Education Week - November 2, 2016 - 21

GUBERNATORIAL CONTESTS
DELAWARE

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Colin Bonini (R)
John Carney (D)

INDIANA
John Gregg (D)
Eric Holcomb (R)

MISSOURI
Eric Greitens (R)
Chris Koster (D)

MONTANA
Steve Bullock (D)*
Greg Gianforte (R)

SCHOOLS CHIEFS
UTAH

Chris Sununu (R)
Colin Van Ostern (D)

Gary Herbert (R)*
Mike Weinholtz (D)

NORTH CAROLINA

VERMONT

Roy Cooper (D)
Pat McCrory (R)*

Sue Minter (D)
Phil Scott (R)

NORTH DAKOTA

WASHINGTON

Doug Burgum (R)
Marvin Nelson (D)

Bill Bryant (R)
Jay Inslee (D)*

OREGON

WEST VIRGINIA

Kate Brown (D)*
Bud Pierce (R)

Bill Cole (R)
Jim Justice (D)

* Incumbent

RACES TO WATCH

John
Gregg (D)

Eric
Holcomb (R)

INDIANA
Standardized testing has roiled the state's political landscape
for years and has taken center stage in this year's gubernatorial
race. Democratic candidate Gregg said in a debate that
he wants to replace the state's ISTEP exam and reduce the
weight of test scores in the state's accountability system. GOP
candidate Holcomb thinks the state should keep the current A-F
accountability system and continue to evaluate teachers based
on test scores, though he's willing to make tweaks.

Roy
Cooper (D)

Pat
McCrory (R)
Incumbent

NORTH CAROLINA
The candidates have sparred
over whether teachers' salaries
have indeed increased over
the past four years, when
Republicans for the first time
in decades controlled the
House, the Senate, and the
governor's mansion. McCrory,
the Republican, said in an ad
they had been falling, but that
"average teacher pay next year
will be more than $50,000,
and that's just the start."
Cooper, the Democrat, who has
teachers' union endorsements,
argues that according to his
staff's calculation, teachers still
make among the lowest average
pay in the region.

CONGRESSIONAL SEATS
Party control of the U.S. Senate and House
of Representatives will have implications
for education in a number of areas.
ESSA OVERSIGHT: Congress has oversight authority
as schools shift to the Every Student Succeeds Act
for the 2017-18 school year. If Republicans maintain
control of one or both chambers, they'll likely be
eager to take the U.S. Department of Education
to task over such issues as accountability and
spending, especially if Democratic nominee Hillary
Clinton becomes president.
HIGHER EDUCATION ACT: Last reauthorized
by Congress in 2008 as the Higher Education
Opportunity Act, the law could become a vehicle for
sweeping legislation affecting college affordability,
particularly if Clinton is elected. However, such
an attempt could also make reauthorizing it a lot
trickier.
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION: The House
passed a reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins
Career and Technical Education Act. If the Senate
fails to pass its own version before the new Congress
starts next year, the House-approved bill could be a
starting point for a reauthorization attempt.
SEQUESTRATION: The caps on defense and
nondefense spending, first adopted by Congress
in 2011, are slated to return in fiscal 2018 unless
lawmakers can figure out a different budget plan.
What will be the impact on education funding?

SENATE

HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES

54 Republicans
44 Democrats
2 Independents
(caucus with Democrats)

246 Republicans
186 Democrats
3 Vacancies

(Current)

There are 12 Republicans and
10 Democrats on the Senate
education committee. Eight
are seeking re-election: Sens.
Michael Bennet, D-Colo; Richard
Burr, R-N.C.; Johnny Isakson,
R-Ga.; Mark Kirk, R-Ill.; Lisa
Murkowski, R-Alaska; Patty
Murray, D-Wash.; Rand Paul,
R-Ky.; and Tim Scott, R-S.C.
(Murray is currently the top
Democrat on the committee.)
Another, committee member
Sen. Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.,
is retiring.

There are 22 Republicans and
16 Democrats on the House
education committee. Three,
including Rep. John Kline,
R-Minn., the chairman, are
retiring from Congress. All the
others are seeking re-election.
Potential Leadership Changes:
Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., is
perhaps the most commonly
named Republican to take over
for Kline if the GOP maintains
control of the House. Rep. Bobby
Scott, D-Va., is the committee's
top Democrat.

INDIANA
Jennifer McCormick (R)
The district superintendent of the Yorktown, Ind., schools,
McCormick has expressed some skepticism about the place
of tests and grades for schools in accountability, yet has also
said that "there's a purpose to testing" in the classroom. She
also wants a review of school funding and is seeking expanded
broadband internet.
Glenda Ritz (D) Incumbent
First elected in 2012, Ritz has said that testing has interfered
with teaching and learning in Indiana. She's been at the center
of big policy fights with state lawmakers over issues like A-F
school accountability and education governance.

MONTANA
Elsie Arntzen (R)
A teacher for the past 23 years who also serves as a state
senator, Arntzen has blasted federal education policies that
"D.C. bureaucrats try to force on our students" and favors local
control instead. She opposes the Common Core State Standards
and also wants to attract more teachers to rural areas.
Melissa Romano (D)
An elementary school teacher who won a 2012 National Science
Foundation award, Romano wants to help more 19-year-olds
earn a high school diploma and wants more funding for
preschool in the state. She's also praised the Every Student
Succeeds Act for allowing Montana more control over policy.

NORTH CAROLINA
June Atkinson (D) Incumbent
Atkinson was first elected in 2004 and re-elected in 2008 and
2012. She currently is the longest-serving state superintendent
in the country. A former teacher, Atkinson has said she welcomes
the opportunity to have fewer prescriptive measures from
Washington thanks to ESSA.
Robert Johnson (R)
A former teacher who now serves on a county school board in
the state, Johnson says students have to take too many tests. He
also wants to improve the screening process for hiring teachers
and says the state should shift away from the common core.

NORTH DAKOTA
Kirsten Baesler (Nonpartisan) Incumbent
Baesler was first elected in 2012. She was previously the
president of a district school board as well as an assistant
principal. On her watch, the state has instituted a review
of the common core, as well as worked to increase student
participation in Advanced Placement classes.

Potential Leadership Changes:
If Democrats take control of the
Senate, Murray is first in line to
become the head of the committee,
although there is also a chance
that Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.,
could become chairman.

Joe Chiang (Nonpartisan)
A math and history teacher, Chiang has criticized "fancy education
jargon" such as "college and career ready" and "rigor." He's also
calling for more funding for schools and says that "education is
broken, bone through the skin, compound-fracture broken."

WASHINGTON STATE

STATE SCHOOL BOARDS
2016 PARTISAN RACES

2016 NONPARTISAN RACES

Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Michigan,
New Mexico,* Texas

District of Columbia, Nebraska,
Ohio, Utah

*Advisory role only, to the state superintendent.

Voters in five states will pick state schools
chiefs on Nov. 8. In two of the states, Montana
and Washington, voters will pick a new chief,
while in Indiana, North Carolina, and North
Dakota, the incumbents are seeking
re-election. Perhaps the biggest issue facing
the candidates is how they will handle their
states' shift to the Every Student Succeeds Act.

MIX OF APPOINTED AND
ELECTED BOARDS
Nevada, Ohio

Erin Jones (Nonpartisan)
An assistant superintendent in the state education department,
Jones has been recognized by the White House for her work on
education in the African-American community. She's criticized
the state funding system as being inequitable and opposes the
use of student-test scores in teacher evaluations.
Chris Reykdal (Nonpartisan)
A Democratic state representative, Reykdal has also served
on the state board for community and technical colleges.
He supports an increased emphasis on career and technical
education, along with "fully funding" public schools.

Information and analysis in this Voter's Guide were compiled by Assistant Editors Alyson Klein and Andrew Ujifusa and Staff Writer Daarel Burnette II.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation supports coverage of policy, government and politics, and systems leadership in Education Week and on edweek.org. The Broad Foundations were established by entrepreneur and
philanthropist Eli Broad to advance entrepreneurship for the public good in education, science, and the arts. Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage.

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Education Week - November 2, 2016

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