Nine candidates are competing for four seats on the Stockton Unified School District Board of Trustees as the district works to maintain financial stability after being removed from the state’s list of districts at high risk of insolvency in June.

The district spent nearly three years under strict financial supervision before being removed from the list.

Four incumbents are seeking reelection, while several challengers have shared little publicly about their backgrounds or campaign priorities.

Area 2 Trustee Patrick Martin, appointed to the board in November 2025, is seeking a full term after replacing AngelAnn Flores, who was removed following her conviction for filing a false insurance claim. Area 5 Trustee Donald Donaire, Area 6 Trustee Sofia Colón and Area 7 Trustee Kennetha Stevens, who took office in December 2022, are seeking second terms.

The seven-member board represents geographical areas across the district, with trustees limited to two four-year terms. Trustees oversee district finances and policies, adopt the annual budget, select and evaluate the superintendent, approve educational programs and monitor student achievement.

Trustees can receive up to $3,000 a month for attending all scheduled board meetings. The board approved increasing monthly compensation from $750 to $3,000 in November 2025, and the change took effect in January.

Here is a look at the candidates running to represent Stockton’s largest school district, which serves 33,239 students and employs 7,273 staff members at 55 schools, ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Area 2

Area 2 is the only race with three candidates this year. They are running to represent Jane Frederick High School, Merlo Institute of Environmental Technology and Alexander Hamilton, Monroe, Montezuma, Nightingale, Alex G. Spanos and Van Buren elementary schools.

Appointed incumbent Martin is running against Alicia Hernandez, an educator and college student, and Sam Carpenter, a small business owner.

Patrick Martin

Martin did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for an interview or answer emailed questions about his background and campaign.

Martin is a lifelong southeast Stockton resident, an applied behavior analyst and paraprofessional at Bear Creek High School in the Lodi Unified School District. He is also a community organizer who runs the Patrick Martin Foundation, a nonprofit that offers educational support, mental health resources, scholarships and food assistance to children in south Stockton.

During his November 2025 appointment interview, Martin identified literacy and addressing gaps in support for students in special education as priorities. In more recent public comments, he has emphasized financial oversight, early intervention, expanded behavioral health services and directing district spending toward measurable student outcomes.

Sam Carpenter

Carpenter, a small business owner who grew up in south Stockton, said he is running because his children are expected to attend Stockton Unified schools and he wants to restore families’ trust in the district.

“This is personal,” Carpenter said. “I also spend time teaching kids that are autistic how to DJ, so I’ve witnessed what hands-on help actually does for our babies.”

He identified student safety, academic achievement and financial transparency as his top concerns. Carpenter said he would support evidence-based reading instruction focused on phonics and foundational skills, expand high-dosage math tutoring during the school day and require regular public reporting on student performance.

To help ensure the district remains off the state’s high-risk list, he proposed retaining a qualified chief business official, requiring competitive bidding and public board review of major contracts, issuing plain-language quarterly budget reports and protecting financial reserves.

Carpenter credited Superintendent Michelle Rodriguez with helping the district achieve greater leadership stability and leave the high-risk list, but said academic performance remains a concern.

“Stability isn’t the same as results,” he said. “Our academic scores are still below the state level, and the board’s job is to hold leadership accountable for that, not simply approve what’s put in front of it. I would push the board to set clear, measurable academic goals and review progress in public.”

To address chronic absenteeism, Carpenter said the district should expand home visits by social workers and counselors to identify barriers related to transportation, health and housing. He also called for more tutoring and mentoring, saying letters sent to families alone would not solve the problem.

“Where I would spend less is on outside consultants,” Carpenter said. “The county civil grand jury found that the district relied too heavily on consultants because staff lacked training for complex business functions, so the long-term solution is to invest in training and keeping our own staff.”

He also supports competitive teacher pay, timely contract negotiations, stronger administrative support and programs to help local graduates and district employees become teachers.

“Families have watched audits, investigations and controversies take up the attention that should have gone to reading, math and safety,” Carpenter said. “The district has made real progress on its finances and that deserves credit, but the board’s focus should now fully shift to student outcomes.”

Alicia Hernandez

Hernandez did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for an interview or answer emailed questions about her background and campaign.

Her campaign priorities are unclear. Hernandez has no campaign website or publicly available contact information. She also did not participate in any candidate forums.

Hernandez’s ballot designation lists her as an educator and college student, but publicly available information did not identify her employer, college or field of study.

The only publicly available campaign material was an advertisement on 209 Times’ Facebook and Instagram stories featuring her photo alongside the Spanish phrase “Lucharé por nuestros niños,” or “I will fight for our children.”

Area 5

Two candidates are vying for the Area 5 seat, which represents Stockton High School, Stockton Early College Academy, Weber Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology and Cleveland, Hazelton, George Washington and Wilson elementary schools.

Incumbent Donaire is running against Malina Sanchez, whose ballot designation lists her as a student and swim teacher.

Donald Donaire

Donaire, who has served on the school board since 2022, is seeking reelection, saying every student deserves access to high-quality public education.

“The most pressing issue for Stockton Unified, like many schools in the state, is declining enrollment, which means for board members, we have a responsibility to ensure the district remains fiscally solvent and steadfast on student achievement,” he said.

Donaire said he would monitor implementation of the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan, which sets goals for literacy, math proficiency, graduation and college and career readiness. He also emphasized supporting low-income students, English learners and foster youth, particularly in Area 5’s midtown and downtown neighborhoods.

Donaire said he would oversee implementation of the district’s new math curriculum and monitor student performance through assessments and grades. He also supports Saturday school programs to help students make up missed days and recover academically, as well as community school partnerships connecting families with academic, health and social services.

To help the district remain off the state’s high-risk list, Donaire said he would support public budget oversight meetings, stronger procurement procedures and continued monitoring of the financial effects of declining enrollment. He also proposed reducing spending on consultants and third-party contractors to invest in training and developing district employees.

“Effective student outcomes start with a cohesive, aligned board that operates with clear protocols, unified goals and strict ethical standards,” Donaire said. “Success would be measured by smoother, more efficient board meetings, a sharp reduction in procedural friction or miscommunication, and, most importantly, our ability to consistently pass student-centered policies and maintain long-term fiscal stability without getting bogged down by internal dysfunction.”

Looking back on his time on the board, Donaire said the district needs to do more to ensure board policies translate into meaningful improvements for students, particularly in south Stockton.

“Moving forward, my goal is to tighten that accountability loop,” he said. “I want us to rely less on high-level data reports from the district down the road and more on direct check-ins with site leaders, support staff and parents on the ground to measure whether our policies are actually moving the needle where it matters most.”

Donaire also criticized his opponent, Sanchez, calling her a “ghost candidate” and saying he had not seen her attend board or committee meetings or candidate forums.

“We cannot afford to return to governance from the shadows,” Donaire said. “Bringing people back into power who hide behind the scenes will only continue the kind of institutional dysfunction we’ve seen plaguing other local bodies like the city council, and Stockton’s schools and students cannot afford that regression.”

Malina Sanchez

Sanchez did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for an interview or answer emailed questions about her background and campaign. She also did not participate in any candidate forums.

Sanchez’s ballot designation lists her as a student and swim teacher, but publicly available information did not identify her school, field of study or employer.

In a mailer sent to Area 5 voters, Sanchez said she is a mother who grew up attending Stockton Unified schools. She described herself as a “common sense Democrat” who is running because she has “seen firsthand the failures in our schools, kids being passed along year after year, knowing full well they can’t proficiently read or write.”

Her letter did not offer solutions to address the issue or other challenges facing the district. She said her positions include opposing boys competing in girls’ sports. She said young girls “deserve fair competition and a safe locker room.” She also called for affordable day care and after-school programs, saying they “shouldn’t be a luxury, they should be mandatory.”

On her candidate Facebook page, launched less than a month before the election, Sanchez said student and campus safety are her top priorities. She called for the district to “modernize and upgrade” its elementary schools and put the focus “back on the students and not the adult issues.” She also pledged to hold monthly meetings with parents in her area if elected.

Area 6

Area 6 features a two-candidate race for a seat representing Cesar Chavez High School, the Young Adult Program and August, George W. Bush, John C. Fremont, Lottie Grunsky, Harrison, Peyton and Rio Calaveras elementary schools.

Colón is facing Christina Bacca McBrian, whose ballot designation lists her as a teacher.

Sofia Colón

Colón, who has served on the school board since 2022, said she is running for reelection because Stockton Unified has made meaningful progress and she wants to ensure the district continues improving for students.

“The most important issue has always been student achievement,” Colón said. “We must ensure every child develops strong foundational reading and math skills.”

She said she would continue prioritizing evidence-based instruction, early intervention and data-driven decisions to improve achievement. Colón pointed to the district’s expansion of SIPPS foundational reading instruction in kindergarten through third grade and in special education classrooms, along with investments in teacher training. In math, she said, the district must support educators and provide targeted interventions as it implements new curriculum.

Colón said continued financial oversight is essential after Stockton Unified was removed from California’s high-risk designation. She emphasized accurate financial reporting, clean audits and strong internal controls to ensure public funds are managed responsibly.

“Financial stability must become a lasting practice, not a temporary achievement during this term,” Colón said.

On district leadership, she said administrators should be evaluated on results, integrity and accountability. Colón said she would strengthen board oversight, establish clear expectations for the superintendent and communicate outcomes to the community.

To address chronic absenteeism, she said the district must understand barriers such as transportation, health and mental health needs, family circumstances and students’ sense of belonging at school. Colón said timely assessments, targeted interventions and regular progress monitoring can help students who are falling behind academically.

“Instead of asking where we should spend less, we should examine administrative inefficiencies, redundancies and underperforming expenses,” she said. “Every expenditure, service or equipment should be evaluated against its impact.”

Teacher recruitment and retention should remain priorities, Colón said, through competitive compensation and benefits, effective mentoring, professional development and improved working conditions. She also emphasized listening to teachers and classified employees when evaluating workplace policies.

Colón wants to strengthen legislative advocacy to secure additional state and federal funding, particularly to address rising special education costs and expand career technical education programs.

Colón cited Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom’s Assembly Bill 1590, which changes the state’s career technical education funding allocation, as an example of efforts to secure additional resources.

“I want to build on that model by working with our legislators, county education leaders and community partners to identify funding gaps, advance policy solutions and ensure available dollars reach our classrooms,” she said.

Colón said success would mean securing additional funding, sustaining those resources and expanding student services and career pathways.

She cited her background in health care informatics and data analytics, saying her experience improving workflows, monitoring quality and solving operational problems informs her approach to school governance.

“I am asking voters to consider that record, consider the work still ahead, and the value of experienced, ethical leadership focused on students,” Colón said. “We have come too far to turn back now.”

Christina McBrian

McBrian did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for an interview or answer emailed questions about her background and campaign.

McBrian is the widow of Scott McBrian, who served on the board of trustees from January 2019 to December 2022. A Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team report described a perceived conflict of interest involving Scott McBrian’s introduction of Alliance Building Solutions Inc., whose subsidiary, IAQ Distribution Inc., ultimately received a district contract. The board approved the contract despite IAQ’s proposal ranking lowest among those submitted.

McBrian’s ballot designation lists her as a teacher. A search of the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing website did not return a result under her name.

Transparent California, a database of government employee compensation, lists a person named Christina M. McBrian as having worked for Stockton Unified from 2014 through 2026 as a special education assistant in a severely mentally handicapped class.

In a letter to Area 6 voters nearly identical to Sanchez’s letter to Area 2 voters, McBrian described herself as a “common sense Democrat” and opposed boys competing in girls’ sports, saying young girls “deserve fair competition and a safe locker room.” She also called for affordable day care and after-school programs, writing that they “shouldn’t be a luxury, they should be mandatory.”

McBrian and Sanchez also used identical wording to raise concerns about student achievement, writing: “Did you know 7 out of 10 high school graduates read at a 5th grade level, can’t do basic math, and can’t tell time on a traditional clock? Unbelievable!”

Area 7

The Area 7 race features two candidates competing for a seat representing Stagg High School, Pacific Law Academy, Walton Special Center and John Adams, Maxine Hong Kingston, Kennedy, Kohl, Pulliam and Flora Arca Mata elementary schools.

Stevens is being challenged by David Padilla, whose ballot designation lists him as a teacher.

Kennetha Stevens

Stevens declined Stocktonia’s request for an interview and did not answer emailed questions about her background and campaign.

She took office in December 2022 after defeating Zachary Avelar, who had been appointed to the Area 7 seat, in the November 2022 general election.

Stevens served as Stockton Unified’s board president from December 2023 to December 2025. Outside her work with the district, she founded Exceptional Journey Consulting, where she serves as chief executive officer, and sits on the board of the nonprofit Amelia Ann Adams Whole Life Center.

Stevens faced scrutiny for voting to award the nonprofit more than $130,000 in district contracts, despite serving on its board as an unpaid member.

The board unanimously approved two contracts in October 2025 and November 2025 for the nonprofit to provide student support services at four schools. The October contract was worth up to $70,123. District documents listed the November contract at up to $60,000, but a copy of the agreement set the maximum compensation at $68,000.

A Stockton Unified spokesperson said the district did not believe her participation in the votes was improper because she was not compensated for her role at the nonprofit and did not have a disqualifying financial interest.

David Padilla

Padilla did not respond to Stocktonia’s request for an interview or answer emailed questions about his background and campaign.

His campaign priorities are unclear. Padilla has no campaign website or publicly available contact information. He also did not participate in any candidate forums.

A LinkedIn profile that appears to belong to Padilla, whose full name is Peyton David Padilla, indicates he attended University of the Pacific from 2021 to 2023.

From 2023 to 2025, Padilla worked as a physical education teacher for kindergarten through eighth grade at Stockton Unified, according to Transparent California.