It is an honor to serve as trustee for Area 5 on the Contra Costa County Board of Education.
The Contra Costa County Board of Education has many responsibilities. Board members are important participants in the Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) for the Court and Community Schools managed by the Contra Costa Office of Education. We approve the curriculum in these county-run schools and programs as well. We address appeals on student matters including expulsions, school transfer requests, and charter school petitions. We review and approve the CCCOE budget. Board members serve as the Committee for School District Organization, which reviews district boundary change requests. Additionally, the board also provides information and support to the local school district governing boards.
While some only see our work at regularly scheduled meetings, a large part of our work as an appellant body requires many additional meetings. Attendance at these meetings is vital. It is not always easy to make these meetings, but I can proudly say over the last three and a half years I have only missed two of these meetings. I take my responsibility as a board member and the duties that come with it very seriously.
I have served on the Contra Costa County Board of Education since 2018. In December of 2020 I was elected to serve as the Board President. This was a challenging time indeed due to COVID restrictions, community complaints and ever-changing information. During that time, I provided information to constituents and local boards who were confused and concerned about what was happening in the schools throughout the community.
During my time as president of the board, I faced the entirely unprecedented situation of having to step in when an entire school board resigned after an unfortunate online discussion. I quickly educated myself on what steps I needed to take and with the assistance of two of my fellow board members we filled the vacant positions with five very competent community leaders allowing them to resume the work of returning to in person instruction.
I achieved my Master’s in Governance for County Boards of Education in April of 2021. I serve on the California County Boards of Education (CCBE) as the Region 7 Director where we are working on a new County Board Governance Guide. I serve on the CSBA Delegate Assembly collaborating with other school board members across the state. I also served on a county wide adult education committee.
During my term I have served on several board committees. I worked on the Policy Committee where we successfully updated most of our outdated board bylaws. On the Charter Committee we developed a standardized Memorandum of Understanding to use with all the Charter Schools overseen by the County Office of Education. In my current work as chair of the Legislative Committee we are monitoring legislation which effects students and education programs and working to advocate as a board for sound education legislation.
I have served ethically by voting in accordance with law and not accepting any special interest funds. I study each issue which comes before our board deeply. I base my decision on what is legally required, morally correct and in the best interest of the students we serve. I do not make promises to vote in any one direction in advance as by doing so, I would be ignoring the facts brought to our board.
I would like to ask your support so I can continue to serve our students and community.
You can offer your endorsement here.
You can make a donation to support my campaign here.
Thank you for your support.