For years, polls about California voter attitudes have found public schools a consistent concern.
In a very recent Public Policy Institute of California poll, responses were mixed about whether the public school system is moving in the right direction, but 89% said it needs to change.
That concern is well founded, given that California’s students don’t do very well in national tests of academic skills, vis-à-vis those in other states. It’s one of California’s most vexing — and most important — issues and should be commanding attention from those who hold public office.
Nevertheless, when the six leading candidates for governor responded to questions during a 90-minute televised debate Wednesday night, education came up only once in a question from a viewer, not the debate moderators, and was directed at Republican Steve Hilton.
Asked how he would improve schools, Hilton responded with “learn from what works in other states.” It was actually a valid response, because California officials have generally resisted learning about learning from other states that have succeeded in raising test scores — Mississippi on reading, for instance.
Candidates’ intentions about the single largest item in the state’s budget — $81.3 billion this year —
