Voters decided on 12 education-related ballot measures—the most in 18 years—on Nov. 5. The ballot measures covered various education-related topics, including school choice programs, non-public education, standardized testing, school board elections, and school governance and funding.
Measures were on the ballot in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Utah.
School choice on the ballot in 2024
- Colorado Amendment 80 and Kentucky Amendment 2: Supporters of school choice programs, defined as policies that provide families with taxpayer funding for private education or homeschooling, sought to expand these policies through constitutional amendments in two states, Colorado and Kentucky. Colorado Amendment 80, which was rejected with 51.5% of voters opposed, would have provided that “Each K-12 child has the right to school choice.” Kentucky Amendment 2, rejected with 64.8% of voters opposed, would have allowed the General Assembly to “provide financial support for the education of students outside the system of common schools.” The National Education Association donated over $9.7 million to oppose the amendments.
- Nebraska Referendum 435: The veto referendum was successful, repealing legislation that would have allocated $10 million each year for a scholarship program for eligible students to cover the costs of attending accredited private schools. From 2000 to 2023, there were three veto referendums against school choice policies—Arizona Proposition 305 (2018), Utah Referendum 1 (2007), and Washington Referendum 55 (2004). Voters repealed the legislation in each case.