financial aid?

Michelle Lujan-Grisham (D): Yes. Backed Elizabeth Warren proposal to lower student interest rates by taxing the wealthy. Also backed Pell Grant support & financial aid for people not pursuing 4-year degree.

Steve Pearce (R): Unclear. Voted for a 2015 Federal budget that significantly cut Pell Grants. Also 2006 budget that cut student loan support in favor of deficit reduction.

Steve Sisolak: Don't divert funds from public schools to private schools

Adam Laxalt (R): Vows not to reduce funding; will look at budget on possible increase.

Steve Sisolak (D): Restore funding to at least pre-recession levels. Shift money from hotel tax and marijuana tax toward schools.

Q: Provide support to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Adam Laxalt (R): Yes. Supported voucher-style Education Savings Accounts. "We're not funding private schools; we're funding an education for our students."

Steve Sisolak (D): No. "Will always fight against the diversion of funding from public schools into private schools."

Tim Walz: 2 years tuition-free education at MN state institutions

Jeff Johnson (R): Unknown.

Tim Walz (D): Yes. Wants to provide 2 years tuition-free education at MN state institutions for families making $125K/year or less.

Tim Walz: Fully fund pre-K-to-12; make Minnesota the education state

Jeff Johnson (R): No. Says money won't solve problems.

Tim Walz (D): Yes. Wants to fully fund pre-K & K-12 education, making Minnesota the "education state."

Q: Provide vouchers to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Johnson: Yes. Wants to allow parents vouchers to move their children out of failing schools.

Walz: No. Sees a need to keep funding public schools, "not diverting it into voucher programs."

Tom Wolf: Opposes diverting state funding away from public schools

Scott Wagner (R): Said PA spends "enough money" on public schools. Save money by cutting teacher benefits.

Tom Wolf (D): Yes. Worked to restore previous administration's budget cuts--would like to increase funding.

Q: Support vouchers to help parents send children to private schools?

Wagner: Yes. Parents should have choice of where to send child.

Wolf: No. Oppose any program that diverts state funding away from public schools.

Tom Wolf: Increase state funding for higher education

Scott Wagner (R): Unclear. But unless pensions & health benefits are cut, predicts financial death of all 14 state colleges by 2022.

Tom Wolf (D): Yes, but may not be able to get past legislature. Incre

Tony Evers: Increase school funding $1.4B; freeze charters

Tony Evers (D): Yes. Increase by $1.4 billion. Increased $ for special education, kindergarten for 4 year olds, & teachers who work in high-poverty districts.

Scott Walker (R): Major cuts in 2011.

Q: Support expansion of charter schools & vouchers?

Evers: No. Would freeze enrollment in school choice programs & phase out unless public schools were fully funded.

Walker: Yes. Has expanded both charter schools & voucher programs.

Tony Evers: Increase investments in our technical schools & UW system

Tony Evers (D): Yes. Will Increase investments in both our technical schools & University of Wisconsin (UW) system.

Scott Walker (R): Froze UW tuition. Cut $500 million from higher ed support. Recently restored $100 million.

Walker Stapleton: Supports school choice: $10,000 to follow student anywhere

Jared Polis (D): Yes. Advocates for increased across-the-board funding and preschool for all. Has also supported related levies and bonds and will continue to do so.

Walker Stapleton (R): Yes. But "it is critical to ensure that these dollars actually make it into the classroom."

Q: Support recent teachers' strikes?

Polis: Yes. Stop underpaying teachers, "instead of criminalizing [their] right to.demand fair compensation."

Stapleton: Unknown.

Q: Education: Support providing vouchers or tax breaks to parents to send their children to private schools with public money?

Polis: "I've voted against vouchers every time they've come up in Congress. I don't support diverting funds from public schools to private schools. Period."

Stapleton: Yes. Advocates "school choice" and believes "each student that gets . $10,000 in funding should take that money .& .do whatever they want."

The above quotations are from CampusElect.org 2018 Campus Election Engagement Project. Click here for definitions & background information on Education. Click here for other issues (main summary page). Click here for more quotes by Charlie Baker on Education.
Candidates and political leaders on Education:
Gubernatorial Debates 2020: DE: vs.Carney(incumbent) vs.Williams(D) IN: vs.Holcomb(incumbent) vs.Melton(D) vs.Myers(D) MO: Parson(incumbent) vs.Galloway(D) vs.Neely(R) MT: Bullock(retiring) vs.Fox(R) vs.Perry(R) vs.Gianforte(R) vs.Stapleton(R) vs.Olszewski(R) vs.Neill(D) vs.Schreiner(D) vs.Cooney(D) vs.Williams(D) NC: Cooper(incumbent) vs.Forest(R) vs.Grange(R) ND: Burgum(incumbent) vs.Coachman(R) vs.Lenz(D) NH: Sununu(incumbent) vs.Volinsky(D) vs. fsFeltes(D) PR: Rossello(D) vs.Garced(D) vs.Pierluisi(D) UT: Herbert(retiring) vs.Huntsman(R) vs.Cox(R) vs.Burningham(R) vs.Newton(D) vs.Hughes(R) VT: Scott(incumbent) vs.Holcombe(D) vs.Zuckerman(D) WA: Inslee(incumbent) vs.Bryant(R) vs.Fortunato(R) WV: Justice(incumbent) vs.Folk(R) vs.Thrasher(R) vs.Vanover(D) vs.Smith(D) vs.Ron Stollings(D)	Gubernatorial Debates 2021: NJ: Murphy(D) vs.Ciattarelli(R) VA: Northam(D,term-limited) vs.Herring(D) vs.Chase(R) vs.Fairfax(D) Gubernatorial Debates 2019: KY: Bevin(R) vs.Goforth(R,lost primary) vs.Adkins(D,lost primary) vs.Beshear(D) vs.Edelen(D,lost primary) LA: Edwards(D) vs.Rispone(R) vs.Abraham(R) vs.Kennedy(R,declined) MS: Bryant(R,retiring) vs.Foster(R) vs.Hood(D) vs.Reeves(R) vs.Waller(R)
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