Every child deserves a good education and states demand a better workforce, yet Democrats refuse to prioritize children over the interests that fund their political machines," Kashkari's proposal says.
Brown has been a beneficiary of the California Teachers Assn., which spent nearly $5 million to help elect him in 2010 and many millions more to advance the tax increase he put on the statewide ballot in 2012.
And even some who have been skeptical of Brown say that they have been impressed by his work on education.
One of the governor's first acts after taking office in 2011 was sacking seven members of the state Board of Education, including vocal proponents of charter schools. One of the replacements was a California Teachers Assn. lobbyist.
Among those Brown booted was Ben Austin, chief executive of Parent Revolution, a Los Angeles nonprofit group that lobbied for California's parent-trigger law.
"While the governor is not perfect…he's exceeded expectations when it comes to making tough calls on behalf of kids," Austin said.
He cited Brown's school funding shift that provides more money to schools with the most disadvantaged students and gives districts more control over some funds the state sends them. He also cited Brown's veto of a bill backed by the teachers union that purported to streamline the process for firing bad teachers but actually increased teacher protections.
Austin also found a lot to like in Kashkari's proposal, such as eliminating parts of the education code and further localizing school funding decisions. Austin is a self-described "partisan Democrat" but said he has not decided whom to support for governor.
"I think both … bring something real to the table in terms of a kids-first agenda," he said.