California
As California’s schools struggle, governor hopefuls clash over who’s to blame — and who should fix it
Education is California’s largest state expense, consuming more than a third of the state budget through K-12 schools alone. Yet as voters prepare to choose a successor to outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom, candidates across the political spectrum agree the system is falling short.
Reading and math scores among California’s 5.8 million K-12 students trail national averages, and more than half of students are reading below grade level. Meanwhile, declining enrollment, chronic absenteeism and the end of pandemic recovery dollars have forced school leaders to close campuses or issue widespread layoffs to plug multimillion-dollar budget holes.
Those pressures have turned public education into one of the sharpest dividing lines in the race for governor.
Democrats and Republicans largely agree California’s schools are struggling — but they offer starkly different explanations for why, and competing visions for how much power, money and control the state should exert over classrooms, teachers and parents.
The debate unfolds as California faces an escalating clash with President Donald Trump over education policy, with federal funding increasingly at risk amid disputes over transgender athletes’ participation in sports and immigration enforcement on school campuses.
Newsom’s two-term legacy looms over the race.
As governor, Newsom has provided universal free school meals, added transitional kindergarten for all preschool-aged children, pushed to restrict cellphone use on campuses, and launched initiatives aimed at protecting LGBTQ+ students’ mental health and well-being.
At the same time, he has faced criticism for extensive school closures during the pandemic, budget maneuvers that educators say have threatened funding, legislation preventing schools from being required to notify parents if a student changes their gender identity, and new laws and guidance aimed at addressing antisemitism in schools.
Polling shows a wide-open race ahead of the June primary, with the top two vote-getters advancing to the November general election regardless of party affiliation. Democrats are heavily favored in a state where the party holds a roughly 2-to-1 registration advantage over Republicans, who hope voters are ready for a change
Democrats
Most Democratic candidates share broad agreement on increasing school funding, addressing workforce shortages and improving equity — but diverge on how much control the state should exert over districts and how education should be funded.
Among the candidates is the current state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, who argues California does not have an achievement gap, but rather an opportunity gap for low-income, minority and homeless students.
Thurmond said schools are chronically underfunded and supports shifting California to an enrollment-based funding model, rather than the state’s current system, which ties funding to daily attendance. Advocates say the move could deliver more money to nine in 10 schools statewide.
He also backs taxing billionaires to boost education revenue, increasing teacher pay and improving working conditions to address persistent shortages — despite California having the nation’s highest average teacher salary — and using underutilized district land for workforce housing.
Like several other Democrats, Thurmond said he would continue California’s legal and political battles with the Trump administration over threats to withhold federal funding tied to transgender student policies and immigration enforcement on campuses.
Former U.S. Rep. Katie Porter, also a Democrat, said she would focus on investing in the education workforce, addressing the teacher shortage, and making school funding more equitable and reliable.
Porter said the state has a responsibility to guide districts and create conditions where students can learn and thrive, including through universal before- and after-school care, free school buses, fully funding and expanding universal school meals, and continued legal challenges to Trump administration policies.
“As a proud public school parent, I understand firsthand the value of investing in public education and protecting it from Donald Trump’s attacks,” Porter said in a statement to this news organization. “As Governor … I’ll take on Donald Trump when he cuts funding for education, including for second-language learners and students with disabilities.”
Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, another Democrat, said the system is “broken” and partly blamed what he called a top-down approach and bureaucracy within districts.
Villaraigosa said his role as governor would be to lead “with a light touch,” arguing districts and teachers need more control over education decisions.
He pointed to gains in graduation rates and efforts to turn around struggling schools during his tenure as mayor, though critics have questioned how much progress was sustained.
Villaraigosa opposes school vouchers but supports switching to an enrollment-based funding formula. He said while California has a revenue problem, it also must address spending and grow its economy.
“We are not educating our kids in the way that we should,” Villaraigosa said. “Information is the currency of our economy, and yet we have too many kids who can’t read and write. And when you look at who those kids are, they’re disproportionately poor, they’re disproportionately of color, and it’s unacceptable in a state this rich that we have that situation.”
Ian Calderon, a former Democratic Assembly member and the youngest candidate at 40, said California’s education system is failing because of a one-size-fits-all approach across its 1,015 school districts.
Calderon said educators need a greater role in decision-making, parents must be more involved, and student success depends on broader stability, including access to secure housing.
He also called for tax reform to create alternative sources of education funding.
“We cannot continue to base the future of our funding on a volatile income tax system,” Calderon said.
Former State Controller Betty Yee, also a Democrat, agreed the state must move away from a one-size-fits-all model, arguing California’s economic health is inseparable from student achievement.
Yee said the state’s current school funding formula is too rigid and needs reform, and pledged to veto legislation that imposes new mandates without providing funding.
She attributed the teacher shortage partly to high housing and health care costs, but said districts should not be responsible for developing workforce housing.
“I do not want school districts to be landlords,” Yee said.
East Bay Rep. Eric Swalwell, a Democrat who entered the race in November, did not respond to multiple requests for comment about his education platform.
Republicans
Republican candidates, by contrast, largely argue that California’s education problems stem from centralized control, cultural priorities and excessive state mandates.
Among them is Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, who has campaigned on increased funding for teachers and schools, expanded mental health counseling for students, support for career-technical education and stronger parental rights.
Bianco has argued for returning control to local school districts, a stance that contrasts with Newsom’s proposal to restructure the state’s Department of Education by placing it under the governor’s office and the State Board of Education.
Bianco also supports expanding charter schools and school vouchers, which allow public funds to be used for private school tuition. He is a vocal critic of a state law that bars districts from being forced to notify parents if a student changes pronouns or gender identity at school.
“It is no secret that California has failed an entire generation — if not two — of our students,” Bianco said.
Also running as a Republican is former Fox News host Steve Hilton, who says his priority is ensuring students meet reading and math standards while removing what he calls “social and political indoctrination” from classrooms.
Hilton supports expanding school choice, enforcing parental rights, removing underperforming teachers, and allowing students to attend schools outside their neighborhoods, often using public education funds to do so. He also opposes allowing transgender students to compete in women’s sports.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (FOX26) — California’s privacy watchdog has ordered PlayOn Sports to pay a $1.10 million fine and change how it handles consumer data after finding the company’s practices violated state law in ways that affected students and schools in the state.
The California Privacy Protection Agency Board issued the decision following a settlement reached by CalPrivacy’s Enforcement Division.
The decision is the first by the board to address privacy violations involving students and California schools.
Schools across the country use PlayOn Sports’ GoFan platform to sell digital tickets to high school sporting events, theater performances, and homecoming and prom dances, with attendees presenting tickets at the door on their mobile phones.
Schools also use PlayOn Sports’ platforms for other sports-related activities, including attending games, streaming them online, and looking up statistics about teams and players.
In California, about 1,400 schools contract with PlayOn Sports for these services.
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GoFan is also the official ticketing platform for the California Interscholastic Federation, the governing body for high school sports.
According to the board’s decision, PlayOn Sports used tracking technologies to collect personal information and deliver targeted advertisements to ticketholders and others using its services.
The company allegedly required Californians to click “agree” to tracking technologies before they could use their tickets or view PlayOn Sports websites, without providing a sufficient opt-out option.
“Students trying to go to prom or a high school football game shouldn’t have to leave their privacy rights at the door,” said Michael Macko, CalPrivacy’s head of enforcement. “You couldn’t attend these events without showing your ticket, and you couldn’t show your ticket without being tracked for advertising. California’s privacy law does not work that way. Businesses must ensure they offer lawful ways for Californians to opt-out, particularly with captive audiences.”
The decision also describes students as a uniquely vulnerable population and warns that targeted advertising systems can subject students to profiling that can follow them for years, expose them to manipulative or harmful content, and develop sensitive inferences about their lives.
Instead of providing its own opt-out method, PlayOn Sports directed students and other users to opt out through the Network Advertising Initiative and the Digital Advertising Alliance, which the decision said violated the company’s responsibility to provide its own way for consumers to opt out. The company also allegedly failed to recognize opt-out preference signals and did not provide Californians with sufficient notice of its privacy practices.
“We are committed to making it as easy as possible for all Californians — from high school students to older adults, and everyone in between — to make the choice of whether they want to be tracked or not,” said Tom Kemp, CalPrivacy’s executive director. “Californians can opt-out with covered businesses, and they can sign up for the newly launched DROP system to request that data brokers delete their personal information.”
Beyond the $1.10 million fine, the board’s order requires PlayOn Sports to conduct risk assessments, provide disclosures that are easy to read and understand, and implement proper opt-out methods.
The order also requires the company to comply with California’s privacy law prohibiting the selling or sharing of personal information of consumers between 13 and 16 without their affirmative opt-in consent.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026 4:43AM
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KABC) — A bill that would prevent police officers from moonlighting with federal immigration enforcement agencies, such as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is advancing through the California State Assembly.
AB 1537 passed the State Assembly’s committee on public safety on Tuesday.
The bill also requires that officers report any offers for secondary employment related to immigration enforcement to their place of work.
Those failing to comply could face decertification as a peace officer in California.
The bill was introduced by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, whose district includes Mar Vista, Ladera Heights, Mid-Wilshire and parts of South Los Angeles.
Copyright © 2026 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved.
Newsom slams Trump amid U.S. military action in Iran
Newsom criticized Trump for spending little time acknowledging four U.S. service members killed in the conflict with Iran during recent remarks.
California Democrats running for governor, your party has a message for you. Think carefully about your candidacy and campaign ahead of the swiftly approaching filing deadline.
California Democratic Party Chair Rusty Hicks urged candidates looking to assume the state’s highest office to “honestly assess the viability of their candidacy and campaign” as March 6, the final day to declare candidacy, nears. Hicks said that concerns about the crowded field of Democrat candidates “persist” in an open letter on Tuesday, March 3.
It comes as five leading candidates, several of which are Democrats — Katie Porter, Eric Swalwell, and Tom Steyer — are in a “virtual tie” per a recent poll, the Desert Sun reported, which is part of the USA TODAY Network.
Two Republican candidates pushing out California democrats in the gubernatorial bid may be “implausible,” but “it is not impossible,” Hicks said of the reasoning behind his latest message. Steve Hilton and Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, both Republicans, lead in RealClear Polling’s average of various polls.
The party chair spotlighted the need for California Democrats’ leadership, particularly over Proposition 50, the voter-approved measure that will temporarily implement new congressional district maps, paving the way for Democrats to secure more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
“If in the unlikely event a Democrat failed to proceed to the general election for governor, there could be the potential for depressed Democratic turnout in California in November,” Hicks said. “The result would present a real risk to winning the congressional seats required and imperil Democrats’ chances to retake the House, cut Donald Trump’s term in half, and spare our nation from the pain many have endured since January 2025.”
During a press conference on March 2, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that when he is out in communities, people aren’t talking about the governor’s race. It’s an observation he called “interesting,” considering voting in the primary election starts in May.
“It’s been hard, I think, to focus on that race,” Newsom said, pointing to the attention on President Donald Trump, redistricting, and other matters.
What exactly is California Democratic Party asking of candidates?
In his open letter, Hicks gave directions to candidates.
First, assess your candidacy and campaign. If you don’t have a viable path to the general election, don’t file to get your name on the ballot for the primary election in June. Also, be prepared to suspend your campaign and endorse another candidate by April 15 if you decide to file but can’t show “meaningful progress towards winning the primary election.”
When is the next California election? Primary election in 2026
California voters will trim the field of candidates for governor on June 2. Only the two candidates who receive the most votes, regardless of party preference, will move on to the November election.
Paris Barraza is a reporter covering Los Angeles and Southern California for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at pbarraza@usatodayco.com.
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