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 the Westside’s District 4.

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 4

• 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 4 includes West Hollywood, Westwood, Brentwood, Venice, Mar Vista and Playa Vista. 
• The district is also home to the Pacific Palisades and three schools that burned down in January 2025.

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 4

Nick Melvoin, incumbent

Nick Melvoin began his career in education as an LAUSD middle school teacher and went on to work for several education-related nonprofits and earn a law degree. Melvoin also ran unsuccessfully for the Congressional seat representing California’s 30th district in March 2024. Voters first elected Melvoin to the LAUSD board in 2017. If re-elected, this will be his final term.

Melvoin plans to build on policy wins from his first two terms, including further limiting student use of tech in the classroom and increasing access to early learning and child care. He also wants to expand successful dual-language, magnet and career pathway programs to provide more access close to families’ homes.

In his own words

Melvoin says he’s a “product of our city’s schools” and says the biggest impact on his K-12 education came from his teachers, “many of whom I’m still in touch with today. They showed me the power of great teaching and the lasting relationships schools can create.”

He adds: “As a 10th-grader, volunteering at Camp Harmony for homeless and housing-insecure youth opened my eyes to the stark disparities in educational opportunity across Los Angeles. That experience helped shape my commitment to equity.”

Top three priorities if elected

Reducing excessive screen time: “After leading the nation’s largest school cellphone ban, I introduced a resolution to set developmentally appropriate screen time limits — especially for younger students — while ensuring access to essential digital skills," he says. "Research shows too much screen use can harm focus, social development and learning. By setting clear, research-based guardrails and reviewing how technology is used, we can better support student wellbeing and academic outcomes while also being more thoughtful stewards of district resources.”

Expanding early education and strengthening literacy: “We must continue growing preschool and universal TK, including reopening Early Education Centers and expanding access to high-quality childcare," he says. "Early intervention is key to closing achievement gaps before they widen. I will continue to support strong early literacy instruction, targeted interventions and alignment with the science of reading so every student is set up for success. Investing early is one of the most effective ways to improve long-term outcomes and ensure all students have a strong foundation.”

Ensuring access to high-quality instructional pathways: “LAUSD offers strong options — from dual-language programs and magnets to IB, gifted and career pathways — but access must be consistent and equitable," he says. "I will continue to support expanding and replicating successful programs so families have great choices close to home. That means aligning programs with student demand, investing in what works and ensuring resources are not spread too thin. Every family should be able to find a high-quality, engaging school that meets their child’s needs.”

More voter resources:

• Website: https://nickmelvoin.com/
• Social media: Instagram, Facebook, X
• Endorsements: California School Employees Association Los Angeles 500

Go deeper: 

• LA school board candidate survey: Nick Melvoin, District 4 (LAist)

Ankur Patel, teacher/university administrator

Ankur Patel

(

Emrys Roberts

)

Patel has worked both inside and outside of the education field, including as a substitute teacher, in an LAUSD board member’s office and as a union organizer and political campaign manager. Patel ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the LAUSD board in 2015.

Patel says the board needs to focus on providing resources to campuses, connecting students’ education to the real world and rebuilding trust with parents and the broader community, though he did not necessarily offer specifics on how he would accomplish these goals.

In his own words

Patel credits the classmates and teachers from the highly gifted magnet he attended for influencing “how I learned to think, compete and collaborate.”

That includes “the elementary school teachers who nurtured and built fundamentals. The science teacher who inspired me to appreciate the natural world and understand what it meant to grow up, at least in terms of biology,” he says. “One particular AP history teacher encouraged volunteering on campaigns for extra credit. The baseball coach appreciated my willingness to practice and cerebral approach to baseball. For me, it wasn’t one person but a system working together."

Top three priorities if elected

Delivering high-quality education for every student: “Our responsibility is to provide every student with an education that prepares them for their best life," he says. "That means fully funded neighborhood and community schools, strong special education programs, more dual-language immersion programs, career and technical pathways and rigorous opportunities for advanced learners. Helping kids understand the relevance of their education with hands-on, experiential learning that connects students to the real world that gives them meaning and purpose that will raise expectations. Success is more than test scores. Students should graduate with critical thinking skills, practical knowledge and real pathways to college, careers and civic life.”

Get resources to school sites: “Too often, decisions made at the board level are disconnected from what students and teachers actually experience," he says. "Instructional time, school calendars, staffing stability and classroom resources should never be treated as political bargaining tools. … We need to ensure resources reach school sites, not [get] lost in central bureaucracy. Crucially, we need to rebuild trust with more consistent engagement with parents and the broader community that goes beyond partisan talking points, back-patting and pandering.”

Defending public education from privatization and corporatization: “Public schools are a public responsibility, not a marketplace," he says. "I will push back against the expansion of privatization efforts that divert resources away from neighborhood schools. That includes ensuring fair use of facilities, transparency in decision-making and holding all publicly funded schools to the same standards. The role of a board member is to be an active champion for public education, not to carry water for special interests.”

More voter resources:

• Website: https://www.ankurforchange.com/
• Social media: Instagram, Facebook, X
• Endorsements: East Area Progressive Democrats, Feel the Bern Democratic Club, Americans for Democratic Action, Southern California

Where do the candidates stand on key issues?

Should the district have issued preliminary layoff notices in February?

Melvoin, incumbent

Vote: Yes.

Why? “As a teacher, I was [laid off] — twice — and later helped challenge policies that disproportionately harmed students in high-poverty communities. That experience guides my approach: Protecting students and classrooms must come first. I supported issuing preliminary notices because the district is required to submit a balanced budget amid declining enrollment, expiring COVID funds and rising costs. These notices, focused on non-teaching roles, provide flexibility as we await more clarity on the state budget and labor negotiations. I have pushed to minimize impacts on students and school sites and am committed to making significant progress in reducing the number of layoffs before final decisions are made.”

Patel, challenger

Hypothetical vote: No

Why? “The structural deficit must be addressed, but the way these layoffs were presented and structured is not a responsible or effective solution. Because of seniority rules, these layoffs do not function as they are being described. They trigger a chain reaction, where more senior employees displace others, ultimately pushing newer educators and staff, those at school sites, into pools or out of positions entirely. The actual savings are far less predictable than claimed, while the disruption at school sites will be significant.

“I am concerned about the broader environment where district staff are getting [reduction in force] notices every year. We have a culture where principals and their directors feel uncertain, unsupported and indebted to the bureaucracy, not students."

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

Mevloin, incumbent

Vote: No.

Why? “The district has options for how to implement Proposition 39, which requires that public space be used for all public school students. While we have seen some successful school collaborations, co-locations are generally not the optimal way to implement this requirement. That is why, during my tenure on the board, we have found ways to end contentious co-locations, reducing their number significantly in my district and bringing a resolution with my then-colleague Jackie Goldberg to route resources to campuses that continue to be co-located. I have not supported the strategy taken by some of my colleagues to make large swaths of campuses off limits to public charter students, which is not consistent with Proposition 39 or the collaborative approach that I have taken on this issue.”

Patel, challenger

Hypothetical vote: Yes

Why? “The primary duty of a School Board member is to protect and prioritize district-run public schools, especially those serving high-need communities. Putting limits on where charter schools can co-locate is important. Protecting schools with well-designed programs to address perennial learning issues to create stability is in everyone’s benefit. Co-locating an unpopular charter to a district school that has just turned the corner because it has blossomed as a community school or under [the] Black Student Achievement Plan is typical of how the district undermines itself.”

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