Voters in California and Michigan turned out to turn down plans that would have provided millions in tax dollars to let students attend private schools. While it's far too early to tell if these votes were a bellwether for national sentiment, the numbers indicate taxpayers aren't responding to such large-scale efforts.

In California, voters decisively rejected Proposition 38, which would have given annual $4,000 vouchers to any of that state's 6.6 million K-12 schoolchildren that wanted to attend private schools, including those already enrolled in these schools.

The measure would have provided "universal" student coverage within five years. The campaigns for and against Proposition 38 spent tens of millions to get there messages across in what may have been the most expensive state ballot campaign in national history.

Prop. 38 supporters spent an estimated $26 million on advertising and other charges as of late October, with $23 million of that total coming from one person -- Silicon Valley entrepreneur Timothy C. Draper.

Opponents of the measure, primarily the California Teachers Association, spent at least $28 million by the same date, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"The only way to read it is that voters care deeply about public schools and believe vouchers are fundamentally flawed," said Gale Kaufman, a spokeswoman for the No on Vouchers 2000 Committee. "They are prepared to spend money to help public schools."

Kaufman's point seems accurate, because California voters also accepted a ballot measure that will make it easier to approve local school bond measures. Prop. 39 will lower the bond approval threshold from two-thirds of all votes cast to 55 percent of these votes.

This is the second time in seven years that voters have rejected school voucher plans, the Times reports.

In Michigan, a less ambitious voucher program also was defeated. Voters in that state turned down a measure proposed by Amway founder Richard DeVos that would have given $3,300 vouchers to children in "failing" public schools. The measure, known as Proposal 1, lost by better than a 2-to-1 margin in that state.

Supporters, including Catholic groups and inner-city education activists, spent an estimated $12 million on their campaign. Opponents, including teachers groups and many political leaders, spent an estimated $6 million, the Detroit Free Press reports.

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