Election 2020: Education Equity on the Ballot

To help voters learn where candidates in key statewide political races in the South and the Presidential race stand on education equity, the Southern Education Foundation (SEF) has produced Election 2020: Education Equity on the Ballot. The online voter guide compares the candidates’ positions on a range of issues that affect opportunity in education for Black students, other students of color and students from low-income families.

The guide includes the gubernatorial candidates in Delaware, Missouri, North Carolina and West Virginia; the candidates for North Carolina State Superintendent of Public Instruction; and the candidates for State Board of Education in Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 in Alabama and Districts 1, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 14 and 15 in Texas. The information presented is based on candidate responses to a SEF survey sent to all corresponding candidates; in cases where candidates did not complete SEF’s survey, information was collected from candidates’ campaign websites and widely available comments in traditional or social media.

Election 2020 includes information on candidates’ positions on the following key education equity issues:

• COVID-19 Response and Plan for Distance Learning
• Culturally-Relevant and Anti-Racist Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Early Childhood Education
• Elections for State Superintendent of Education and State Board of Education
• Equitable K-12 Funding
• Private School Choice
• School Disciplinary Policies
• School District Governance
• School Resource and Police Officers
• Teacher Recruitment and Retention
• Usage of Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Funds and Other Federal COVID-19 Relief Funds
• Virtual and For-Profit Charter Schools
• Wraparound Services

The guide also includes detailed explanation of these policy issues and how they support education equity.