Meet the New Faces: A Fresh Start for Santa Clara County's Education Board

Santa Clara County's educational scene is getting a shake-up with the appointment of two new trustees to the Board of Education. Jorge Pacheco Jr. and Jessica Speiser are stepping in, replacing long-time members Joseph DiSalvo and Grace Mah. Mah's departure comes amidst investigations into alleged wrongdoings, adding a layer of complexity to this transition. Pacheco, a native of Santa Clara County, has been active in education for years, serving as a board member for the Oak Grove School District since 2018 and as president of the California Latino School Boards Association since 2019. His main goal? To support the county's most vulnerable students, advocate for better special education, and maintain fiscal responsibility. Speiser, on the other hand, has been part of the Los Altos School District board for four years and is slated to be the president of the Santa Clara County School Boards Association for the 2023-24 school year. Her focus? Ensuring students meet graduation requirements and are prepared for life after high school, while also pushing for more resources for educators and greater transparency. This leadership change arrives on the heels of a tumultuous period. The sudden dismissal of former superintendent Mary Ann Dewan sparked community outrage. Dewan later sued the board, claiming her firing stemmed from tense relationships with board members. A state report didn't mince words, criticizing the board's leadership for not following policies and highlighting a "dysfunctional" relationship between board members and the education office's administration. More recently, interim superintendent Charles Hinman called for investigations into the county office's finances and operations due to potential misuse of public funds. As if that weren't enough, the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors is considering changes to the education office, including possible elected positions for the county superintendent of schools and appointed trustees.