{"id":636,"date":"2026-05-27T21:09:58","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T21:09:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=636"},"modified":"2026-05-27T21:09:58","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T21:09:58","slug":"richard-barrera-candidate-for-superintendent-of-public-instruction-answers-bay-area-news-groups-primary-questionnaire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nextcitydigest.com\/?p=636","title":{"rendered":"Richard Barrera, candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction, answers Bay Area News Group’s primary questionnaire"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Ahead of the June primary election, the Bay Area News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates for California\u2019s 14th Congressional District. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity.<\/p>\n

Read more Sonja Shaw, candidate for superintendent of public instruction, answers Bay Area News Group\u2019s primary questionnaire<\/a><\/p>\n

To read our endorsements for other important Bay Area races click here.<\/p>\n

Name: Richard Barrera
\nDate of birth: December 18, 1966<\/p>\n

Current job title: Senior Policy Advisor, California Department of Education<\/p>\n

Other political positions held: Trustee for San Diego Unified School Board District D since 2008
\nCity where you reside: San Diego<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve held elective office before, how has your work directly and measurably improved\u00a0your\u00a0constituents\u2019 lives?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As a San Diego Unified school board member since 2008, including multiple terms as Board President, I\u00a0have focused on measurable improvements in what families experience from their public schools. Under our governance, San Diego Unified has reached record highs in graduation and college and career readiness, record lows in dropouts, suspensions and expulsions, and nationally recognized academic results, ranking number one in reading and tied for number one in math among large urban districts on the Nation\u2019s Report Card. I also helped lead $11.6 billion in voter approved school bonds to modernize campuses and supported investments in educators, including raising base salaries by more than 40 percent while maintaining fully paid family health care. Outside education, I helped raise the minimum wage and secure paid sick days for more than 200,000 workers.<\/p>\n

What are the top three problems you\u2019re seeking to solve if elected?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

My top priorities are stable school funding, a stronger education workforce and public schools that are safe inclusive, and accountable. First, California needs more reliable and equitable investment in public education and student support, so districts can protect classrooms, mental health services, and targeted academic help instead of lurching from budget crisis to budget crisis. Second, student success depends on stable staffing. I would focus on recruitment and retention by improving compensation and working conditions, protecting benefits, strengthening pathways into teaching and school support roles, and supporting educator housing where it makes sense. Third, I would defend students\u2019 civil rights and access to a full public education. That means enforcing nondiscrimination protections, protecting student privacy, supporting immigrant students, and making sure inclusive, standards aligned instruction is implemented consistently. The job is not just setting priorities. It is making sure the state helps districts carry them out well.<\/p>\n

What makes you qualified to solve these problems?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have done the two kinds of work this job requires: local governance and state leadership. On the San Diego Unified School Board, where I have served since 2008, including multiple terms as Board President, I have worked on budgets, labor agreements, facilities, and districtwide decisions. In that role, I helped expand community schools and early learning, strengthen bilingual education, improve educator compensation while preserving fully paid family health care, modernize campuses through voter approved bond measures, and support housing strategies that help school employees stay in the communities they serve. I also led the appointment of Cindy Marten and later Dr. Fabiola Bagula, the first Latina Superintendent in district history. At the California Department of Education, I work on attendance, housing on district property, and compliance with laws protecting immigrant and LGBTQIA+ students. That combination has prepared me to help districts solve problems and deliver better results for students.<\/p>\n

What differentiates you from your most serious competitors for this seat?\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

What sets me apart is that I have experience both governing a large school district and working inside the California Department of Education. My perspective comes from doing the day to day work of improving schools and seeing what actually helps districts deliver results for students. Among the Democrats, my difference is that I see California\u2019s biggest challenge as making sure good policy actually reaches schools in a way that improves results for students. Among the Republicans, the divide is more basic. One approach turns schools into battlegrounds in cultural fights. The other leans heavily on ratings, pressure, and test driven accountability. I do not think either approach will improve schools. This job is about helping districts strengthen instruction, keep good staff, improve attendance, and give students real support.<\/p>\n

What objective metrics would you use to measure teacher performance?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Teacher evaluation should remain a local responsibility shaped by collective bargaining and district policy. I do not support using standardized test scores to judge individual teachers or tie pay and job security to those scores. A fair evaluation system should rely on structured classroom observation using a validated rubric, clear professional standards, peer review where appropriate, and evidence of professional growth, with support when improvement is needed. The state\u2019s role is to set guardrails that protect fairness and due process and to make sure districts have the capacity to evaluate and support educators responsibly.<\/p>\n

Should lower-performing teachers be easier to remove than current state law allows? Explain.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I do not support changing state law to make it easier to remove teachers than it is today. California\u2019s current framework already gives districts meaningful ability to evaluate and, when necessary, dismiss teachers. Districts can release teachers without cause during the first two years, and after that they can dismiss for cause with an evidence-based process and an appeal right. That balance is important. The real question is whether districts are supporting educators effectively and using the tools they already have in a fair, timely way. Schools improve when expectations are clear, coaching and professional development are strong, and administrators have the capacity to evaluate performance consistently. When a teacher is not meeting standards after support and feedback, districts should act, but they should do so through a transparent process that protects students and respects due process. I also do not support approaches that rely on standardized test scores as a proxy for individual teacher performance or tie compensation to test-based measures.<\/p>\n

When and how would you use the superintendent\u2019s limited but concrete levers of power?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Superintendent cannot run local districts or pass laws, but the office does have real tools: setting expectations, helping districts solve problems, and stepping in when students\u2019 rights are at risk. I would use those tools where they matter most. When districts are trying to improve but do not have the same capacity, the state should be a practical partner. When student protections are being ignored, the state should act. And when districts are drifting toward fiscal or operational crisis, the state should step in early enough to prevent disruption for students. That work should be guided by clear signals. I would look at whether districts have recovered from pre pandemic levels or are still falling behind on literacy, math, college and career readiness, and chronic absenteeism. I would also pay attention to staffing conditions, including educator pay, benefits, and retention, because districts cannot improve if they cannot keep strong people. And persistent civil rights violations should always trigger state attention.<\/p>\n

What did Tony Thurmond do right as California\u2019s state superintendent for public instruction?\u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have great respect for Superintendent Tony Thurmond and for the progress made during his tenure, particularly in expanding community schools, advancing equity, and protecting students\u2019 civil rights. In many respects, my work would align with those priorities. I strongly support sustained investment in public education, implementation of community schools, and enforcement of nondiscrimination protections so students are safe and supported in every district. I would also place sustained focus on workforce stability and enrollment\/attendance challenges, ensuring that funding, accountability systems, and state initiatives support long-term planning. My goal would be to carry those values forward while making the Department more consistent and more useful to districts in their daily work.<\/p>\n

In what ways did Tony Thurmond fail as California\u2019s state superintendent for public instruction?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Superintendent Thurmond has an excellent record and got many important things right on community schools, equity, and civil rights. I would not say he failed. Where I think the office could have gone further is in making the Department more predictable and more useful to districts day to day. My approach would put more emphasis on clearer implementation guidance, less administrative burden, and stronger two way communication so districts experience CDE as a practical partner rather than only as a compliance agency.<\/p>\n

Explain your position on Gov. Newsom\u2019s plan to transfer control of the Department of Education\u00a0from the state superintendent to the governor? If it goes through, how would you lead the superintendent\u2019s office? How might you push back?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I oppose taking the Department of Education away from the elected Superintendent. Californians elect the Superintendent to provide statewide education leadership that answers directly to voters. Moving that authority into a structure controlled by the Governor would concentrate power without solving the real problem, which is unclear responsibility and uneven follow through. California\u2019s education governance is complicated, and accountability is often hard to follow. That is a fair criticism. But the answer is not to sideline the only statewide education leader voters choose directly. The better answer is to clarify responsibilities, improve coordination across state agencies, and strengthen the Department\u2019s ability to help districts do their work well. If the role changed, my focus would stay the same: improve what students experience in school. I would use whatever authority remained, along with the public voice of the office, to push for clear priorities, honest reporting, and stronger support for districts and families. I would also use the office to press the state on whether its policies are actually improving literacy, math, college and career readiness, and attendance. If power were split across more agencies, I would work to make responsibility clearer and protect students from getting lost in bureaucratic confusion.<\/p>\n

California State Sen. Dave Cortese (District 15) introduced Senate Constitutional Amendment 5 (SCA 5\u00a0\u2014 the\u00a0Education\u00a0Equalization Act), which seeks to close the growing funding divide between basic and non-basic aid school\u00a0districts \u201cto ensure every student has access to a quality\u00a0education\u00a0regardless of their zip code.\u201d Do you support Sen. Cortese\u2019s legislation? Explain.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I support the goal and am inclined to support SCA 5 because it would reduce inequity without cutting existing funding or weakening Proposition 98. California should not have a system where a student\u2019s opportunities depend on whether they live in a basic aid district. If we are serious about equal opportunity, the state has to narrow those gaps while protecting Prop 98. I also believe Prop 98 should be treated as a floor, not a ceiling. If SCA 5 moves forward, the key question is whether new dollars truly reach high need students and do so without creating new instability.<\/p>\n

With California facing a projected budget deficit and a steady decline in student enrollment,\u00a0some districts are facing bankruptcy or school closures. What fiscal reforms would you implement to help districts manage right-sizing without compromising student services?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

California is asking districts to right size at the same time enrollment is declining and state budgets are tight. The worst outcome is repeated late cycle cuts that destabilize staffing and strip away student services. The state can reduce that damage through a few concrete fiscal reforms. I support moving\u00a0California from attendance based funding to enrollment based funding. Attendance matters, but ADA as the main funding driver makes instability worse. When families are already under stress, lower attendance triggers automatic revenue losses, which then force cuts that make recovery harder. An enrollment based model gives districts a more predictable base for multiyear planning. I also support an enrollment decline dividend so the transition does not create sudden winners and losers.<\/p>\n

I would also reform AB 1200 oversight so it helps districts stabilize rather than simply pushing them toward cuts. Oversight should require transparent multiyear plans and real accountability, but it should also come with practical support to help districts protect classroom services and avoid unnecessary disruption. I have spent eighteen years making difficult budget decisions as a school board member, and one of the biggest problems is timing. Districts make major decisions in the winter and spring, often before the Governor\u2019s January proposal, before the May revise, and always before the final state budget is approved. As Superintendent, I would lead a process with district leaders, educators, parents, and other stakeholders to produce a first draft of the Proposition 98 education budget in November, so districts have a more realistic starting point. I would also deploy CDE financial and legislative staff to help districts make sound revenue assumptions instead of guessing in the dark.<\/p>\n

The Bay Area faces a critical teacher shortage. (A 2026 Education Week survey found that nearly 50% of California teachers plan to quit or retire within the next decade, a figure significantly higher than the national average, about 35%.) Beyond increasing pay, how would you make teaching a more attractive and sustainable profession?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Teaching becomes more attractive and sustainable when schools improve the conditions that determine whether people stay: manageable class sizes and caseloads, reliable benefits, strong mentoring, and time to do the job well. In San Diego Unified, where retention is about 93 percent year over year, we have seen that stability improves when districts make long term investments in educators, lower class sizes in high need schools, protect fully paid family health care, and strengthen support staff and professional learning. We also need teacher apprenticeships, stronger pipelines into the profession, and housing strategies so educators can afford to live near the communities they serve.<\/p>\n

Read more Endorsement: Elect Hector Camacho to lead San Mateo County\u2019s fragmented, unequal school system<\/a><\/p>\n

There has been a wave of teacher strikes in the state recently. How would you handle balancing their demands with a shrinking state budget and declining student enrollment?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Teacher strikes usually signal deeper instability. Educators are often raising issues that affect students too: class size, staffing, health benefits, special education support, and whether schools can keep experienced teachers. At the same time, shrinking budgets and declining enrollment are real. The state should not respond with austerity that drives more educators out. I would push for enrollment based funding, reform AB 1200 so it supports stability instead of cuts, and give districts clearer tools for long term planning. When conflicts arise, I would push for honest budgeting, transparent bargaining, and protection for spending that most affects learning and retention. In San Diego, we balanced budgets while investing in educators, class size reduction, student supports, and long term workforce stability.<\/p>\n

With AI entering classrooms, should the state deploy AI tutors or restrict them?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

AI should not be rolled out across California classrooms on autopilot, and it should not be banned reflexively either. The state should set clear rules first and allow districts to use AI only where it improves learning and protects students. AI may help with tutoring, language access, and targeted academic support, but it should support educators, not replace them. California should set statewide standards for privacy, data security, transparency, and protection against bias, with educators involved in decisions about classroom use. I would be especially cautious about AI tutors. If a tool creates unacceptable risk, districts should not use it.<\/p>\n

Critics often argue the superintendent\u2019s role is more administrative than influential. If elected, what is the first major initiative you would personally lead to prove that this office can be a primary driver of change rather than just an administrator of the status quo?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Critics are right that the office can become too administrative if the person holding it chooses to manage around the edges. I would approach it differently. The first major initiative I would personally lead is a statewide campaign for stable, equitable school funding tied to the conditions students and educators experience every day: fully staffed schools, smaller class sizes, stronger mental health supports, and reliable early learning and community school programs. I do not see the Superintendent\u2019s role as just\u00a0running an agency. It should be an office that can build public support and drive action. That means bringing together educators, parents, students, labor, school boards, and community organizations to make the case for long term investment, while also holding the system accountable for whether resources actually improve\u00a0outcomes. Just as important, I would make the Department of Education more useful to districts. Sacramento spends too much time on compliance and paperwork. I would focus on helping districts solve problems, spread what works, and remove barriers that keep good local ideas from taking hold more widely. That is how the office proves it can drive change: by building public will, aligning state action, and turning funding and policy into visible improvements in schools.<\/p>\n

What are California schools doing well? In what ways do you think California schools are\u00a0unfairly criticized?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

California schools are doing better than they are often given credit for. At their best, they teach academic skills and build the conditions that make learning possible: strong early childhood programs, community schools, mental health and wellness supports, bilingual education, arts access, inclusive curriculum, and\u00a0safer, more modern campuses. We have seen in districts like San Diego Unified that when schools invest in educators, student support, and strong neighborhood schools, student outcomes improve. I also think<\/p>\n

California schools are unfairly criticized in two ways. First, they are often judged only through narrow lenses like once a year test scores or political controversy, while the public overlooks the broader work schools do to help students feel safe, connected, healthy, and ready for life after graduation. Second, schools are often\u00a0blamed for problems that reflect larger social and economic pressures, including housing instability, poverty, staffing shortages, and underinvestment. That does not mean we should be complacent. California still has real challenges in literacy, math, and attendance. But it is unfair to talk about our schools as though they are\u00a0doing nothing right. In many communities, educators are producing real progress under very difficult conditions, and the state\u2019s job should be to learn from that work, support it, and bring more of it to scale.<\/p>\n

Explain your policy on smartphone use during the school day.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Smartphones should not be a constant presence in classrooms when they are distracting from instruction. I support limiting non instructional phone use during the school day and helping districts adopt clear, consistent rules that teachers can actually enforce. I do not think the state needs to impose a single rigid model on every district. The Superintendent should provide practical guidance and model policies that districts can adapt locally, with clear goals: better attention, stronger classroom culture, and improved student well being. Schools should also distinguish between technology that supports instruction and technology that gets in the way. When devices are not serving learning, schools should set limits.<\/p>\n

How can California schools improve math instruction?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

California can improve math instruction by getting the basics right: strong early numeracy, better teaching materials, better teacher training, and faster support when students fall behind. The state should help districts use materials that work, strengthen coaching and teacher collaboration, and respond earlier when students are struggling.<\/p>\n

Schools also need steady academic support tied to classroom learning, including tutoring, extra learning time, and summer learning when those supports are delivered well. Districts are often left to work this out on their own or buried in paperwork that does not help students. As Superintendent, I would push the Department to give schools clearer help and share what is working in districts that are getting results. Math improvement also depends on stability. Schools improve faster when they can keep strong educators, reduce churn, and create learning environments where students are present, supported, and ready to learn.<\/p>\n

Explain your approach to teaching reading, particularly your thoughts on phonics instruction.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reading instruction should be evidence based, practical, and focused on whether students are actually learning to read well. That means strong early literacy instruction, high-quality instructional materials, teacher training and coaching, early screening, and timely intervention when students are behind. On phonics specifically, I believe it is an important part of effective reading instruction, especially for students who need stronger decoding support. But I do not think the answer is to turn reading into a rigid, one-size fits-all formula. Students learn differently, and good teachers need the training and tools to emphasize phonics where it is needed, while also building comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, and a real engagement with reading. My approach is less about ideological debates and more about successful implementation. California should help districts strengthen classroom practice, support teachers with coaching and professional learning, and make sure interventions are aligned to what students are being taught every day. The goal is not just to pass a law about reading. It is to make sure more children leave the early grades as confident, capable readers.<\/p>\n

Do you think the state Legislature should ban social media use for children? If so, explain.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am very concerned about the effects unmanaged technology and online environments can have on children\u2019s attention, mental health, privacy, and well being. But I would be careful about promising a simple statewide ban without being clear about how it would work or whether it would actually make children safer. I would start with stronger protections: limits on non instructional phone use in schools, stronger privacy rules for children, more accountability from technology platforms, and digital literacy education so students can navigate online spaces safely. If lawmakers consider restrictions, they should be practical, enforceable, and genuinely protective of children.<\/p>\n

Given the current national political climate, what is your strategy for ensuring California schools\u00a0remain \u201csafe havens\u201d \u2014 particularly regarding the protection of student data from federal immigration authorities and protections for transgender students?<\/strong><\/p>\n

California schools must remain safe, trusted places for students and families, even when the national political climate is hostile. That starts with real operating rules instead of broad statements. On immigration, I would make sure the Department of Education gives every district clear statewide guidance on restricting access to student records, limiting collection and sharing of sensitive information, and responding lawfully if outside agencies seek information or access to campuses. That is personal for me. I\u00a0am a first generation American and Californian, the son of a Colombian immigrant, and I represent a school board district made up largely of Latino and immigrant families.<\/p>\n

Staff should be trained so schools are not improvising under pressure, and families should know that their children\u2019s schools are places of learning and support. We also need to support the mental health, attendance, and family engagement work that helps schools remain trusted community anchors when fear is high. For transgender students, my position is equally clear: California law must be enforced consistently in every district. I oppose forced outing policies, I support strong nondiscrimination protections, and I believe transgender students are entitled to participate fully in school life consistent with California law. This means clear guidance, staff training, intervention when districts violate the law, and school climates where students are safe from harassment and treated with dignity. A student\u2019s rights should not depend on their zip code or the politics of a local school board. More broadly, the Superintendent should use the office to defend public education as a democratic institution. In this climate, that means coordinating with the Attorney General and other state leaders when legal defense is needed, giving districts practical tools they can use immediately, and making sure California schools remain lawful, welcoming, and worthy of families\u2019 trust.<\/p>\n

What do you think is the cause of the stark student achievement gap in California public<\/strong> schools? How would you fix it given the current powers of this office?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

California\u2019s stark achievement gap reflects stark differences in the conditions students experience, both in and outside school. Students learn less when they are more likely to face housing instability, chronic absenteeism, larger class sizes, understaffed schools, inconsistent access to effective instruction, and\u00a0fewer supports for mental health and well being. The gap also persists because districts vary widely in their capacity to turn state policy into classroom practice. California has the right equity goals on paper, but implementation is still too uneven. Within the powers of this office, I would make the Department more useful to districts by providing practical guidance, regional support, and faster sharing of proven approaches in literacy, math, attendance, and student support. I would also strengthen accountability and transparency under LCFF so the public can see whether equity funding is reaching high need students and improving outcomes. And I would keep pushing for stable funding, workforce stability, community schools, and mental health supports, because academic progress depends on students being in school, supported, and taught by strong, stable educators. The Superintendent cannot erase poverty or run every district directly. But the office can reduce the gap by making state policy easier to implement, targeting support where the need is greatest, enforcing student protections consistently, and organizing the system around a small set of measurable outcomes that matter.<\/p>\n

Please tell us anything else we should know about why you\u2019re the best candidate for California\u00a0superintendent of public instruction.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

I am the best candidate because I understand this job from both the local and state level. I have helped\u00a0govern one of California\u2019s largest school districts through real challenges and real progress, and I now work inside the California Department of Education, where I see how state decisions affect districts across California. That means I know what schools need from the state and how to make state systems work better for students. I also have a record of building coalitions that produce results. In San Diego, that has meant stronger student outcomes, expanded community schools and early learning, support for bilingual education and student wellness, major facility investments, and consistent support for student rights and public education. Before public office, I worked as a labor and community organizer, and that still shapes how I lead: I listen, build partnerships, and stay focused on whether students and families actually feel the difference.<\/p>\n

Lastly, what\u2019s your favorite movie about going to school or being an educator in California?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Read more Residents confront Fairfield leaders over viral arrest video of high school student<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cFreedom Writers\u201d and \u201cWalkout.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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