What’s at stake in this race

The Los Angeles Unified School Board oversees the nation’s second-largest school district, with more than 390,000 students enrolled from transitional kindergarten through the 12th grade. The district is also the county’s second-largest employer, with more than 83,000 educators, administrators and support staff on its payroll.

In L.A., voters directly elect members of the school board, unlike in New York City, Chicago and Washington, D.C., where the mayor appoints education leaders. So your ballot wields a lot of power.

Three of the board’s seven seats are up for election this year, including East L.A.’s District 2.

What do LAUSD board members do? 

• Hire and fire the superintendent.
• Set the spending priorities for a nearly $19 billion budget. 
• Work with parents and resolve disputes over facilities and budgets.
• Vote on every charter school that hopes to open in L.A. and decide which ones get shut down. (The board doesn’t oversee day-to-day operations for independent charters; these campuses are run by separate, nonprofit organizations with a separate board.)

You might know them from

• A recent leadership shakeup: The board voted unanimously in February to place Superintendent Alberto Carvalho on paid administrative leave days after FBI agents searched his home and office. The board appointed longtime administrator Andres Chait as acting superintendent. 
• Student cellphone ban: The board voted in June 2024 to ban student cellphone and social media use during the school day amid rising concerns about the impact of the technologies on youth mental health. The board plans to consider a new policy related to student screentime later this year. 
• Advocating for immigrant and LGBTQ+ students: In August, the school district announced a slew of additional protections for immigrant students, on top of previously announced protections for LGBTQ+ staff, and families of students, as a response to the policies of the second Trump administration.

Fast facts about Los Angeles Unified School Board, District 2 

• A board member’s salary is $130,000 — if they don’t have another source of income — as of July 2025. The income is set by a committee appointed by local politicians. 
• In addition to money for a chief of staff and administrative assistant, the district provides each board office with about $374,000 of discretionary funding that can be used for a variety of purposes, including hiring staff and community outreach.
• Board members are elected to four-year terms (with a maximum of three full terms) and represent different geographical areas.
• District 2 includes downtown L.A. and East L.A. and parts of Los Feliz and Northeast L.A.

What’s on the agenda for next term

• Balancing LAUSD’s budget: The board has adopted spending plans for the past two years that rely on billions of dollars in reserves to close the gap between expenses and revenue. School leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its reserves within a few years. In February, a divided board approved the elimination of more than 650 jobs as part of a plan to cut spending. Decisions about more layoffs and school closures could be on the horizon. 
• Shoring up enrollment: The district’s enrollment has declined for more than two decades. There are also fewer immigrant students attending L.A. schools in the wake of the Trump administration’s widespread immigration arrests. California uses attendance to set school funding levels — over time, fewer students means a smaller multiplier for state funding.
• Continuing academic improvement: LAUSD students have achieved notable gains on California's standardized math and reading tests in recent years. Scores rose above pre-pandemic levels in the 2024-25 school year, outpacing state growth. The reality remains that the majority of students do not meet benchmark scores for any subject. Among the most vocal parents are those of students with disabilities, who say schools failed to meet their children’s needs during distance learning.  
• School safety: How well LAUSD does or does not protect students is one of the most frequently cited topics during board meeting public comment sessions. On one side are parents who seek the restoration of school police to district campuses after the board cut that department's annual budget by $25 million (35%) in the summer of 2020. On the other side are students who want to see a greater investment in student and community-based safety programs.

What it takes to win

If any one candidate receives more than 50% of the vote in the June primary, they will win the office outright. This is the most likely scenario in Board District 2 because there are just two candidates qualified for the ballot. However, if a write-in candidate garners enough of the vote, the top two vote-getters would advance to the November general election.

The candidates for Los Angeles Unified School Board, District 2

Rocío Rivas, incumbent

Before voters elected Rocío Rivas to represent the district in 2022, she served as research and policy deputy to former board President Jackie Goldberg. Rivas has worked as an education researcher, in schools and as a parent representative. She earned a bachelor’s degree from U.C. Berkeley and a doctorate in education from Columbia University. Rivas is also the parent of an LAUSD student.

Rivas says the district can build on the recent growth in standardized test scores by focusing on early literacy, tutoring and school staffing. She acknowledges the district’s financial pressure and wants to prioritize school-level funding and find cuts in external contractors and administration.

Rivas helped advocate for the district’s $9 billion bond and says the money can help modernize, cool and green campuses in high-need communities.

In her own words

Rivas says the greatest impact on her K-12 education came from her parents.

“As working-class immigrants, they made sacrifices so my brother and I could have opportunities they never did. They believed deeply in public education as a pathway to stability and possibility,” she says.

“As an immigrant myself, I carried their hopes and the responsibility to make the most of every opportunity,” she says. “That shaped my experience as a student at Portola Middle School and Reseda High School and instilled in me both confidence and a sense of responsibility. It’s why I prioritize engaging families and students in my work and making decisions that reflect the needs of the families our schools serve.”

Top three priorities if elected

Protecting and accelerating student academic progress: Rivas notes gains by LAUSD students in reading, math and science across all grade levels over the past two years. “And we need to build on that momentum,” she says. “I will focus on strengthening early literacy, expanding high-impact tutoring and ensuring schools have the staff and support to meet students’ needs. That also means protecting and directing resources to our highest-need schools so students who need the most support receive it and expanding the strategies already improving student outcomes.”

Protecting classroom resources through responsible budgeting and transparency: Rivas says she will prioritize direct services based at schools, such as counselors, smaller class sizes and student supports, while identifying savings in central office spending and contracts. “That also means maintaining a respected workforce and stable learning environments for students,” she says. “I have led efforts to strengthen oversight, including pushing for a public contracts database so families can see how dollars are spent. I will continue directing resources to our highest-need schools and ensuring budget decisions are clear and accountable.”

Modernizing school facilities: Rivas says campuses need protection from extreme heat, expanded green space and improved indoor environments. “I helped place Measure US on the ballot to secure $9 billion for school modernization and have prioritized investments in the highest-need communities,” she says. “I also authored a greening and climate resilience resolution to streamline projects and partnered on efforts to address extreme heat, including expanding HVAC upgrades. Next, I will continue strengthening oversight, cutting delays and ensuring families see real improvements on their campuses.”

More voter resources:

• Website: https://www.drrivasforschoolboard.com/
• Social media: Instagram, Facebook
• Endorsements: United Teachers Los Angeles, L.A. County Federation of Labor, LAUSD School Board President Scott Schmerelson

Go deeper: 

• LAUSD Board: What Rocío Rivas — Running For District 2 — Would Do If Elected (LAist)

Raquel Zamora, teacher/counselor

Raquel Zamora has been an educator for about two decades across early education centers, elementary, middle, high and adult schools. She’s currently in a leadership position in LAUSD’s pupil services and attendance office for Region East and supports counselors who work to get students to attend school more consistently. Zamora filed to run for the District 2 board seat in 2022 but withdrew her candidacy before the election. She ran unsuccessfully for Los Angeles City Council District 14 in 2020. Her family has run Boyle Heights carnitas institution Zamora Bros. for more than 50 years.

Zamora says she wants to expand pathways to careers and college-prep support for LAUSD students. Her ideas for improving school safety include stronger mental health services and community partnerships.

In her own words

Zamora says the biggest influences on her K–12 education were her family, her educators and her community. “My grandparents’ bravery in coming to the U.S. and my mother’s determination after being denied school enrollment for not speaking English taught me resilience and purpose. My teachers and a caring librarian showed me that education opens doors and that one supportive adult can change a child’s life.”

She adds: “And my community grounded me in culture, pride and the importance of lifting one another up. These experiences shaped who I am and drive my commitment to ensuring every student is seen, supported and inspired.”

Top three priorities if elected

Quality education: “I’m committed to expanding real pathways to success — strong college-readiness supports, engaging and enriched instruction and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that connect learning to real-world opportunities," she says. "Our students are not all the same, and our schools should reflect that. We must create multiple pathways so every student can find their strength and thrive.”

Safe and welcoming schools: “Students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe, seen and supported. Our schools should be places where students feel a true sense of belonging," she says. "I will champion stronger mental health services, restorative practices and deeper family and community partnerships. As someone who works closely with students and families, I know how critical it is that schools are not just places of learning — but places of stability, trust and care.”

Equity and inclusion for all learners: “Equity isn’t just something we say — it has to show up in our decisions, our funding and our outcomes," she says. "I will work to ensure that students of all abilities, cultures, languages and identities get the support they need to succeed. That means fair funding, inclusive learning environments and addressing the real barriers that continue to impact our most vulnerable students. Because when we get it right for those students, we get it right for all students.”

More voter resources:

• Website: https://raquelzamora.com/
• Social media: Instagram, Facebook

Where do the candidates stand on key issues?

Should the district enact new limits on charter school co-location?

Rocío Rivas, incumbent

Vote: Yes.

Why? “[I] authored the policy because co-location decisions must reflect their impact on students, especially in high-need schools. Co-locations can limit access to space, disrupt programs and undermine schools working to improve outcomes and provide critical services for their communities.

“The policy was designed to protect those campuses and provide clearer guidance on where co-locations are appropriate. While the court raised legal considerations, that work is ongoing. My focus remains on establishing clear, consistent rules that ensure stability for neighborhood schools and predictability for all schools in the system.”

Raquel Zamora, challenger

Hypothetical vote: No

Why? “It’s clear the court ruled based on state law, and as a board member, my responsibility is to follow the law. If voters want to see changes, that work needs to happen at the state level by engaging and advocating with our elected representatives.

“My role on the Los Angeles Unified School District Board is to ensure that all public schools — district and charter — are set up to succeed for students and their families. That means making decisions that are legally sound, fair and focused on student outcomes. We can and should prioritize strong, thriving school communities, but we must do so within the framework of the law while continuing to advocate for policies that best serve our students.”

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How to get involved