As Education Policy Divides California’s Democrats, Record Spending Floods State’s Primary
As Education Policy Divides California’s Democrats, Record Spending Floods State’s Primary
Updated on June 7; this article was created in collaboration with LA School Report.
Los Angeles has witnessed a significant divide within the Democratic Party regarding education policy, which has become more apparent in the months leading up to today’s primary elections in California. A staggering $28 million has been spent by external groups on state races, with one-third of the funds coming from groups that support charter schools.
On one side, traditional Democratic players, including the California Teachers Association, are aligning themselves with candidates who are committed to safeguarding and strengthening the current education system. On the other side, new players are promoting charter schools, advocating for greater accountability in performance, and advocating for less stringent job protections.
The division among Democrats over education policy has been amplified by California’s adoption of a top-two primary system five years ago. Under this system, the two candidates who receive the most votes in the primary election, regardless of their party affiliation, advance to the general election.
An example of this ongoing battle between Democrats is occurring in Southern California’s open state Assembly district seat, which includes Glendale, Burbank, La Canada Flintridge, and parts of Los Angeles. An independent expenditure committee supporting charter schools has spent over $1.2 million in support of a Democratic candidate, flooding voters’ mailboxes with attack ads against a fellow Democrat who is supported by teachers unions.
Marshall Tuck, who ran for state superintendent in 2014, highlighted the positive aspect of having an alternative financial base in these races. He believes that highly competitive races that present different options to the public ultimately lead to better solutions for children. Tuck, who was backed by philanthropists and advocates who support school choice, thinks it’s beneficial to have Democrats who want to bring about changes in the public school system and are willing to invest in them.
Tuck also acknowledged that historically, it has been challenging for candidates focused on education reform to get elected due to the overwhelming financial support received by "establishment" candidates. However, the change in this dynamic can be attributed to three factors: the switch to a top-two primary system approved by voters in 2010, which came into effect the following year; a willingness of donors who previously only contributed to non-profits supporting education reform to donate to political candidates and causes; and the increased number of Democrats running without the support of the status quo due to the top-two primary system.
Groups supporting charter schools have emerged as major donors in legislative races across the state. According to state campaign finance records, approximately one-third of the record-breaking $27.9 million spent by independent expenditure committees in legislative races statewide has come from three groups supporting charter schools.
One example of this financial support is seen in the 43rd Assembly District seat, which is being vacated by Assemblyman Mike Gatto, D-Burbank, due to term limits. The Parent Teacher Alliance, an independent expenditure committee sponsored by the California Charter School Association Advocates, has spent $1.2 million as of Friday, according to state campaign finance records. It is important to note that the Parent Teacher Alliance is not associated with the well-known Parent Teacher Association.
Notable donors to the CCSA Advocates Independent Expenditure Committee include Michael Bloomberg, Doris Fisher, Jim Walton, and Eli Broad.
Candidate endorsements and financial backing have further highlighted the divide between the California Teachers Association and the California Charter School Association Advocates. Ardy Kassakhian, running for the Glendale City Clerk position, has been backed by the California Teachers Association, known as one of the most influential lobbyists in Sacramento. On the other hand, Laura Friedman, a Glendale City Councilwoman, has received endorsements from the California Charter School Association Advocates, the political arm of the CCSA. The union and education reformers have clashed over key education policies, such as teacher tenure and charter school expansion.
In addition to Glendale, the 43rd Assembly District includes Atwater Village, East Hollywood, Los Feliz, and Silver Lake. Alongside the Democratic candidates, there are two Republican candidates and a member of the American Independent Party vying for the seat.
The CCSA committee has spent a total of $910,791 supporting Friedman and $304,355 opposing Kassakhian as of Friday, according to records.
Rose Kapolczynski, a veteran political consultant working for Kassakhian, expressed shock at the large amount of money the CCSA PAC has poured into legislative races this year. In many cases, the PAC has outspent the candidates themselves.
It is worth noting that the mailer was funded by the California Teachers Association.
According to records, Friedman and Kassakhian, through their candidate committees, have collectively raised $1.3 million.
Kapolczynski stated that while independent expenditures are common in tight races in California, the magnitude of the CCSA’s investment is highly unusual, if not unprecedented.
Friedman, a former executive in the entertainment industry, has received endorsements from various organizations, including the California Nurses Association, environmental groups, Emily’s List, and the faculty union of Los Angeles community colleges. She has also been endorsed by the incumbent, Gatto.
Additionally, Friedman has received $123,355 in PAC money from the Govern for California Action Committee and Planned Parenthood. She did not respond to requests for an interview.
On the other hand, Kassakhian has been endorsed by the California Federation of Teachers, UTLA, and LA Unified board President Steve Zimmer. Since 2005, Kassakhian has held the position of elected city clerk in Glendale. He has also received approximately $300,000 in outside funding from the California Real Estate, California State Council of Service Employees, and the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor AFL-CIO on Political Education.
Kassakhian made it clear that he is not solely supported by unions, as he has received endorsements from the majority of school board members within the district and members of local community college boards of trustees. He emphasized the need for increased funding at the state level and highlighted the significant cuts made to public education funding since the Great Recession.
The state Democratic Party has not yet endorsed any candidate in this race.
Regarding the 43rd Assembly District race, Tuck admitted that he has not closely followed it due to not residing in the district. However, he believes that Friedman or Andrew Blumenfeld, a fifth-grade teacher and former president of the La Canada Unified School District Board of Education, would be excellent leaders for students. Tuck appreciates that multiple Democratic candidates in this race have the financial resources to effectively communicate with voters.
Blumenfeld expressed his concern that the influx of outside money into the campaign has stifled a thoughtful conversation about education reform. He acknowledged that it was expected for special interest groups to take an interest in an open seat race. However, he finds the volume of money to be surprisingly substantial. Blumenfeld believes that the negative advertisements will discourage voter turnout. He has heard frustration and confusion from residents during his interactions with them. Blumenfeld has raised $187,364 for his grassroots campaign and hopes to offer a refreshing alternative to the negativity surrounding the race.
Blumenfeld highlighted the district’s passion for education, given the presence of high-performing public schools in Glendale Unified, La Canada Unified, and Burbank Unified. However, he expressed disappointment that the campaign’s nastiness has reduced the debate to simplistic terms such as pro-charter vs. anti-charter, pro-teacher vs. anti-teacher, and pro-union vs. anti-union.
Blumenfeld currently works at Crown Preparatory Academy in South Los Angeles, which came about through LA Unified’s implementation of the "parent trigger" law. The school is a hybrid campus that combines the district-run 24th Street Elementary and Charter Preparatory Academy for grades 5 to 8. Despite his robust education credentials, Blumenfeld did not receive the backing of either the union or charter school advocates.
State laws prevent independent expenditure committees from coordinating with the candidates they support. Furthermore, these committees are not bound by the $4,200 individual contribution limits that apply to candidates’ campaigns.
The Independent Expenditure Committee of the CTA recently distributed a mailer featuring Donald Trump alongside Friedman, the presumptive Republican nominee for president. The mailer also listed some of the donors to the Parent Teacher Alliance’s committee, including members of the Walton family, who own Walmart.
Carlos Marquez, the Director of Political Affairs for CCSA Advocates, stated that they are supporting Friedman because she has demonstrated independence during her two terms on the Glendale City Council. Marquez praised Friedman’s experience and claimed that it is unparalleled in comparison to her opponents.
Marquez defended the use of negative campaign ads, stating that they are an effective means of highlighting the differences between candidates. He argued that voters appreciate the information provided in these ads, even if it is not entirely positive.
Campaign finance data reveals that EdVoice, another independent expenditure committee supporting charter schools, has spent $5.5 million, mostly on legislative races in Northern California. The Statewide Parent Teacher Alliance has spent around $3.7 million this year, while the California Charter Schools Association Advocates, which is funded by the Parent Teacher Alliance, has spent $263,085. These political action committees have also been assisting candidates in Northern California legislative races.
According to Kapolczynski, CCSA chose to invest in the 43rd Assembly District race during the primary rather than waiting for the general election because there is a possibility that not only Democrats will make it to the final ballot in November. She highlighted the competitiveness of Republican candidate Mark MacCarley.
Tuck, who was in charge of the Partnership for Los Angeles Schools, a program aimed at improving struggling schools under former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s control, rejects the perception that the education reform movement is anti-union. He points out that Massachusetts, a blue state with strong unions, has the highest-performing students in the country. In contrast, schools in Mississippi, a right-to-work state, rank among the lowest.
Tuck believes that there is a shift happening in Sacramento among Democrats who are open to discussing education reform. He mentions the special election last year for a state Senate seat in the Bay Area, which was won by Steve Glazer with the support of education reform advocates.
Tuck highlights Assembly Bill 934, introduced by Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla, as evidence of this shift. The bill aims to extend the probation period for underperforming teachers from 18 months to three or four years and establishes a support program for struggling teachers. Tuck claims that such conversations about changing teacher tenure laws would not have occurred a few years ago in Sacramento.
In conclusion, there is clear financial support from various organizations for different candidates and advocacy groups in California. The education reform movement is being viewed in a more positive light, even among Democrats, and is gaining traction in Sacramento.
