José delivered on his promises and will deliver again.
Four years ago, I made promises to this community, and I kept them. Raises for teachers and staff. Millions invested in school facilities and safety. Workforce housing so our educators can afford to stay here. Partnerships with Stanford and San José State that bring real resources into our classrooms. This isn't a platform of what I hope to do, it's a record of what I've already delivered. As a 15-year educator and a parent with my own daughters in our neighborhood public school, I don't approach this work from the outside, I live it every day, alongside the families I serve. And when MAGA-aligned extremism came for our schools, from board colleagues to outside political groups, I didn't back down. I have the experience, the relationships, and the proven results to keep delivering for our students, not just promises this time, but a continuation of work that's already working. Here's what I'll keep fighting for. Let's get to work TOGETHER.
JOSÉ'S PRIORITIES
Student Safety & Academic Outcomes
As your trustee, I've made student safety and academic success non-negotiable. We banned cell phones during the school day to reduce distraction and protect students' mental health, hired a national safety expert to review and strengthen our campus safety plans, and expanded access to counselors and Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) so students get support before problems escalate. Measure R is investing millions directly into school facility safety upgrades, and our partnerships with Stanford and San José State are bringing real academic resources into the classroom,
There's more work ahead. As students navigate the effects of AI and increased screen time, I'm focused on raising 3rd grade reading rates, 8th grade math proficiency, and college and career readiness across the district. I'll secure expanded partnerships with higher education institutions to guarantee admission pathways for our students, and grow our TWIBI (Two-Way Immersion/Bilingual) programs.
Expanded Resources through Expanded Partnerships
I've built a track record of bringing outside resources into our schools rather than relying on the district budget alone. I've secured university partnerships that provide expanded training and support for students, staff, and families, and business partnerships that bring financial literacy training, team building, and leadership development directly to our students. I've also built working relationships with elected officials at the city, county, state, and federal level to advocate for our schools and secure additional funding for our community.
I'm the candidate best positioned to keep this going. I already have the relationships needed to pursue federal and state funding for school improvements, and the standing partnerships with universities and businesses to keep bringing resources and training into our classrooms, not starting from scratch, but building on what's already working. With your vote, we will grow the STEM, college/career programs, and training needed to prepare our students for the future.
Staff Recruitment, Retention, and Supports
Great schools depend on great educators, and I've worked to make sure San José Unified can recruit and keep our incredible workforce. I have secured raises for all of our teachers, principals, and support staff across the district. With my leadership, we secured funding for workforce housing so teachers and staff can afford to live in the community they serve. With collaboration with our teachers, we helped establish the first-of-its-kind-in-California parental leave policy for our teachers. Our partnership with Stanford provides ongoing, high-quality training for educators throughout their careers.
With your vote, I'll keep investing in the professional development our staff need to grow, ensure our campuses remain safe workplaces, and fight to pay our teachers what they deserve. I'll also continue taking the lead to secure educator housing, because the people who teach our children shouldn't be priced out of the community they serve.
Support and Expand TWIBI and other Language Programs
Our students are growing up in a global, connected world, and speaking more than one language is one of the strongest advantages we can give them, academically, culturally, and professionally. SJUSD already has a strong Two-Way Immersion Bilingual (TWIBI) program, and I want to build on that success, expanding access to more students and exploring additional language offerings beyond what we currently provide.
Language learning shouldn't stop at English mastery, and it shouldn't be limited to students already in TWIBI. I want every student to have a real path to multilingualism and the opportunity to earn the State Seal of Biliteracy, a recognized credential that shows colleges and employers a student's proficiency in multiple languages. That means expanding TWIBI enrollment, growing world language options for students outside the program, and making sure every student, not just those who start early, has a meaningful opportunity to become bilingual or multilingual before graduation. I'll keep building on our partnerships with universities to expand our pipeline of future multilingual educators, including options for our students to explore teaching.
Fight Back Against Mom's for Liberty & MAGA Policies
I've stood on the front lines against the MAGA-aligned, Moms for Liberty-style agenda targeting school boards nationwide. There is a reason why Charlie Kirk's Turning Point USA placed me on their School Board Watchlist until the morning after his death.
This extreme movement has made its way to San José Unified's Board of Education. When a board colleague aligned with this movement tried to strip the word "inclusion" from our policies, remove our suicide prevention hotline, and ban books she labeled "woke," I pushed back and won. I also publicly called on ICE to stay out of our school communities, because every student deserves to feel safe walking into class regardless of immigration status.
As a parent in this district, I don't want extreme politics anywhere near my daughters' education, and I know I'm not alone. I'm the candidate best equipped to keep fighting back, against extremist board colleagues, against federal attacks on public education, and for a district where every student is welcome.