Education Funding and School Choice on 2026 Ballots

Education is consistently one of the top issues for American voters, and the 2026 midterm elections are bringing a wave of education-related ballot measures to states across the country. From school funding formulas and teacher pay to school choice programs and curriculum standards, voters will have a direct say in how their states educate the next generation. This guide covers the specific measures taking shape for the November 3, 2026 ballot, the historical context of education ballot initiatives, and the arguments on all sides.

Note: Ballot measure qualification is ongoing. Some measures described below are still gathering signatures or awaiting legislative referral as of early 2026. This page will be updated as measures are officially certified.

Education Spending in America: The Backdrop

Understanding education ballot measures requires some context about how American schools are funded. The U.S. spent approximately $857 billion on public elementary and secondary education in the 2022-2023 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. That works out to roughly $16,400 per pupil on average — though spending varies enormously by state.

The breakdown of funding sources is roughly:

• State governments: About 44% of K-12 funding
• Local sources (primarily property taxes): About 45% of K-12 funding
• Federal government: About 11% of K-12 funding

This heavy reliance on local property taxes means that wealthy districts often spend significantly more per student than poorer districts — sometimes two or three times as much within the same state. Many education ballot measures aim to address this inequity by changing how states collect and distribute education funding.

School Funding Measures on the 2026 Ballot

California: School Facilities Bond

California is expected to place a major school construction and modernization bond on the 2026 ballot, potentially worth $15 billion or more. The state's public school infrastructure includes many buildings constructed in the 1950s and 1960s during the post-war enrollment boom. Previous school bond measures have generally passed in California — voters approved a $15 billion school bond (Proposition 13) in March 2020 with 55.2% of the vote, and a $9 billion bond (Proposition 51) in 2016 with 54.8%. The 2026 measure would fund seismic retrofitting, HVAC upgrades, lead pipe replacement, and new construction in fast-growing districts.

Colorado: K-12 Funding Formula Overhaul

Colorado has long struggled with school funding adequacy due to the interaction of two constitutional amendments: TABOR (the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, passed in 1992), which caps state revenue growth, and Amendment 23 (passed in 2000), which mandates annual increases in per-pupil funding. The tension between these two provisions has led to a structural shortfall known as the "negative factor" (now called the "budget stabilization factor"), which has reduced per-pupil funding by an estimated $600 to $800 per student annually relative to the constitutional formula. A 2026 ballot measure could seek voter approval to adjust the funding formula, potentially raising additional revenue through income tax modifications.

Texas: Property Tax Relief and School Finance

Texas voters may face a ballot measure related to property tax caps and school finance. Texas has no state income tax and relies heavily on property taxes for school funding, creating both high tax burdens for homeowners and significant funding disparities between districts. The state's "Robin Hood" system, formally known as the recapture provision, redistributes property tax revenue from wealthier districts to poorer ones, but it remains controversial. A potential 2026 measure could seek to restructure how recapture works or establish new state funding guarantees for public schools.

Arizona: Education Sales Tax Extension

Arizona voters approved Proposition 123 in 2016, which increased distributions from the state land trust fund to K-12 education by $300 million per year for 10 years. With that funding set to expire, a 2026 measure could ask voters to extend or replace it. Separately, Arizona's Proposition 208 — a 3.5% income tax surcharge on high earners to fund teacher pay — was approved by voters in 2020 with 51.7% support but was effectively overridden by the legislature in 2021 through a flat income tax rate cap. Education advocates may bring a new funding measure to the ballot in 2026.

Oregon: Corporate Tax for Schools

Oregon advocates have been developing a ballot measure that would impose a new corporate tax surcharge dedicated to K-12 education funding. Oregon passed a similar business-tax measure in 2019 — the Student Success Act, which created an approximately $1 billion-per-year commercial activity tax for schools. A 2026 measure could seek to expand this funding or redirect existing revenues to address specific shortfalls in rural school districts, which have seen enrollment declines and budget cuts.

School Choice and Voucher Measures

School choice — the idea that parents should be able to use public funding to send their children to the school of their choice, including private and religious schools — has become one of the most polarizing issues in education policy. Several states are expected to see school choice measures on the 2026 ballot.

The School Choice Landscape

As of 2026, more than 30 states have some form of school choice program, ranging from traditional charter schools (publicly funded, independently operated) to education savings accounts (ESAs) and vouchers that direct public funds toward private school tuition. The movement has accelerated rapidly: between 2021 and 2025, more than a dozen states enacted or expanded universal or near-universal school choice programs, including Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia.

Potential 2026 School Choice Ballot Measures

• Kentucky: A proposed constitutional amendment would remove the state constitution's prohibition on using public funds for non-public schools, clearing the way for a voucher or ESA program. Kentucky's constitution, like many state constitutions, contains a "Blaine Amendment" — a 19th-century provision that prohibits public funding of sectarian (religious) institutions. Amending the constitution requires voter approval. A similar measure in Kentucky was narrowly defeated in 2024.
• Nebraska: Voters may face a measure to repeal or affirm the state's school choice scholarship program, which was passed by the legislature. Nebraska voters rejected a voucher-style tax credit program by referendum in 2024, and the ongoing debate could produce another ballot measure in 2026.
• Missouri: A proposed constitutional amendment would allow public funds to follow students to the school of their choice, including private and parochial schools. Missouri currently prohibits direct public funding of private schools under its state constitution.
• Pennsylvania: While Pennsylvania does not have a citizen-initiated ballot measure process for statutory changes, the legislature could refer a constitutional amendment on school choice to voters. Pennsylvania has the largest number of students in nonpublic schools of any state (approximately 250,000), and the school funding debate has been intensified by a 2023 court ruling that found the state's school funding system unconstitutionally inequitable.

Arguments For School Choice

• Parental empowerment: Supporters argue that parents — not government bureaucracies — are best positioned to decide where their children should be educated.
• Competition improves quality: School choice advocates contend that allowing public schools to face competition from private alternatives incentivizes improvement across the system.
• Equity for low-income families: Proponents argue that wealthy families already have school choice (they can move to better school districts or pay private school tuition), and public programs extend that choice to low-income families.
• Diverse learning environments: School choice can allow students to attend schools that better match their learning style, religious values, or specialized needs.

Arguments Against School Choice

• Defunding public schools: Opponents argue that diverting public funds to private schools drains resources from the public school system, which serves roughly 90% of American students (about 49.4 million children).
• Lack of accountability: Private schools that receive public funding through vouchers or ESAs are often not subject to the same transparency, testing, and accountability requirements as public schools.
• Church-state separation: A significant portion of voucher and ESA funds flow to religious schools, raising constitutional questions about public funding of religious education.
• Mixed academic results: Research on voucher programs has produced mixed findings. Some studies, including evaluations of programs in Louisiana, Indiana, and Ohio, have found that voucher recipients sometimes perform worse on standardized tests than their public school peers, at least in the short term.
• Rural impact: In rural areas with few or no private school options, voucher programs may offer little practical benefit while still reducing funding available for the local public school.

Teacher Pay and Workforce Measures

Teacher shortages have reached critical levels in many states, and several 2026 ballot measures aim to address compensation and working conditions.

The Teacher Pay Gap

According to the Economic Policy Institute, public school teachers earn approximately 23.5% less than comparably educated workers in other fields — a gap that has widened steadily over the past two decades. The National Education Association reported that the average public school teacher salary for 2023-2024 was approximately $69,500, but this varies enormously by state: from over $92,000 in New York to under $46,000 in Mississippi.

Potential 2026 Teacher Pay Measures

• New Mexico: A proposed measure would dedicate a larger percentage of the state's permanent fund (derived from oil and gas revenues) to education, with a significant portion earmarked for teacher salary increases. New Mexico's permanent fund holds approximately $30 billion, and the state currently ranks near the bottom nationally in teacher pay.
• Oklahoma: Despite a legislative pay raise in 2018 that followed a statewide teacher walkout, Oklahoma teacher salaries remain below the national average. A 2026 ballot measure could seek to establish a minimum teacher salary floor tied to the regional cost of living.
• Nevada: Advocates are pursuing a measure to increase funding for teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in Clark County (Las Vegas), which has experienced chronic teacher shortages with hundreds of unfilled positions at the start of recent school years.

Historical Context: How Education Ballot Measures Have Fared

Education ballot measures have a mixed track record, with outcomes often depending on how the measure is framed and funded:

• Funding increases tend to pass when tied to specific revenue sources that do not raise taxes on most voters. California's school bonds, funded through general obligation bonds rather than direct tax increases, have a strong passage record.
• Tax increases for education face tougher odds but can succeed. Colorado's Amendment 66 in 2013, which would have raised income taxes to fund schools, was defeated 65-35. But Arizona's Proposition 208 in 2020, taxing high earners for teacher pay, passed with 51.7%.
• School choice measures have mostly failed at the ballot box. Voters in California (2000), Utah (2007), and Nebraska (2024) all rejected voucher or voucher-like proposals. However, the political environment has shifted, and newer proposals may fare differently.

How to Evaluate Education Ballot Measures

Education policy is complex, and ballot measures necessarily simplify multi-faceted issues into a yes-or-no vote. Here are questions to consider when evaluating an education measure on your ballot:

• Where does the money come from? Is the measure funded by new taxes, redirected existing revenue, bonds (borrowed money), or some other source? Who bears the cost?
• Where does the money go? Does the measure specify how funds will be distributed, or does it give the legislature broad discretion? Are there accountability and reporting requirements?
• Who benefits? Does the measure primarily benefit students in high-need districts, all students equally, or primarily families who are already using private schools?
• What is the fiscal impact? Most states require a nonpartisan fiscal analysis of ballot measures. Read it carefully to understand the long-term costs and revenue implications.
• Who is funding the campaign? Check campaign finance disclosures to see which organizations and individuals are spending money for and against the measure.

Additional Resources

• Find Your Ballot — See whether education measures appear on your specific 2026 ballot
• Poll Tracker — Follow polling on ballot measures and candidate races in your state
• How to Register to Vote — Ensure you are registered before your state's deadline
• Midterm vs Presidential Elections — Understand the full scope of the 2026 midterm ballot