Campaigns attract misinformation, and mine is no exception. My record is public, well documented, and easy to check. Below, I set the record straight on a few claims that don’t hold up against the facts.

Claim: I do not possess the adequate experience to be the Superintendent of Schools.
Truth: It’s surprising to hear Larry Powell say that I don’t, “have the experience to be superintendent,” particularly given his familiarity with my career and my leadership experience. My record speaks for itself. Before I was elected Fresno County Superintendent of Schools in 2022, I had already gained 14 years of County Office experience. In fact, it was Powell who brought me from Central Unified to the Fresno County Office of Education to serve at the county level.  Additionally, I served nearly a decade at Central Unified directly under Powell, who gave me every promotion I earned on his administration team. Powell has no first-hand knowledge of my experience and leadership since his retirement in 2013, that’s 13 years ago. What is also important to recognize is that Powell gave me his endorsement in 2022 fully knowing my experience, being confident in my experience and stating that I was “easily the best choice” for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. I have now served nearly four years as the elected Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, leading the organization through the challenges and opportunities facing Fresno County schools. That is almost two decades of county-office leadership experience, including nearly four years doing this job.  

There is a big difference between district leadership and county-level leadership. County-level leadership provides a much larger perspective of the education landscape at the county and state level. My experience in countywide education leadership didn’t begin when I was elected superintendent. It spans almost two decades of serving districts, educators, students, and families at the county level, and in total, over 35 years in education. I’m proud of the experience I bring to this position and, more importantly, of the work our team and our districts have accomplished together. I’m the only candidate in this race with county-level experience. My entire career has provided building blocks for serving as County Superintendent. From my years at Clovis Unified and Central Unified, to the nearly two decades of county-level leadership at the Fresno County Office of Education, to include the nearly four years serving as the elected County Superintendent, each experience has prepared me for this role.

For the first time in at least two decades, the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools is being directly accountable to the community through an elected Superintendent who is answerable to Fresno County voters. I take that responsibility seriously, and I believe accountability means being transparent about our work and delivering results for students. Every day I see how hard our teachers and district staff work for Fresno County students. Their dedication is the foundation of our progress, and I’ll never stop being optimistic about what we can accomplish when we work together.

Claim: I closed Kids Café, harming student work opportunities and community engagement.
Truth: Kids Café was operating at an annual deficit of more than $350,000. We transitioned the program into a Produce Stand model, which significantly reduced costs and expanded student opportunities. As a result, we increased Adult Transition Program student employment from 20 to 70 and grew the number of community-based employment placements, ensuring more students benefited from meaningful work experiences.  Of note, this EdSource article validates our financial and programmatic decision and celebrates our improved student outcomes:  Fresno County shifts job training model to place students with disabilities in workplaces | EdSource

Claim: FCSS staff morale has plummeted.
Truth: In the first few months of my superintendency, I was faced with many fiscal and programmatic issues that needed attention. I made intentional decisions to improve efficiency, collaboration, and fiscal responsibility. Staff salaries have been raised to remain competitive, and resources have been reinvested in student-serving programs while maintaining financial prudence.  Also, the evidence speaks volumes with regard to staff morale in the past three years:

–We conducted a staff engagement/satisfaction survey in January 2025, and earned an 88% result to the question Would you recommend working here.

–For some of our posted openings we have as many as 50 applicants.

–We have had about an even number of retirements for the past 10 years.

–Our Goodwill participation has grown from 80 staff to almost 300 staff in the past two years.

–Our number of nominations for Above and Beyond was at an all-time high of 30, which means our staff are seeing and affirming outstanding work among themselves.

–Our newly created Employee Wellness program is seeing an increase in participation month over month.

Claim: The FCSS Strategic Plan doesn’t mention Literacy.

Truth: First, let’s acknowledge that the Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools has a strong sense of direction with a public-facing strategic plan for the first time in decades.  Second, the Plan has five goals, the second goal of Student Achievement encompasses all relevant academic areas, inclusive of ELA or literacy, that the state of California measures for students.