Carlos Ulloa, an Escondido public school teacher and incumbent San Marcos board member, is running for re-election to the Area A seat on the San Marcos Unified School District board of trustees. The San Diego Union-Tribune asked all the candidates running for school board in districts around San Diego County about their policies, plans and priorities. Here’s what Ulloa told us about his. Why are you running for school board? What makes you a good candidate? I was elected in 2020 to serve area A of the San Marcos Unified School District during the COVID pandemic, when schools were not fully open and we did not have a superintendent. Over the last four years, my fellow board members and I have worked together to bring much needed leadership and stability to our school district. Carlos Ulloa (Courtesy of Carlos Ulloa) I bring 33 years of experience in education to the dais. I have served as a teacher, reading specialist, assistant principal, principal, director of curriculum and instruction and university lecturer. Prior to serving as a trustee, I was appointed by the governor to serve a four-year term on the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC), an advisory body to the California State Board of Education on all matters pertaining to instructional frameworks, curriculum and assessment. As a SMUSD board member, I am uniquely placed to see all sides and all points of view from my extensive experience as an educator. What is the most important issue currently facing your school district? In the 2024-25 school year, our entire state is challenged with providing the same level of services and support to students with less funding. Our state revenues have declined in the last few years, and our expenses have increased. In addition, our district has been impacted by declining student enrollment. As fiscal stewards of SMUSD, our board must work together with our superintendent and stakeholders to make the necessary cuts that are the furthest away from our classrooms. What are the top three specific things you would seek to accomplish on the school board? Continue to remain fiscally solvent. Focus on creating schools that are innovative and responsive to the needs of our students. Maintain open and transparent communication focused on student learning and achievement. It is important the community understand we are not working in silos. The governing board works together to direct the district superintendent and the superintendent works with our families, teachers, staff, site and district leadership and our community to provide welcoming, safe and inclusive schools where every student receives a quality education and future ready experience. What would your approach be to district budget planning and spending? What would you do if your district had a budget shortfall? Districts across the state are currently experiencing declining enrollment, which translates to a decrease in overall funding to schools and school districts. School districts are required to submit a balanced budget with a reserve of at least 3 percent to 10 percent. My approach would be to look at making cuts that have the least impact to direct services to students in our classrooms. I would seek input from all stakeholders, including students, families, teachers, staff and site and district administration. Our board has been working together to remain fiscally solvent. We will continue to work together to plan and make the necessary cuts to avoid a budget shortfall. I believe cuts must be made that have the least impact on direct services to student learning and the classroom. How should your school district raise student academic achievement, and what would you do as a school board member to accomplish that? Our current board has challenged our site leaders and teachers to raise student achievement by committing to a Portrait of a Graduate, a shared vision of aspirations for every student to thrive in school and in their future. As a board, we also value and are committed to every child reading on grade level by the third grade. Standards are teaching tools, and our Portrait of a Graduate is our SMUSD compass and promise to every learner. Our Portrait of Graduate values instruction that develops communication, critical thinking, empathy, adaptability and leadership. Do you think anything currently offered in school curricula or libraries should be removed? If yes, what, and why? If no, why not? The state has a clear process for adopting instructional materials in our public schools. This process allows for input of teachers, families, community members and students. Schools also have a clear process for adopting instructional materials. Having served as an education commissioner at the state level, we often heard from parents regarding previous instructional material adoptions. This helped inform the development of current instructional frameworks. What do you think is driving student absenteeism in your district, and what would you as a school board member do to reduce it? Schools continue to be funded based on positive attendance. When students miss school, schools miss out on funding. Keeping our students safe in school, focusing on creating a sense of belonging helps instill a positive school wide culture where students know attendance matters to their overall school experience and academic performance. Do you think schools should notify parents if their child’s gender identity or presentation at school changes? Why or why not? There are currently state laws in California that protect the gender identity rights of students. As an educator and board member, I believe teacher-parent/guardian relationship, student health and safety and open communication are foundational to the overall academic achievement and social and emotional wellbeing of every student. It is not the role or function of schools to circumvent state laws that protect student rights to self-expression and gender identity.