Early education dollars going to Aceves in race for schools chief

By Allen Young, School Innovations & Advocacy

Although still early in the race for state school chief, former district administrator and political newcomer Larry Aceves has emerged the clear favorite among education’s political contributors, an analysis of campaign statements shows.

Aceves, a past superintendent of Franklin-McKinleySchool District in San Jose and a one-time president of the Association of California School Administrators, reported donations of $202,854 so far this year – of which, $145,400 or 71 percent came from individuals within the education community including district superintendents, teachers, administrators, statewide school groups and education consultants.

His two rivals for the office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction – both far better known and with much more political experience – have raised far less from the same education sources:

State Sen. Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, has raised a total of $132,794 since January, and about 24 percent – or $30,872 –  from education sources. Assemblyman Tom Torlakson, D-Martinez, has raised $184,021 so far, but only 4 percent, or $7,475, has come from the education community.

With still 10 months to go before the critical June primary, there’s no certainty that Aceves will maintain what appears to be strong support from school insiders. Political observers are also divided over how that support will translate come Election Day – especially since the state’s powerful teachers union has yet to weigh in.

“It could be helpful to him,” said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, senior scholar at the school of policy planning and development at the University of Southern California. “If indeed Aceves has a statewide network of people who can go out and walk precincts, man phone banks, and contribute, that could be very powerful.

“But those are big ifs,” she added.

The public school superintendent, the only statewide office that is elected on a nonpartisan basis, has in the recent past been a race largely determined by the preferences of party loyalists and big employee groups like the California Teachers Association.

Unlike a campaign for governor or some of the other constitutional offices, the race for state school chief tends not to be one where huge amounts of money are needed to win. But that could change this year as three candidates, each with clear fundraising prowess, collide in June.

If one candidates gets more than 50 percent of the vote, they would be declared the winner and avoid the November runoff.

Overall, Assemblyman Torlakson has the most cash to work about with $543,000 – thanks mostly to a transfer of $356,641 from his Assembly committee.

A former classroom teacher and two-term state senator representing Contra Costa County, Torlakson is hoping to end up the favorite of the CTA and school labor groups.

But Shannan Velayas, spokeswoman for Torlakson, said that he’s “demonstrated the ability to reach a wider donor base,” she said. “We saw this on the last reporting period.” 

Romero, the other political heavyweight in the race, chairs the Senate Education Committee and holds the distinction of being the first women to serve as senate majority leader. She, too, would like the endorsement of labor but has recently also been working with EdVoice, a key reform organization with close ties to Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

EdVoice, which includes on its board some major money players in California politics, could potentially match the CTA in campaign spending and has already given generously to Romero.

Romero declined comment for this article.

Meanwhile, Aceves appears to have secured his base among the people who actually run schools and called himself a “down in the dirt educator” that will run a nontraditional, grassroots campaign.

“I intend to go to one community at a time, one rotary club at a time,” he said. “My fundraising will be (smaller contributions) from the people who believe in me.”

The candidate added that he also hopes to seek contributions from bigger donors, arguing that a successful SPI campaign will take at least two to four million dollars.

Long-time Democratic strategist Steve Maviglio said that in the end, big ticket contributors will be essential to determining the winner.

“Aceves hasn’t cornered the market,” he said. “The name of game in this race is going to be independent expenditures by EdVoice, CTA, and other players that typically run their own campaigns.”

Editor’s Note: This report was based on analysis of campaign statements filed with the Secretary of State’s office covering Jan. 1 through August 21, 2009. As a reference, contributions from the education community were defined as broadly as possible and consistently applied to all three candidates.