Here are the Orange Unified School District (OUSD) School Board candidate statements for the 2026 election, listed in the order shown on the Orange County Registrar of Voters candidate filing log. The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, and vote-by-mail ballots are scheduled to be mailed by October 5. The OUSD Trustee Areas up for election this year are Trustee Areas 1, 4, 5 and 7. Villa Park is in Trustee Area 4.
The Orange Unified School District is divided into 7 trustee areas. Members of the Orange Unified Board of Education are elected by district to four-year terms on a staggered basis every even-numbered year in November. Special elections to fill vacancies on the board can be scheduled outside of the general election schedule.
Statements below are reproduced as posted by the Orange County Registrar of Voters. Find all candidate statements for Orange County elections at OCVote.gov/candidates/candidate-filing-log-with-statements.
Note: In a lawsuit filed Aug. 13 by an Orange Unified constituent, a judge on Aug. 27 ordered candidates Ivan Kokos, Crystal Miles and Jack Chang to modify or delete portions of their candidate statements before they were printed. The statements below for those three candidates are the revised versions posted by the Registrar of Voters after the ruling. Source: Foothills Sentry, September 2026.
Trustee Area 1
Andrea Yamasaki
Governing Board Member, Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 1
Orange Unified parents and our community deserve leaders with an extensive history of actual service in our schools and beyond, a proven track record as a capable leader, and the best interests of students as their priority. As your current Governing Board Member of Trustee Area 1, I have all these qualities, that is why I am endorsed by our classroom teachers, as well as hundreds of parents and community members.
My service to this district started decades ago. As a parent of three OUSD children, I volunteered tutoring students and facilitating school-wide programs. I then expanded my responsibilities to include leadership; serving as PTA President at El Rancho Charter School and Canyon High School, and as a board member for many parent groups and booster clubs. My commitment to making OUSD better for every child, not just my own, led me to co-found C.A.R.E., the parent-led grassroots effort that helped pass Measure S, providing critical repairs and upgrades for our high school campuses.
Now that the high school projects are nearly completed, it is time to refocus on the elementary campuses. Fiscal responsibility enabled Orange Unified to fund $40 million in elementary campus improvements this year. Investments in our facilities are investments in our students and community.
The progress our district has made the past two years towards making OUSD the district of excellence our students deserve has been remarkable, I am grateful to be part of it. Our test scores are climbing, graduation rates are one of the best in the county and multiple systems have been implemented to further support students to continue these improvements.
My priorities:
- Fiscal responsibility: ensuring your tax dollars are spent transparently and deliver visible results in classrooms.
- Student safety and well-being: strengthening policies that protect students.
- Academic opportunities: maintaining and expanding a variety of academic programs to serve students’ interests and needs, from Advanced Placement to Career Training.
I know the importance of listening to and building relationships with parents and community partners, and I stay involved and engaged. I serve on the board of multiple school-site Foundations, the Orange County School Boards Association, and serve as president of the state-wide Asian Pacific Islander School Board Members Association. I am readily accessible to our students, staff and families, often visiting school sites and participating in school events.
I respectfully ask for your vote to keep experienced, accountable leadership on the Orange Unified School Board, leadership grounded in community service, responsible stewardship, and an unwavering commitment to student success.
www.yamasaki4ousdschools.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Ivan Kokos
Parent/Orange County Businessman
My parents and I immigrated to the United States when I was a toddler. A United States Marine Corps veteran, I’m the first in my family to graduate from college.
My wife and I chose to raise our family here, and I’m the candidate running for Trustee Area 1 who has a child attending Orange Unified School District schools.
Seeing our schools firsthand as a parent, I’m worried about what I see: students are not learning reading, writing, and math at their grade level. With my professional experience managing $2.5 billion in government loans, I’m concerned about the Orange Unified School District’s structural deficits: its own projections show this is unsustainable.
If you elect me to the Orange Unified School District Board, I will:
- Ensure our students learn reading, writing, and math
- Push for our graduates to be ready for the workforce or college
- Fight for fiscal responsibility: spending should go to classrooms, not administration
- Make sure parents and teachers are partners in students’ education
- Recruit and retain great teachers with excellent salaries, supplies, and support
I’ve earned endorsements from:
- Entire Orange County Board of Education
- Orange County Auditor-Controller Andrew Hamilton
- Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner
- Anaheim Councilwoman Natalie Meeks
- Orange Councilmembers Denis Bilodeau, Kathy Tavoularis, Jon Dumitru
- Villa Park Councilwoman Crystal Miles
I would be honored to have your vote. electivankokos.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Trustee Area 4 (Villa Park’s Area)
Sara J. Pelly
Governing Board Member, Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 4
I was an elementary school teacher and principal for 34 years, I know what it takes to help our students succeed both today and tomorrow. I am a champion for public education who works with parents, teachers, and the community. As your school board member, I find common ground, build trust, and form strong partnerships to move our schools forward. Building these relationships is exactly why I have the endorsement of all of my fellow Orange Unified board members, our classroom teachers, and 4 out of 5 Villa Park City Council members, the city where I live.
I believe every child deserves a world-class education, and am committed to providing a variety of programs to serve the unique needs of each student. It is critical that we start our young learners on the right path, and continue to provide learning opportunities as unique as our students. I’m proud of Orange Unified’s extensive Career Readiness programs for students who are not university-bound as well as a broad range of Advanced Placement classes. As a former principal, I understand the complexities of implementing innovative programs.
My priorities are:
Updated Facilities – Every student deserves a safe, modern, and welcoming place to learn. This year I voted to approve a $40 million dollar investment in facilities improvements to our elementary schools.
Resource Allocation – A true commitment to students means directing every dollar where it matters most – into the classroom. I have a unique perspective as the only board member with elementary classroom experience, and I successfully grew OUSD’s award winning Mandarin Immersion program. Using my four decades of diverse expertise, I am able to navigate complex educational issues. I know where to send your tax dollars for maximum benefit. By ensuring thoughtful distribution of resources, I will continue to safeguard fiscal responsibility.
Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency – Taxpayers deserve to know how funds are used and to see clear benefits for students. I am also dedicated to bringing renewed focus on accountability and student outcomes, so that every decision we make reflects what matters most – our students.
I hope you’ll stand with me in protecting our district, maintaining stability on our board, and continuing the upward trend of success. Together, we can build a future where every child is supported, every classroom thrives, and our community benefits.
I would be honored to have your vote.
https://www.pelly4ousd.com/
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Armando “Mando” Perez-Serrato
No candidate statement filed. No ballot designation is listed on the Registrar of Voters filing log.
Crystal K. Miles
Councilmember/Business Owner
Transparency, accountability, and earning people’s trust aren’t new goals for me — they’re how I’ve always led, as a city councilmember and small business owner. Families deserve a school system that treats every taxpayer dollar with the same discipline and care you would in running your household or business.
I strongly support parent rights and full access to curriculum information. Parents are partners in their children’s education, not outsiders, and deserve a real seat at the table.
If elected, I will make sure teachers have the support they need, open district spending to real public scrutiny, and focus on improving academic outcomes for every student regardless of background or ability.
My experience on the City Council, running a business, and raising my own sons in this district has taught me how to manage budgets responsibly and hold organizations accountable.
On the Villa Park City Council, I initiated our city’s e-bike ordinance to help keep kids safe on our streets, proof I get results, not just talk.
Only 46% of our students are proficient in math. Our children deserve better!
I’d be honored to have your vote.
Visit my website at: ElectCrystalMiles.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Trustee Area 5
Kristin “Kris” Erickson
Governing Board Member, Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
Orange Unified has been my home for more than 50 years. My husband and I raised our children here, and we are all proud OUSD graduates. For me, this isn’t politics, it’s personal. Long before my election in 2018, I was a student, parent, and volunteer here, and my commitment to our community hasn’t wavered.
Two decades in PTA allowed me to support families and teachers across our campuses. My work earned me the California PTA’s Golden Oak Award, its highest honor for service to children. I served as Santiago Middle School Charter Board President. In 2013, I co-founded CARE, a grassroots organization that advocated for the high schools’ campus modernization bond. Today our students benefit from the incredible upgrades that followed.
I’ve practiced law for 33 years, much of it guiding young people through challenging times. This shapes the level-headed, practical thinking I bring to the board. As a volunteer, I worked directly with students coaching Mock Trial at El Modena. Several former students are now attorneys who endorse me.
I’m an invested community member, serving on the board of a local non-profit, which combats poverty through family, food, and employment support, and I’ve mentored youth through Rotary Club’s Mentor Meals program. These experiences shaped my belief in the importance of supporting the whole child.
As Board President in 2025, I helped refocus our work on students, led the search for our superintendent, and rebuilt trust with our community. Since then, we’ve strengthened academic supports, expanded career and technical programs, and increased mental health services. It’s making a difference – our scores are rising faster than other districts and outpacing the state. Our graduation rate is substantially higher than the state average. Additionally, we have invested $57 million in campus and technology improvements, using money we had responsibly saved.
Good decisions start with listening. I visit our schools and talk with students and parents regularly. Every student’s path is different, and I remain committed to strengthening student academic achievement, improved facilities, transparent communication and expanded academic and career options for all students.
I’m officially endorsed by our classroom teachers, fellow school board members, and hundreds of parents, community members, and elected officials. This district gave me opportunities I never thought I’d have. It raised me, my husband, and our children, and I want every child who comes after us to soar. I respectfully ask for your vote.
Kris4OUSD.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Chip Ahlswede
Parent/Businessman
Our Orange Unified School District Board of Directors has been through a lot recently, swinging from extremes and taking its eyes off its purpose, to educate school kids, keep them safe while at school, and prepare them for an increasingly challenging world.
I am running for OUSD School Board for these reasons only:
- to get our District focused back on these priorities,
- stop the politics, and
- give our children the best opportunity for the life they deserve.
I am a lifelong Orange County resident. My wife and I have raised our three sons here in the community. They are all the product of our local schools. These schools have been very important to our family, which is why I have served on the School Site Council at elementary and middle schools and the high school football booster club. I am also a local businessman, working to make housing affordable and attainable for working families.
I believe:
- It’s not acceptable that OUSD test scores rank near the worst in Orange County.
- It’s not right that the current Board has mismanaged public dollars without accountability or transparency to parents and taxpayers.
We can do better. I’d be honored to earn your vote.
Find out more at Chip4OUSD.com.
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Trustee Area 7
Stephen Glass
Governing Board Member, Orange Unified School District, Trustee Area 7
As President of the Orange Unified School District Board of Education, I keep students at the center of every decision.
This community is my home. My wife, a school principal, and I chose Orange Unified schools for our children because we believe in the opportunities this district provides. Like every parent, we want schools that are safe, academically rigorous, fiscally responsible, and welcoming to every student. I am invested in Orange Unified’s success.
For nearly three decades, I have dedicated my professional life to public education. I have served as a classroom teacher, principal, district administrator, and university professor. These experiences have prepared me to ask difficult questions, evaluate complex decisions, and keep teaching and learning at the center of district governance. I know successful schools require strong leadership, sound financial management, meaningful partnerships with families, and exceptional teachers and staff.
As your elected trustee and Board President, I have worked to strengthen transparency, promote respectful and effective governance, support stable district leadership, and ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer funds. I have supported investments in safe campuses, high-quality instruction, and the employees who serve our students every day. Drawing on my experience as a principal and district administrator, I helped guide the thoughtful selection of a new superintendent, emphasizing stable leadership, accountability, and long-term planning while keeping students and classrooms at the center of our work.
I am especially proud when I see our students recognized for academic achievement, artistic talent, athletic excellence, service, and perseverance. Those moments remind me that board decisions ultimately affect real children, families, classrooms, and futures.
Public education is one of our community’s most important investments. Strong schools strengthen neighborhoods, support local businesses, protect property values, and prepare tomorrow’s workforce. This responsibility demands experienced leadership grounded in integrity, accountability, collaboration, and service.
Orange Unified has made progress, but important work remains. We must accelerate student achievement, maintain safe and modern campuses, recruit and retain exceptional employees, preserve valuable programs, and exercise prudent fiscal oversight. We must also listen to families, support educators, and ensure every student graduates prepared for college, career, and civic life.
I am honored to serve this community and grateful for the trust you have placed in me. I respectfully ask for your vote for re-election so we can continue moving Orange Unified forward and build a stronger future for every student, family, and school.
www.drglass4ousd.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Jack Chang
Business Executive/Parent
I believe parents, not politicians, should be the ones stepping up to serve on local school board because they have a vested interest in quality education for all students. That’s why I’ve stepped up to be a voice for parents on the Orange Unified School District.
My family lives here and my children have attended local schools.
Every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a safe, supportive learning environment where they can reach their full potential.
I am committed to responsible spending of your tax dollars by promoting transparency, accountability, and thoughtful budgeting that prioritizes students, teachers, and classroom expenses not bureaucrats.
Only 46% of students are proficient at math. This needs to change. Let’s get back to basics by strengthening reading, writing, math, science, and critical thinking curriculum to help students discover their talents and prepare for college, jobs, and life.
I believe parents and families are vital partners in education. We need a new approach to educating our children that puts students first. By listening, working together, and focusing on what unites us, we can ensure every student can succeed.
I would be honored to have your vote. Visit my website at ElectJackChang.com
Source: official candidate statement (OC Registrar of Voters)
Filing records for all candidates can be found at the Orange County Registrar of Voters.
The Orange Unified School District serves approximately 28,000 students in grades kindergarten through 12th, and encompasses all or part of the cities of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange, Santa Ana, and Villa Park.
Villa Park is part of OUSD Trustee Area 4.
41 Education Sites:
- 4 High Schools (Canyon, El Modena, Orange, Villa Park)
- 3 Middle Schools (Cerro Villa, Portola, Yorba)
- 2 Charter Middle Schools (El Rancho Charter, Santiago Charter)
- 1 K-8 Magnet School (McPherson Magnet School)
- 26 Elementary Schools
- 5 Specialized Programs
Villa Park Election Resources
- Villa Park Election Central – All local 2026 election information, news and updates
- Villa Park Election Results
- VP City Council Candidate Announcement
- VP City Council Candidate Forum – Meet the candidates
- VP City Council Candidate Statements
- Orange Mayoral Candidate Statements
- Orange City Council Candidate Statements
- Villa Park State and Regional Elected Officials