School Boards Matter: 2026 Candidate Guide

Shelzea Zamora

What do you see as the greatest challenges facing public school districts over the next several years? 

I see the greatest challenges facing public school districts over the next several years are declining enrollment, student absenteeism, budget instability, RUSD job retention, and rebuilding trust with families within our district. These issues are often connected: when enrollment drops, funding decreases; when funding decreases, districts may cut transportation, programs, or staff; and when families feel unsupported or disconnected, attendance and enrollment can suffer even more.

How should school boards respond to increasing political polarization, censorship efforts, attacks on policies/programs aimed at supporting marginalized students, and declining trust in public education?

School boards should respond to political polarization by staying grounded in their responsibility to serve all students, not political agendas. Building trust, improving communication, and focusing funding on programs that directly support student success will be essential. Boards should also protect facts, historical truth, and freedom of speech while promoting respectful dialogue, even when community members disagree.

At the same time, school boards must stand firm in protecting programs and policies that support the safety, dignity, and success of all students, including those who have been historically marginalized and underrepresented. This means making decisions based on student needs, accurate information, equity, and the law, not fear, censorship, or pressure from divisive political movements.

How would you work to ensure that all students, including students from historically marginalized communities, feel safe, supported, respected, and able to fully participate in school? What role should school boards play in creating inclusive school cultures?

School boards play an important role in creating inclusive school cultures because they set the tone for the entire district. I would work to ensure all students feel safe, supported, respected, and able to fully participate in school by listening to students and families, especially those from historically marginalized communities, and making sure their concerns are reflected in district decisions.

Another way to do this is by protecting programs that support student well-being, belonging, safety, and equal access to education. It also means ensuring that staff receive proper training, that school policies are applied fairly, and that every student feels valued regardless of background, identity, religion, immigration status, disability, or life experience.

Educator burnout, staffing shortages, and retention challenges continue to affect schools across California. What do you believe districts should do to better support and retain teachers, counselors, classified staff, and other school employees?

Besides offering competitive pay, explore the impact of teacher to student ratios, and offer mental health and wellness support to all staff, I also believe that the districts should create more opportunities for staff to give input before major decisions are made, especially decisions related to budget cuts, classroom resources, safety, and staffing. Retention is not only about offering competitive pay or resources, but also about workplace culture. As a board member, I would prioritize policies and funding decisions that would also support our staff well-being. I will also take into consideration their input to improve our district’s efforts for quality of education and safety.

Student achievement data often reflects persistent disparities based on race, income, disability, language access, housing instability, and other factors. What strategies or priorities would you support to improve student outcomes while also addressing underlying inequities?

I would support programs and strategies that directly reduce these disparities by removing barriers that prevent students from fully accessing education. This includes expanding transportation services, after-school programs, tutoring, counseling, and family support programs, especially for low-income families and students who face challenges related to housing instability, disability, language access, or other inequities.

I also believe schools should provide programs that are not only academically rich, but also help students build life skills, career skills, leadership skills, and confidence. Students should have access to opportunities that support their long-term goals after graduation, whether they want to attend college, enter a trade, start a career, or pursue another path. Improving student outcomes means addressing both academic needs and the real-life barriers students face, while opening doors to success in whatever area they choose to pursue.

Schools are increasingly navigating questions related to technology, artificial intelligence, social media, student privacy, and digital safety. What principles should guide district decisions around technology use while ensuring students are both prepared for the future and protected from harm?

This is an area where I still need to do more research on, however I believe the use of AI is inevitable. I also believe that there must be safeguards and limitations applied when used within the classrooms. I believe that there must be more strict limits to elementary and middle school level students, as I believe that during this time, they must develop essential skills naturally and prevent the dependence of tools that can hinder the motivation and drive to use their creativity, problem solving and critical thinking skills. I believe that when AI is used with responsibility and limitations in place, it can be a great tool to conduct research, create projects, and encourage learning in ways that are more eye catching and fun. When used without limitation or guidelines in place, it can lead to misinformation and negatively impact social and critical thinking skills.

How should school districts ensure that all students, regardless of background, identity, ability, or zip code, have equitable access to high-quality academic programs, mental health supports, extracurricular opportunities, and pathways to college and careers?

I believe school districts should ensure equitable access by building stronger partnerships with families and making decisions based on the real needs of the community. This means doing our homework by conducting surveys, listening sessions, and regular outreach to better understand what students and families need to succeed. Districts should not assume that every family has the same resources, transportation, time, or access to information.

As I mentioned earlier, I also believe districts must create programs that provide not only academically rich opportunities, but also meaningful skill-building experiences for all students. Every student should have access to high-quality academic programs, mental health supports, extracurricular activities, and college and career pathways, regardless of background, identity, ability, or zip code.

School board members must balance their duty to act in the best interest of students and the families they represent with the practical realities of overseeing a district's operations and finances. How do you plan to communicate with your constituents to understand their needs and priorities? What steps will you take to follow through and verify that what the district reports is actually being implemented as promised?

I would communicate with constituents by doing my research, sharing accurate facts, and encouraging meaningful community participation. Families and community members need clear opportunities to express their concerns, priorities, and ideas so the district can better understand what they actually need.

To follow through, I would not rely only on what the district reports. I would ask for data, timelines, progress updates, and clear evidence that promised programs or services are being implemented. I would also stay connected with families, educators, and staff to hear whether those changes are actually being felt at the school level.