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Supporters of three education-related ballot initiatives in California are hoping the potential for what one advocate called 鈥渞ecord-shattering鈥� turnout on Tuesday will give their measures a lift at the polls.

Voters in the Golden State will decide if a tax assessment formula that has been in place for more than 40 years should be amended 鈥� potentially providing more than $4 billion for public schools. They will also decide on bringing affirmative action back in college admissions and allowing 17-year-olds to vote in primaries.

The California measures are three of about a dozen statewide education-focused measures on the November ballot across the country on issues ranging from raises for teachers in Arizona to the future of sex education in Washington state. Proponents of tax measures are hoping that voters will look beyond the immediate economic downturn and approve long-term funding increases for public schools. Voters in multiple locations will also have an opportunity to approve new or existing early-childhood education programs.

If the pandemic hadn鈥檛 cut off signature-gathering campaigns, Americans probably would have had several more education questions to consider, said Daniel Thatcher, a senior fellow at the National Conference of State Legislatures. During the 2016 presidential election, for example, there were 23 education measures.

鈥淢any legislatures also cut their sessions short,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd when they reconvened, efforts to get some things on the ballot didn鈥檛 make it through the rush.鈥�

鈥楽ome significant dollars鈥�

In California, Proposition 15 would amend Proposition 13, often blamed for the state鈥檚 school funding problems. Passed in 1978, the measure 鈥� long considered a third rail in state politics 鈥� requires both commercial and residential properties to be taxed based on their purchase price. That restriction forces schools to rely more on , especially income taxes, which can be less stable. Proposition 15 would create what is known as a split roll in which taxes on commercial and industrial properties valued at over $3 million would be assessed at market value.

In a state where per-student spending is consistently below the and half of what New York spends, the measure would 鈥減rovide some significant dollars鈥� for schools, said Ted Lempert, a former state assemblyman and president of Children Now, an advocacy organization. The measure has been in recent polls, but if it passes, it could initially help districts implement hybrid attendance plans, in which some students attend school in the building and others continue distance learning, and eventually increase staff-to-student ratios.

鈥淲e rank near the bottom in counselors and nurses,鈥� Lempert said, adding that when schools have support personnel, in addition to teachers, students can be more successful.

Opponents of Proposition 15 argue it鈥檚 a terrible time for a tax increase given the pandemic and the recession, and cite it is another example of the state creating an unfriendly climate for .

Proposition 16 asks voters to repeal a measure they approved in 1996 that prohibited governments and public institutions, including colleges and universities, from considering race and sex in admissions and contract decisions. Coming amid national attention to racial equity issues, the measure has support from voters, Lempert said, but added that they鈥檙e also 鈥渂ecause the voters themselves鈥� approved the ban in the first place.

Without affirmative action, Lempert said, schools have less information to make admissions decisions, especially since the state is no longer requiring applicants to submit entrance exam scores.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a huge equity divide at college entrance,鈥� he said.

Some opponents argue, as plaintiffs in against Harvard University have, that reinstating affirmative action would hurt Asian students, While the California legislature didn鈥檛 place the measure on the ballot until the summer, Lempert said it鈥檚 not impossible that 鈥渞ecord-shattering鈥� voter turnout could lead to the measure鈥檚 approval.

Finally, voters will decide whether to join 18 other states and the District of Columbia in allowing 17-year-olds in primaries and special elections if they will turn 18 by the general election. voters will decide whether to take the youth vote a step further, allowing those who are 16 to have a say in local elections. Supporters of the measure say it will help instill voting as a habit.

鈥淵outh are getting involved in such new ways because of the pandemic,鈥� said Adrianna Zhang, a junior at Lowell High School in San Francisco who also serves on the city鈥檚 Youth Commission. A similar measure was defeated in 2016, but received 48 percent of the vote. Zheng thinks this time it will pass. 鈥淲e鈥檝e garnered so much more support. There are so many more volunteers who are phone banking,鈥� she said.

Universal pre-K in Colorado

In Colorado, is one measure that made it through the legislative rush. The proposed tax on tobacco and vaping products is predicted to bring $87 million into the general fund, increasing to $276 million by 2027. In the first two years, the revenue would offset some of the budget cuts in education resulting from COVID-19. But in 2023, it would be directed toward a new universal pre-K program, a priority for Gov. Jared Polis.

The measure was originally a citizens鈥� initiative, but the legislature gave it a bipartisan boost when advocates had to stop gathering signatures.

鈥淐oloradans are horrified by our youth vaping rate,鈥� said Bill Jaeger, vice president of early childhood and policy initiatives at the Colorado Children鈥檚 Campaign, an advocacy organization. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, vape at twice the national average. The state currently has no tax on e-cigarettes.

Jaeger said it hasn鈥檛 been difficult for lawmakers, or the public, to 鈥渃onnect the dots鈥� between creating disincentives to vape and expanding preschool. Passing the measure would tackle 鈥渟omething that negatively affects our youth and create opportunities for our youngest learners,鈥� he said.

The state鈥檚 current pre-K program serves about 14,800 children and is targeted toward low-income families and children with other risk factors, such as homelessness. Under the new model, all 4-year-olds would be eligible to attend, but additional revenue would be spent in communities with greater needs.

of the measure argue that the initiative鈥檚 wording doesn鈥檛 ensure the revenue will be spent on pre-K and that the pandemic makes this a bad year for a tax increase. Jaeger noted that several other ballot measures at the state and local levels are vying for voters鈥� attention.

Arizona鈥檚 #InvestinEd

In Arizona, Proposition 208 鈥� which would help fund education with.5 percent surcharge on annual income over $250,000 鈥� has had a rocky journey to the ballot. Sponsors placed it before voters in 2018, but the state Supreme Court kicked it off, ruling that the description of the 鈥渢ax burden鈥� was unclear.

The proposal ended up before a Maricopa Superior Court judge again this year, but ultimately the state Supreme Court allowed the measure to remain on the ballot.

The tax, if approved, is expected to bring in over $900 million annually 鈥� half of which would go toward salary increases for teachers. School support staff, career and technical education programs, and mentoring efforts for educators would also see a portion of the revenue. The shows the measure winning with 56 percent of the vote. In this case, opponents say their chiefly against the size, rather than merely the timing, of the tax increase.

鈥淵ou would not expect the biz community to get behind something like this in any year,鈥� said Garrick Taylor, the senior vice president of government relations and communications for the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. 鈥淚t is a dramatic income tax increase.鈥�

The measure, he said, would hurt small businesses, which are charged personal income tax rates. And proponents, he said, can鈥檛 argue that the legislature or the governor 鈥渉ave somehow been sitting on their hands.鈥�

Following a statewide teacher strike in 2018, teachers received an average 20 percent salary increase 鈥� the last installment of which went into effect this school year. But proponents say the state still has a teacher shortage and higher class sizes than most. Recent show that schools have only been able to fill about a quarter of their vacant positions this fall, and according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the in Arizona is among the highest in the country, almost 24:1.

Below are some of the other school-related ballot measures facing voters Nov. 3:

Alabama

Amendment 4: Alabama鈥檚 constitution 鈥� last revised in 1901 鈥� contains some lingering school segregation language that would authorize the legislature to remove when it meets again in 2022. For example, one article still reads: “Separate schools shall be provided for white and colored children, and no child of either race shall be permitted to attend a school of the other race.” While the Supreme Court鈥檚 decision in Brown v. Board of Education outlawed such a provision, the state in 1956 passed Amendment 111 saying that nothing in the law 鈥渟hall be construed as creating or recognizing any right to education or training at public expense.鈥�

In 2004, voters rejected the opportunity to remove the racial language as well as the statement about not having a right to a public education. Another effort failed in 2012, but that time the state teachers association opposed the measure because it didn鈥檛 remove Amendment 111. If the measure passes this time around, the revised document would still need to be approved by voters in a referendum.

Colorado

Amendment B: Colorado voters will decide whether to repeal what is known as the , a formula that sets across-the-board limits on funding for the state and local governments: 45 percent comes from residential property taxes , compared with 55 percent from taxes on commercial property. Because housing has grown substantially in the state, the formula 鈥渋s not representative of the reality on the ground,鈥� said Thatcher, from the National Conference of State Legislatures. Proponents say repealing the amendment would create more stable funding for education, and that keeping the formula in place could result in a $490 million drop in funding for schools in 2021. argue the limit protects homeowners, but agree that a more regional approach makes sense.

Proposition 116: Voters in Colorado will also decide whether to lower the state from 4.63 percent to 4.55 percent, which would also impact funding for education. Individuals earning $50,000 per year would save $40, and approval of the measure is expected to reduce general fund revenues by $203 million in the current fiscal year and $154 million next year.

Florida

Amendment 1: The seeks to change the wording in the state constitution to read that 鈥渙nly a citizen鈥� of the U.S. who is at least 18 years old, is registered, and is a permanent resident of the state can vote. It currently states that 鈥渆very citizen鈥� can vote. Proponents argue that the change is needed because the law doesn鈥檛 specify who can鈥檛 vote. Opponents of the measure, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, say the change isn鈥檛 necessary and could lead to voter suppression.

Maryland

Question 2: Maryland voters will decide whether to approve sports betting to help fund public schools. If the passes, the state would join 23 others that allow commercial gaming. Annual revenues for education from this measure are estimated at about $20 million. The measure is expected to pass.

New Mexico

Bond Question B: If approved, a $9.7 million bond would include funding for school libraries.

Bond Question C: A yes vote would approve $156.3 million in bonds for to education facilities, including tribal schools and special schools for students who are visually and hearing impaired.

South Dakota聽

Amendment A: South Dakota voters are being asked whether the state should legalize and tax it at 15 percent. A portion of the revenue 鈥� projected to bring in $60 million a year by 2024 鈥� would be used to regulate the industry, while half of the remaining funds would be spent on public schools. Proponents call the measure a sensible response to adult marijuana use and say approving it would create jobs.

Opponents, including many business groups, argue that they would no longer be able to use a failed drug test as a reason not to hire someone and that legalization would make marijuana more accessible to minors.

Utah

Amendment G: Under current law, the state can only use income tax revenue to fund education. The Utah legislature wants to expand that definition to include other programs for children and people with disabilities. Approval of the measure would trigger that allows the state to dip into other sources of revenue to make up for declines in tax revenue for education. Education organizations support the measure, but some argue that the amendment does not guarantee future funding and could lead to an initial loss of school funding.

Washington

Referendum 90: Curriculum-related debates aren鈥檛 usually decided at the polls. But a controversial measure on Washington鈥檚 ballot allows voters to decide whether a bill establishing a comprehensive sex education program will go into effect. Opponents of the program, , organized to get the referendum on the ballot as a way to stop the law鈥檚 implementation. They argue the curriculum materials are graphic and promote 鈥渆arly sexualization鈥� of children, and that local school boards should have a say in such decisions. Supporters argue the lessons are age-appropriate and will teach students about informed consent.

Local early education measures

Initiatives in three communities focus on early education 鈥� St. Louis, San Antonio and Multnomah County, Oregon, which includes Portland.

Multnomah residents will vote on a that would create a Preschool for All program for 3- and 4-year-olds, offering families a choice of part-day or full-day classes and requiring educators to earn as much as kindergarten teachers. The tax increase for Measure 26-214 would apply to individuals earning at least $125,000 and households earning $200,000 or more.

In St. Louis, however, the route to expanding early-childhood programs is less direct. asks for a property tax increase that would raise roughly $2.3 million annually for the city鈥檚 Mental Health Board, which could add a preschool initiative as a prevention effort.

Finally, voters in San Antonio will decide whether to continue an eighth of a percent sales tax to fund . About 2,000 children per year attend the program at six locations. An released last year by West at, a research organization, concluded that the 鈥渟ocietal benefits鈥� outweigh the $6,800-per-child cost of the program by almost $3,800. Participating children had better attendance, higher test scores, and were less likely to repeat a grade and be referred to special education than similar children who didn’t participate.

Cleveland school taxes

The Cleveland Municipal School District is asking voters to renew a property tax levy 鈥� and increase the rate for another 10 years 鈥� to continue funding devices and internet service for every student, train teachers for virtual instruction, and provide counseling and social services. If doesn鈥檛 pass, the district would lose $66 million a year, which CEO Eric Gordon said would hinder progress the district has made in recent years.

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