Delia Dominguez Cervantes, a retired county health administrator, is running for re-election as Chula Vista Elementary School District trustee, this time representing Area 5.
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I am running for re-election because helping children succeed is why I serve. I originally ran because I was hearing from parents and grandparents who felt they were not being heard. Some had just given up trying. I give out my phone number to anyone who wants it. It is why I am here.
Being a trustee means asking questions, reading the reports, listening to parents and employees and, sometimes, voting no. I voted against cutting teachers and classified employees when the board majority approved those cuts. I also requested an independent Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) review of our business services and human resources operations. I have tried to remain independent and keep my decisions focused on children. School board is a nonpartisan office. Children are not political. They deserve adults who will put their education first.
Academic achievement has to be first. Too many of our children are still not reading, writing and doing math at grade level. We have seen some improvement, but we cannot be satisfied with where we are.
Our finances are another serious concern. We have dealt with a structural deficit and declining enrollment. We have to make better use of the money we have and protect the classroom as much as possible.
The third is trust. Parents need to know they will be heard, and our employees need a voice too. The people working with our children every day often know where the problems are and what support is missing.
If we use our resources wisely, listen to the people closest to our children and stay focused on academics, our students will have a better opportunity to succeed.
First, I want to see significant improvement in reading, writing and math. I want the board to see where children are struggling, school by school, and what we are doing about it. Second, we need to get our financial house in order. We cannot continue adding expenses we cannot sustain and then turn around and cut the people working directly with children. Third, I want parents and employees to have a meaningful voice. Parents are their children’s first teachers, and our employees are in our schools every day. We should listen to them.
My job as a trustee is not to run the schools. It is to make sure our employees have the resources they need and that the district is accountable for results. Our children only get one chance at an elementary education. We need to make those years count.
We have to start by being honest about where our students are academically. District averages can look encouraging while some individual schools, and even grade levels within those schools, are struggling much more. I want us to look at the data school by school and ask what is working and what is not. When children are struggling, we need to identify it early and provide help. Teachers and staff also need the curriculum, materials, training and support to do the job we are asking them to do.
The board should not tell teachers how to teach. That is not our role. Our job is to make sure they have the resources to help children succeed and then look at whether what we are doing is actually working. I will continue asking questions about student outcomes and where our money is going. Improving academics has to show up in our decisions.
I think we should start by asking families why they are leaving. If parents are choosing charter schools, private schools or another district, I want to know why. We should not assume we know the answer.
Families are going to choose schools where they believe their children will be safe and receive a good education. So improving academics is also an enrollment strategy. CVESD has programs families value, including dual-language immersion and strong special education services. But if we offer a program, we have to support it. Our employees need the curriculum, materials, training and resources to make those programs successful. Parents should also know what their neighborhood schools offer and feel welcome there.
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Declining enrollment has to be reflected honestly in our budget. We cannot build ongoing expenses around students we hope will come. We need to give families good reasons to choose our schools.
The district has to live within its means. We cannot keep adding ongoing expenses and then make cuts when the money is not there. That concern is one reason I requested an independent FCMAT review of our business services and human resources operations. The report identified areas needing improvement, including budget development and monitoring, position control, payroll processes and internal procedures. We need to follow through on those recommendations.
When there is a shortfall, I want us looking first at spending away from the classroom. I voted against cutting teachers and classified employees. I also voted against the 300% increase in the monthly stipend for board members, from $750 to $3,000. Our budget decisions should reflect our priorities. I believe we should do everything possible to protect the people working directly with children and give our staff the resources they need to help students succeed.
Our special education students deserve the same opportunity to learn and succeed as every other child. A tight budget does not change that responsibility. We need qualified teachers and specialists, reasonable caseloads and the resources necessary to provide the services in a student’s IEP. We also cannot overlook our classified staff, including the employees who work directly with special education students every day. They need proper training, support and resources to do their jobs well.
Parents need to be heard too. They know their children, and when they raise a concern, we should listen and address it as early as possible.
I would also look carefully at how special education dollars are being spent. Before reducing services that reach children, we should look for efficiencies elsewhere. These students are not numbers on a budget spreadsheet. They are children, and they deserve every opportunity to reach their full potential.
In February 2025, I arranged a meeting between Homeland Security Investigations leadership in San Diego and our superintendent, because I wanted clear information about what immigration enforcement could mean for our schools. Children are not criminals because of their immigration status or that of their parents. They should be able to come to school without being afraid and concentrate on learning.
At the same time, we have a responsibility to keep everyone on our campuses safe. If there is a lawful, judge-signed court order involving an adult on or near a school campus, it should be handled through the proper legal process, regardless of immigration status. The district should follow the law, protect student privacy, make sure employees know what to do and communicate clearly with families.
Our schools are here to educate children. Every child who walks through our doors deserves to feel safe and have the opportunity to learn.
Technology can be a wonderful tool, but it should help children learn, not distract them from learning. For elementary students, I believe personal cell phones should be put away during the school day unless there is a health, safety or accessibility reason for a student to have one. Children need time to learn, talk to each other and interact with their teachers without a phone constantly competing for their attention. Laptops and tablets have a place when they serve an educational purpose.
The same is true of AI. We should teach students how to use technology responsibly, but it should never replace learning how to read, write, do math, think and explain their own ideas. We also have to protect student information and make sure technology is accessible to students with different needs. The question I would keep asking is simple: Is this helping the child learn?
Yes. I used AI as an editing tool to help organize my thoughts, tighten some responses and stay within the word limits. The experiences, examples, opinions and positions are mine. I reviewed and revised every answer so it reflects what I believe and what I have done as a trustee.
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