San Diego Unified School District has approved a new timeline for filling a school board vacancy, a contingency plan tied directly to board president Richard Barrera's run for California state superintendent. If Barrera wins his Nov. 3 race, the district would skip a costly special election and instead move through a monthslong appointment process stretching into January.
The new procedure, approved by the board, comes as Barrera faces off against Chino Valley Unified School Board President Sonja Shaw for the statewide office, according to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Barrera has served on the San Diego Unified board for 18 years, including five as its president, according to EdSource. A win in November would open up his SubDistrict D seat on the board overseeing California's second-largest school district, which serves 103,000 students, per the same EdSource report.
Why an Appointment Instead of a Special Election
The district's board of education has not had to appoint someone to fill a mid-term vacancy in a decade, per FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. That rarity is part of why the new bylaw updates matter: a special election to fill the seat would cost the district $250,000, as reported by Marty Stultz for the station.
Instead, the bylaw updates lay out a multi-step process that includes public notice of the vacancy, board members adopting a resolution declaring the vacancy, a formal application process, and open public meetings to interview candidates, the station reports.
The Timeline if Barrera Wins
Should Barrera win his race, the board would make a public announcement of its plan to fill the vacancy from Nov. 4 through Nov. 16, the station's report notes. The board would then adopt a resolution formally declaring the vacancy at a meeting on Nov. 17.
From there, the public application process would open from Nov. 18 through Dec. 11. The district would also compile feedback from SubDistrict D constituents during that window, continuing through Dec. 18, as part of the selection process, per the same account. The board would hold special meetings on Jan. 6 and/or Jan. 7 to review and interview applicants and make a selection, with the new board member scheduled to be sworn in on Jan. 12.
District Leaders on What They're Looking For
Superintendent Fabi Bagula said that if a vacancy occurs, the board would seek to appoint someone from SubDistrict D “who understands the unique needs, strengths, and diversity of the community and is prepared to serve as an effective advocate for students and families,” according to the report.
Board Vice President Sabrina Bazzo said the timeline gives community voices an opportunity to inform the choice of a SubDistrict D trustee, and that residents should share the qualities and perspectives they want in their representative before a decision is made, per the same report.
A Similar Playbook Played Out in Berkeley
San Diego Unified isn't the first California district to choose appointment over a special election this year. Berkeley Unified's school board opted to appoint a successor for a vacated seat rather than hold a special election, according to Berkeleyside. State law required that appointment be made no later than Aug. 31, and Berkeley applicants had to be at least 18, registered voters and Berkeley residents, submitting applications by July 29 at 4 p.m. ahead of interviews and a possible appointment by Aug. 19, Berkeleyside reported.
The Bigger Race Barrera Is Running
The state superintendent of public instruction is a nonpartisan office, though its powers are already shifting: starting in 2027, a governor-appointed education commissioner will take over running the Department of Education, with many of the superintendent's current duties transferring to the state school board, according to CalMatters. Local districts in California already control most of their own budget and curriculum decisions, leaving the statewide post with limited authority, CalMatters notes. Back home, San Diego Unified's average teacher salary reached $105,672 in the 2024-25 school year, according to EdSource.
