Why school board members aren’t running for reelection: ‘A lot of disillusionment’

In summary

School board members cited a slew of reasons for not running for reelection, including distress over budget cuts and labor strife, immigration raids affecting schools and youth and an overall hostile political climate.

The Nov. 3 ballot is long and filled with consequential races. But one thing most voters in California won’t see: much ado about school boards.

About half of California’s school board candidates are most likely running unopposed, according to a recent USC report, leaving a dearth of public scrutiny just as enormous changes to K-12 education are underway at the state and federal levels.

“We need more people, more choices, more public debate,” said USC education professor Julie Marsh, a lead author of the report. “Otherwise it opens the door for interest groups to step in and have outsized power.”

School board members cited a slew of reasons for not running for reelection, including distress over budget cuts and labor strife, immigration raids affecting schools and youth and an overall hostile political climate. In addition, the hours are long, the pay is low, and the friends are scarce.

“A large group didn’t anticipate how emotionally draining the job can be,” Marsh said. “We saw a lot of disillusionment.”

Uncertainty and tumult

Local control has been a centerpiece of California school governance for more than a decade, since the state adopted the Local Control Funding Formula giving school districts more latitude in spending and decision-making. But the state is currently shifting more power to the governor’s office and the Trump administration is shuttering the U. S. Department of Education, leaving a tide of uncertainty and tumult for school boards.

The culture wars haven’t helped. Fights about curriculum that includes LGBTQ history, the rights of transgender students and other topics have roiled school board meetings in purple regions for the past few years. But those concerns pale compared to stress related to teacher strikes, school closures and budget woes, Marsh and her colleagues found.   

In recent years, interest groups such as labor unions and conservative political groups have sought to place their members on school boards, with some success. If they’re running unopposed, those candidates are easily elected – with little public scrutiny.

Does money help?

A few efforts to make school board jobs more attractive are underway. Assembly Bill 1390,  passed last year, allows school districts to pay board members up to $4,500 a month, depending on the size of the district. Currently, most school board members earn a small stipend, usually a few hundred dollars a month.

But even higher pay doesn’t come close to fair compensation for what’s often a 40-hour-a-week job, school board members said. And most aren’t in it for the money, anyway.

“If I run for re-election, it’s very much not for the money or personal benefit,” said Nick Caston, who won a seat on the Santa Rosa City Schools board in 2024 and became board president last year. “It’s for the long-term benefit of the students, staff and community.”

Caston, a father of three who works as a business strategy consultant, said the job has been much more stressful and time-consuming than he anticipated. The district initially thought it would have to close one elementary school to balance its budget, but that soon became six schools.

The public outcry was difficult to endure, he said.

“You feel like you’re the tangible face of things that are happening beyond your control,” Caston said. “It can be very stressful.”

Another effort to retain school board members has been improved training. The California School Boards Association provides an ever-expanding array of webinars, workshops and a 40-hour “master’s in governance” program that covers topics such as collective bargaining, community relations, the Brown Act and school finance. 

But those trainings are not mandatory. The only state requirement for incoming school board members is a two-hour ethics class. Starting next year, they’ll also have to take a four-hour finance class. In the USC report, a majority of board members said they needed more training, especially in using social media, understanding whether programs or curricula are effective, and navigating political tensions.

“Training cannot eliminate every source of stress, but it can help trustees become more confident, effective and efficient in their work,” said school boards association spokesperson Troy Flint. “Our goal is to ensure they have the tools to succeed without having to navigate these challenges alone.”

More Latinas running 

As interest in running for a school board wanes generally, one group appears to be surging: Latinas. In 2023, Latinas represented at least 20% of California school board members in districts with large numbers of Latino students, according to a survey by Hispanas Organized for Political Equality, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit. In Los Angeles and the Central Coast, the number was closer to 30%. Oxnard School District’s board was entirely Latina.

“These are women, many of whom are first-generation, who care about their communities and want to give back,” said Helen Torres, the organization’s chief executive officer.

Torres’ group trains Latinas for civic leadership, including running for public office. In its 35-year history, the group has trained more than 2,500 people, including Maria Anguiano, chair of the UC Board of Regents; Yammilette Rodriguez, a California State University trustee; state Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, chair of the Senate Education Committee; and state Sen. Monique Limón, president of the state Senate and former school board member. Torres also pointed to other Latinas who’ve risen to some of the state’s highest ranks in education: Daisy Gonzalez, head of the California Student Aid Commission, and Mildred García, chancellor of the Cal State system.

Latino representation is important, Torres said, because more than half of the state’s student enrollment is Latino, and Latino school board members are likely to advocate for programs benefitting immigrant and working families, such as English learner and after-school programs, she said. Marsh’s report found that in general, school board members in California tend to be white, older and wealthy.

Taking on inertia and apathy

Nabil Kherfan, a school board member for Central Unified in Fresno, is passionate about public schools and serving his community. But after just one term, he’s had enough.

It wasn’t the strife at school board meetings or agony of budget cuts that deterred him. It was the time commitment – of serving on the board as well as campaigning. 

“After putting many things in my personal life on hold for five years, I’m looking forward to advancing my career and hopefully starting a family,” Kherfan said.

Kherfan is one of California’s first elected Palestinian Americans, and at age 30, among the state’s younger school board members. He grew up in Fresno, attended schools in Central Unified and hopes to run for office again someday.

But the time commitment for someone who already works full-time can be daunting.

“We all want change, but there can be inertia against changing the status quo,” Kherfan said. “Addressing systemic inequity and apathy takes time.”