2026 California “Child Education Opportunity Act” Signature Collection to Begin

The California Children’s Educational Opportunity Act (CEO Act) will begin collecting signatures on October 22 with the goal of gathering over a million signatures for a public vote during the 2026 midterm elections. The initiative aims to provide equal education funding for students from kindergarten to 12th grade, regardless of whether they attend public, private, or homeschool. Currently, only children attending public schools and public charter schools receive free education.

The CEO Act, advocated by Kevin McNamee, will allow parents to use California’s Proposition 98 education funds to choose the best school for their children. In the first year, $17,000 will be deposited into an Education Savings Account (ESA) to cover a child’s educational expenses, with the annual deposit amount adjusted based on the state’s economy.

McNamee, a former City Council member and Mayor of Thousand Oaks in California, emphasized that the initiative aims to promote parents’ right to choose schools and ensure all children have equal educational opportunities. According to McNamee, Proposition 98 provided approximately $109 billion for California’s K-14 education in the 2023-24 school year, averaging $23,519 per student, which is over $6,500 higher than the $17,000 per person proposed by the CEO Act.

McNamee highlighted that only 13% of Proposition 98 funds were used for classroom education and stated that the issue lies not in funding but in the allocation of resources within schools. “In the past 25 years, California schools saw an 8% increase in student population, while staff numbers grew by 88%,” said McNamee.

The CEO Act offers a comprehensive solution, allowing unused funds to be transferred to other family members’ education savings accounts, benefiting relatives’ education expenses such as medical school fees. Lance Christensen, Deputy Director of Government Affairs at the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), mentioned that around 70% of voters support such proposals as it affects children’s future irrespective of racial or political boundaries.

McNamee previously faced challenges when submitting a similar proposal in August 2023, encountering misleading labeling and summary by the State Attorney General’s office, which led to delays and eventually halting the initiative before the 2024 elections. Despite the setbacks, McNamee believes that the decline in average student proficiency in reading, writing, and math in California requires an overhaul in educational policies, including addressing parental concerns about the curriculum and school choices.

The CEO Act provides a framework to address issues like controversial educational programs, notification protocols for parents regarding changes in student gender identity, and ensuring students’ rights and safety in school facilities. By allowing parents and students to select schools, McNamee believes these problems can be effectively resolved, paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive educational system in California.