School Voucher Initiative Rejected for Ballot

The state Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a last-ditch attempt to place on the November ballot a bitterly fought initiative allowing parents to use tax-funded vouchers for private or parochial school tuition.

In a brief order, the justices let stand a finding by state election officials that the initiative could not go before voters this fall because it narrowly fell short of the number of valid signatures required in a random sampling used to qualify ballot measures.

Backers of the voucher proposal, known as the Parental Choice in Education Initiative, had contended they had “substantially complied” with election law requirements and that the measure deserved a spot on the November ballot.

If an impending full count of valid signatures shows the measure has qualified, it would be in line to go on the June, 1994, ballot.

Supporters expressed disappointment with the high court action but pledged to press for passage in 1994.

“More people are calling out for having a choice in education,” sad Manuel S. Klausner of Los Angeles, a lawyer for sponsors of the measure.

However, Kevin Teasley, a campaign spokesman, noted that voter dissatisfaction with the status quo may fade by 1994--and that the voucher effort might also be harmed by the traditionally lighter turnout of June primary elections.

The court action was hailed by Del Weber, president of the California Teachers Assn., the 230,000-member union that has campaigned against the initiative as a threat to the financial stability of public schools.

Under the measure, parents could receive vouchers worth about $2,500--roughly half of what the state spends per pupil to support public schools--to apply to private school tuition.

State law requires 615,958 valid signatures on petitions to qualify the measure for the ballot. Initiative backers submitted more than 928,000 unverified signatures. Election officials, in a process used to save time and money, checked a random sample of 3% of the signatures for their authenticity.

To allow for error, the process requires that the sample yield a projected 110% of the minimum valid signatures required. The voucher petitions fell just short, yielding 106.8%.