Los Angeles Unified School District officials – Rocio Rivas, Kelly Gonez and Nick Melvoin – moved far ahead in partial returns Tuesday night for three seats on the Board of Education.
The reported results have tended toward one-sided results because major political forces in recent years have refused to fight each other: The teachers union supports Rivas, who represents a large Eastside district; a friendly retired businessman who supports Melvoin, whose constituency is centered on the Westside. And the largest union representing non-teaching workers all but avoided conflict.
The third-place finisher, Gonez, was the only candidate in District 6, and faced a single challenger, Jose Sagredo. Therefore, Gonez is ready to continue to represent the district east of the San Fernando Valley for a third and final term.
With no challengers motivated by special interest financing, the three incumbents had an uninterrupted campaign trail.
If the refunds hold as expected, the Los Angeles Board of Education will continue to rely on charter schools and stand in general agreement on many policies — including strong support for immigrants and a continuing pattern of holding the future of Supt. Alberto Carvalho, who is on administrative leave pending a government investigation.
District 4, Westside
Previously in District 4 was two-term incumbent Melvoin. His opponent was Ankur Patel.
Melvoin's campaign contributions were high before election day: Melvoin, $378,803; Price: $22,662.
In addition, Melvoin has benefited from $367,093 in private spending on his behalf by retired businessman Bill Bloomfield, who has been a major funder in recent campaigns, often to students who are welcome to charter school advocates.
Charters are privately run public schools, most of which are non-union. About 1 in 5 LA public school students are enrolled in an independent charter that operates within LA Unified.
District 2, downtown and Eastside
And the biggest beneficiary of the funding is Rocio Rivas, who was seeking a second term in District 2.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Rivas' campaign raised $66,218. But the biggest source of funding was $889,469 in private campaign expenses on his behalf, almost all of which came from the United Teachers Los Angeles teachers union. The union also spent more than $4,000 on communications with its members about the election.
These figures compare to $2,525 raised by opponent Raquel Zamora, who reported spending $5,089.
In Rivas' successful 2022 race, his main financial rival was Local 99 of the Service Employees International Union, which supported Maria Brenes for the open seat. Historically, Local 99 has not tended to oppose an incumbent, which is still Rivas. And, true to history, Local 99 endorsed Rivas, but without spending money on his behalf.
The end of the charter school wars
More broadly, this election cycle marks the end of a generation of fiercely contested and costliest Los Angeles school board races in the country, as LA teachers' unions and charter school advocates step aside to advance their vision for public education.
Supporters of charter schools — who have poured tens of millions of dollars into races to elect board members sympathetic to their cause — are withdrawing in droves, reflecting their dwindling resources and changing strategies.
The point is, if the current trends in vote counting continue, the board will not change in the next two years.
This situation is not very good for charter schools. Charters with a mixed record face tough reviews when they come up for renewal – about once every five years. Charter opponents want the board's majority to move aggressively to shut down charters if possible and force them off state campuses — where, under state law, they have a legal right to operate.
Big board decisions are coming up
Big decisions before the board include how to manage the perceived structural deficit – with union leaders calling the dire predictions a lack of funding.
Meanwhile, Supt. Alberto Carvalho remains in limbo after the FBI raided his home and office in February. The investigation is related at least in part to a failed district chatbot project.
Carvalho maintains his innocence and would like to return to work. The board, however, temporarily turned the reins over to acting Supt. Andres Chait.
(Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times)
