California school board presidents face off in race for state superintendent

California voters will choose Tuesday between two school board presidents who are running to become the state's next Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Democrat Richard Barrera is facing off against Republican Sonja Shaw to succeed incumbent Tony Thurmond, who is ineligible to run due to term limits. Barrera and Shaw emerged as the top two candidates following the June primary.

Barrera is president of the San Diego Unified School Board, which oversees California's second largest district and serves more than 121,000 students.

In a statement in the state's official voter guide, Barrera touted San Diego's gains in reading and math levels and claimed the district topped other urban districts in graduation rates and readiness for college and career.

"I am proud of what our students have achieved in San Diego and look forward to improving student success across California," Barrera said.

Barrera has been endorsed by Thurmond along with the California Teachers Association, California Federation of Teachers and the California School Employees Association.

Shaw is president of the Chino Valley Unified School Board in San Bernardino County. The district, which serves the communities of Chino, Chino Hills and Ontario, serves about 25,500 students.

During Shaw's time on the school board, the district was sued by Attorney General Rob Bonta after adopting a policy that required schools to notify parents if their children changed their gender identification or pronouns. Shaw has also been vocal about her views on transgender students' participation in sports.

"My plan is simple: restore high academic standards in reading, writing, and math; protect Title IX, ensuring fairness and safety for girls; cut wasteful bureaucracy; and demand fiscal transparency to ensure money reaches classrooms where it belongs, supporting our students and our great teachers," Shaw said in the voter guide.

Shaw has been endorsed by Republican gubernatorial nominee Steve Hilton and the state Republican Party, along with the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.

The voter guide describes the state Superintendent of Public Instruction as California's "independently elected nonpartisan voice for the public interest in the governance of the state's educational systems." The superintendent also serves as a voting member of governing boards of the state's transitional kindergarten through higher education systems.