W/A identified 17 education-related ballot initiatives and key superintendent races to watch during the 2024 election. Here’s what happened:

Ballot Measures

Colorado voters rejected Amendment 80, which would have codified a school choice provision into state law. Of the 55% supporters needed for the initiative to pass, 48% voted yes. 

Kentucky voters decisively said no to Amendment 2, which would have granted the General Assembly constitutional authority to fund students at non-public schools with state funds. Gov. Beshear (D) expressed support for the result, releasing a statement that called for increased public school funding.

Massachusetts voters were tasked with deciding whether a baseline score on the  Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) should remain a high school requirement. You can find our insights on the measure here. Ultimately, with 59% of voters in support, the MACS score requirement was nixed and removed from the state’s set of high school graduation requirements. 

Amendment 1 in Florida asked voters to decide whether school board elections should be decided on a partisan basis. 60% approval was necessary to pass this measure. Only 55% of citizens said yes, not enough to alter the system.

Amendment 1 in Alabama passed with flying colors, as 74% of voters supported transferring management of the 16th section and indemnity school lands to the Franklin County Board of Education.

In Arkansas, Issue 1 passed with flying colors, as nearly 90% of voters felt that lottery funds should go towards scholarships for students attending vocational and technical institutions.

Superintendent Races

As W/A predicted, while Trump won North Carolina, Democrat Mo Green eked out a victory against Republican Michelle Morrow. Morrow had beaten the incumbent, Republican Catherine Truitt, in the primary. 

The Montana race saw an almost exact opposite outcome, with Republican Susie Hedalen defeating Democrat Shannon O’Brien.

In North Dakota, incumbent Kirsten Baesler pulled out a decisive win against Jason Heitkamp, a former North Dakota State Senator. Baesler plans to continue pushing for local educational oversight and ensuring students are set up for success post-graduation. 

In Washington, incumbent Chris Reykdal defeated David Olsen, a U.S. Navy veteran and longtime Peninsula School District board leader.

Note: For the purpose of this analysis, all results have been rounded to the nearest percent.