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Local voters can weigh in on two education ballot items for the June 2 primary election.
Residents of the Ravenswood City School District will decide on a $70 million bond measure, and two candidates are vying to become the next San Mateo County superintendent of schools.
Race for county superintendent of schools
The superintendent of schools oversees the San Mateo County Office of Education and provides support to 23 school districts in the county. The superintendent is responsible for reviewing school district budgets and monitoring compliance with state and federal laws.
The San Mateo County Office of Education has an open seat. Former Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee announced in 2025 that she would not seek reelection this year. In April, Magee died at age 66, after announcing her early retirement in mid-February.
Héctor Camacho, executive director of equity, social justice and inclusion at the San Mateo County Office of Education, and Chelsea Bonini, a county Board of Education trustee, are vying for the elected position. Both have experience working with the County Office of Education and a background in teaching.
Bonini has more than a decade of experience in educational leadership from her service on the Office of Education’s personnel commission and as a San Mateo Foster City School Board Trustee. She began her career in education in 1994 as a kindergarten teacher in the South San Francisco Unified School District.
Her campaign is focused on prioritizating reading accessibility for all students and expanding access to mental health resources. She is also in favor of increasing fiscal transparency among the county’s schools.
More information on Bonini is at votebonini.com.
Camacho began his career in education as a bilingual instructional aide 26 years ago, which he said sparked his passion for teaching. Since then, he’s worked in all areas of education including teaching, counseling and administrative roles. Camacho also served as a San Mateo County Board of Education trustee for 11 years.
Camacho’s campaign for county superintendent prioritizes foundational learning skills, high-quality instruction and mental health and wellness for students and families. He also strives to invest more in educators by creating pathways for school staff members to complete degrees and earn teaching credentials.
His campaign also focuses on creating stronger partnerships with communities and local leaders, as well as coordinating countywide safety measures.
For more information on Camacho, visit votehector.com.
Ravenswood Measure A
Ravenswood City School District’s Measure A is a $70 million bond measure that will fund the construction of new classrooms, primarily at Costaño School of the Arts. The measure aims to address the anticipated jump in enrollment after the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative-backed The Primary School in East Palo Alto closes this summer.
Measure A will tax property owners an average of $27.50 per $100,000 of assessed valuation until June 30, 2053. The bond needs a yes vote from 55% of registered voters who live in the Ravenswood district in order to pass.
The school district has completed multiple campus renovation projects over the last few years and already has plans to start construction at Costaño, but opted to pursue expanding existing plans to deal with the unexpected enrollment spike starting in the next school year.
Jenny Varghese Bloom, who serves on the board and is also volunteering for the Measure A campaign, said the district felt there was an appropriate window of time to ask for the community’s investment, while utilizing it in the most efficient way. She added that Measure A funds would ensure a cost-efficient and continuous construction process.
Prior to the district’s campus makeovers, many of Ravenswood’s schools had not been significantly renovated since the 1950s. Construction at Costaño will mark the district’s fourth recent construction project.
Students at Ravenswood’s upgraded campuses have modernized classrooms with upgraded ventilation systems, technology, safety systems, green spaces and energy-efficient infrastructure.
The district’s information page on Measure A is at tinyurl.com/rcsd-measure-a.
