PEN: School Board Elections, Who’s Running and Why It Matters

From Top clockwise: Tina Wu Fredericks, Jennifer Hall Lee, Lisa Kroese, Juan Carlos Perez, Scott Harden

Who are the School Board Candidates? And Why Does it Matter?

School Board elections are important because School Boards are important! But, why? And what exactly does the school board do?

The Pasadena Unified School District Board of Directors has seven members, and each member represents one of seven geographic districts. Based on where you live, you can vote for one of the candidates for a four year term on alternating election cycles. This year, Seats 2,4, and 6 are on the ballot. Seat 2 is currently held by Jennifer Hall Lee, who is running for re-election. She is being challenged by Juan Carlos Perez. Seat 6, which is held by Tina Wu Fredericks, is being challenged by Lisa Kroese. Pat Cahalan, who represents Trustee Area 4 is not running for re-election. Scott Harden is running unopposed for that seat.

This is a challenging time for school districts across California and the country. Enrollment is declining, budgets are being cut, and the demands on staff to ensure that students achieve at higher levels has never been greater. Voting in this election ensures that you will have a voice in how our schools address the current challenges, and thrive not just in the next few years, but for generations to come.

When selecting a candidate, keep in mind that the school board is not in charge of the day-to-day operations of the school district; that’s the superintendent’s job. The school board sets the policies, vision, and goals for the district. They hire and evaluate the superintendent, adopt the budget, approve curriculum and are accountable to the public. Their first priority is our students’ academic achievement.

We, as parents, expect our school board members to care about our children. We expect them to be committed to our children’s success, and model behaviors that are respectful even when they might disagree. We expect them to engage with our school communities in a positive and constructive way. So, who sits on the school board and how they view their role is critical.

To read PEN’s Q & A from the candidates, or link to a video of our School Board Candidate Forum, or the read the PEN Board of Directors Endorsement of Measures R + EE visit https://www.penfamilies.org/news-posts/2024/10/8/who-are-the-school-board-candidates/

The Pasadena Education Network (PEN) is an independent, grassroots nonprofit organization that promotes family participation in public education to ensure a quality education for all students in Pasadena, Altadena and Sierra Madre. PEN provides services to help parents explore, evaluate, and engage with our community’s public schools. For more information visit www.penfamilies.org .