California Right of Parents to Control Children's Education Initiative (2018)

Right of Parents to Control Children's Education Initiative
Election date November 6, 2018
Topic Education
Status Not on the ballot
Type Constitutional amendment	Origin Citizens
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The California Right of Parents to Control Children's Education Initiative (#17-0030) did not qualify to appear on the ballot in California as an initiated constitutional amendment on November 6, 2018.

The measure would have added a provision to the state constitution providing parents and legal guardians with a right to sole control over their children's education. The measure would have also prohibited the state, local governments, and state-sanctioned government entities from assuming this right granted to parents and legal guardians.

Text of measure

Ballot title

The official ballot title was as follows:

“

Prohibits Government from Enforcing Educational Standards and Makes Parents and Guardians Solely Responsible for Their Children’s Education. Initiative Constitutional Amendment.

”

Petition summary

The summary provided for inclusion on signature petition sheets was as follows:

“

Changes Constitution to prohibit state and local government from requiring parents and guardians to meet educational standards. Gives parents and legal guardians the sole authority and responsibility to educate their children, including the right to determine the venue, curriculum, and methods of education.

”

Fiscal impact

Note: The fiscal impact statement for a California ballot initiative authorized for circulation is prepared by the state's legislative analyst and director of finance.

The fiscal impact statement was as follows:

“

Potentially significant costs for state and local governments to resolve complaints and make alternative arrangements for parents who believe existing laws or policies violate their rights under this measure.

”

Constitutional changes

See also: Article IX, California Constitution

The measure would have added a Section 17 to Article IX of the California Constitution. The full text of the constitutional amendment is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: California signature requirements and Laws governing the initiative process in California

In California, the number of signatures needed to qualify a measure for the ballot is based on the total number of votes cast for the office of governor. For an initiated constitutional amendment, petitioners must collect signatures equal to 8 percent of the most recent gubernatorial vote. To get a measure on the 2018 ballot, the number of signatures required was 585,407. In California, initiatives can be circulated for 180 days. Signatures needed to be certified at least 131 days before the 2018 general election, which was around June 28, 2018. As the signature verification process can take several weeks, the California secretary of state issues suggested deadlines for several months before the certification deadline.

The timeline for the initiative is as follows:

• Lee Olsen submitted a letter requesting a title and summary on September 5, 2017.
• A title and summary were issued by the California attorney general's office on November 9, 2017.
• Proponents of the initiative needed to submit 365,880 valid signatures by May 8, 2018, in order for it to make the ballot.
• On May 22, 2018, the secretary of state announced that the initiative failed to make the ballot.

See also

• 2018 ballot measures
• California 2018 ballot propositions
• California ballot measures

External links

• Initiative Petition #17-0030