California schools chief re-elected in race that became referendum on education reform

By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California's union-backed schools superintendent has won re-election, defeating a challenger who called for tying teacher pay to student performance and a reshaping of tenure rules in an expensive race that emerged as a referendum on education reform. According to state election figures, incumbent Tom Torlakson won 52 percent of the vote on Tuesday, compared with 48 percent for Marshall Tuck, a former charter school executive who ran as an education reformer and enjoyed support from several wealthy donors. The race for superintendent of public instruction was the most expensive in the state this election, outpacing even the contest for governor, with more than $30 million spent by the candidates and outside groups, according to education news website EdSource Today. Both candidates were Democrats, highlighting differences within the party over how aggressively to pursue reforms that threaten instructors' job projections. Tuck attacked California's education system as dismally ineffective, saying it ranked in the bottom fifth among U.S. states in reading and math proficiency. Torlakson countered that he worked with Democratic Governor Jerry Brown to restore funding cut from education and that the state's graduation rate was improving. In a key difference between the candidates, Tuck threw his support behind a landmark ruling by a state judge in Los Angeles who this year overturned California's teacher tenure rules and other job protections, saying low-income and minority students in particular were harmed by the system. The state has filed a notice of appeal of the decision, a move supported by Torlakson. Tuck vowed to seek to have the appeal dropped. Tuck, who served as president of the non-profit Green Dot charter school organization and advised former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on education issues, also vowed to change teacher pay plans to reward top teachers more effectively and to use student test scores to evaluate instructors. During his campaign, Torlakson, a former teacher, argued teachers were being unfairly blamed for problems with the state's education system. "They were tough, but we were tougher. After all, we're teachers," Torlakson said in a statement after his victory. Torlakson, who first won election to the position in 2010, was not available for an interview on Wednesday. The California Federation of Teachers and the California Teachers Association had supported Torlakson, while Tuck had backing from such figures as billionaire Eli Broad. (Editing by Sharon Bernstein and Peter Cooney)