JOSÉ MAGAÑA
PARENT. LEADER. EDUCATOR WITH 15 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN EDUCATION
José Magaña received his degree from the University of California-Santa Barbara. The first male in his family to graduate from college, President Magaña began his professional career in education as a kindergarten teacher in San José. He is passionate about education because education was his pathway to service as he struggled with the challenges of being the son of a teen mother and incarcerated father. After spending four years in the classroom, he transitioned into education technology as a national instructional coach and district consultant. He has coached and worked alongside hundreds of teachers, leaders, and school districts across the country to improve education outcomes in math and early literacy and via high-impact tutoring programs. Trustee Magaña served on the Senior Leadership Team as the Managing Director of Impact for City Year San José/Silicon Valley. There he was charged with managing the education non-profit's largest department, where he oversaw over 100 AmeriCorps Members, 20 staff members, as well as academic, socio-emotional, and after school supports for 14 schools. He also served with hundreds of educators across the Bay Area as the Executive Director at Latinos for Education Bay Area, where they developed leadership pipelines for education leaders across the country.
President Magaña served as a Vice Chair and Chair on the Library and Education Commission for the City of San José from 2017 to 2025 where he championed the elimination of late fees in our city libraries and library cards for all students in SJUSD. Elected in 2018, President Magaña has used his Certificate in Education Finance from Georgetown University to help secure policy wins like expanding ethnic studies, securing raises for educators, and securing $1.15 billion for school improvements and educator housing. President Magaña and his wife Ellyn, also an educator, live with their two daughters and puppy in San José. They proudly send their daughters to their local neighborhood San José Unified elementary school.
Education. Service. Experience.
Results.
Education Experience
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Classroom Teacher (4 years)
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Teacher Coach (4 years)
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Senior Education Non-Profit Leader (6 years)
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Expert in High-Impact Tutoring (2 years)
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National Education Consultant (4 years; Current)
Education
Expertise & Service
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Preliminary Teaching Credential, REACH Institute of School Leadership
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Certificate of Education Finance, Georgetown University
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Masters in Governance, California School Boards Association
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School Board Member Finance Trainings, Edunomics Lab
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Director, California Latino School Boards Association
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Founder, Digital Equity Coalition of California
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Former Chair, Library and Education Commission, City of San José
Education
Policy
Wins
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Secured Partnerships with SJSU and Stanford
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Student Cell Phone Ban in collaboration with student groups
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Secured over $1 billion in funding for school improvements and workforce housing
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Highest Bond Rating saving millions of dollars
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Elimination of Late Fees for children at the library
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Early expansion of Transitional Kindergarten (TK) including Two-Way Billlingual TK Programs
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Expansion of Ethnic Studies, Wellness Centers, Employee Pay
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Update to Equity, and Gun Safety Policies
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Policy and Resolutions supporting immigrant, LGBTQ+ and students of color
