Three LAUSD Incumbents Running For Re-election

“Even though school board members are the nation’s largest group of elected officials,1 their role in shaping education remains opaque for many parents, educators, and voters.”

– 5 Reasons To Pay Attention to Local School Board Elections

In 2026, voters in even-numbered Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) board districts will decide the future direction of the nation’s second-largest school system. With supporters of the Charter School Industry currently outnumbered on the seven-member board, they need to sweep the election to regain a majority. Board Members loyal to charter schools currently control two of the three even-numbered seats.

In all three cases, the current representatives are eligible to defend their seats. All three have filed with the Los Angeles City Clerk to do so.

Board District 2: Dr. Rocio Rivas

As the only Board Member who had a child enrolled in the LAUSD before taking office, Rivas has a unique position among her colleagues, having experience with how the District treats parents. She also stands apart with her formal training in education policy, having earned a doctorate in Comparative and International Education from Columbia University.

Rivas, who was first elected in 2022, is currently the Board’s Vice President. She is also the most vocal of the Board Members elected for their support of Public Education. To date, no candidates have registered to run against her.

Board District 4: Nick Melvoin

In 2017, Melvoin beat incumbent Steve Zimmer in a highly contentious race funded by the political arm of the California Charter School Association (CCSA). It was money well spent as Melvoin is one of the most reliable votes for the Charter School Industry. Despite concerns raised about oversight, he voted to renew the charter of a school where only 3.26% of the students met state standards in math, had $485,718 in debt, and had no cash reserves. He defended the Charter School Division when it delayed taking action against a school whose Director was later convicted of embezzling $3.1 million. Earlier this year, he was the only Board Member to vote in favor of renewing the charter of Crete Academy, one of the worst-performing schools in the state.

Melvoin has already drawn one challenger. Isaiah Mateas, a full-time Camp Director for UCLA Recreation and Student Affairs and also served as a Visionary Trainer/Facilitator for a non-profit that serves underprivileged youth within the Los Angeles Juvenile Detention System.

This will be Melvoin's last opportunity to run for re-election, but he has already set his sights on moving to his next office. He has expressed interest in a higher office, running for the Congressional seat vacated by Adam Schiff in 2024. He earned just 2.68% of the vote.

Board District 6: Kelly Gonez

Gonez was first elected in 2017, running in an open election to replace Monica Ratliff, after the incumbent gave up the seat in favor of an unsuccessful run for city council. Due to term limits, this will be her last opportunity to run for re-election.

In 2022, Gonez narrowly won re-election despite being endorsed by both United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) and supporters of the Charter School Industry. Her opponent, Marvin Rodriguez, only spent $600 in the general election but still secured 48.73% of the votes.

At the time of writing, Gonez does not have an opponent in the election.

All three incumbents have been sent the following questions:

• If you were grading yourself on follow-through on your campaign promises from the last election, where would you mark yourself as "incomplete"? If re-elected, how would you address these issues?
• What issue that arose during your current term surprised you the most, whether positively or negatively?
• Is there an issue you wish the public paid more attention to? How has this issue impacted you or your constituents personally?
• What accomplishment during the past term are you most proud of, and how do you see it impacting the district in the future?

New articles will be published as answers are received.

Carl Petersen is a proud father of five adult children, including two daughters on the severe end of the Autism spectrum. A passionate advocate for special education, he ran as a Green Party candidate for the LAUSD School Board. Renowned education advocate Dr. Diane Ravitch has praised him as “a valiant fighter for public schools”. Recently, Carl relocated to the State of Washington, where he is embracing his role as “Poppy” to two grandsons. Explore more at www.ChangeTheLAUSD.com.