I'm Dr. Jeff Cole, and I'm running for Area 2 Trustee to put the focus of our public schools back where it belongs: on our students, families, and teachers. With thirty years of experience as a classroom teacher and as a former board president who helped pass Measure J, I know how to deliver real results. Right now, our district is spending more than we take in, relying on millions in unidentified future cuts that threaten our classrooms. Meanwhile, the board voted to quadruple their own pay while offering classroom staff just a two percent raise. I will move to reverse that decision. With over $334 million for thirteen thousand students, the money is there—but our priorities are not. I’ve helped turn around a district in financial distress before, and I’m ready to do it again to save our neighborhood schools.
Our community is facing a critical challenge that we simply cannot ignore. This year, our school district is dealing with yet another multi-million-dollar budget shortfall, and this deficit spending is directly threatening the future of our local schools. I am running to bring real focus back to what matters most. If we don't restructure our school district now to put our students, parents, and teachers first, we face the very real threat of bankruptcy. I am committed to doing the hard work to restructure our system and stop this deficit spending. By putting our classrooms first, we can protect our schools and secure a stable future for our kids. Let's work together to refocus our budget on our families and our educators.
I believe that our community's resources belong where they can do the most good: right in the classroom. Recently, the school board voted five to zero in a single night to raise their own monthly pay from $504 to $2,000. At the very same time, our dedicated classroom staff were offered just a two percent raise. This is a matter of priorities, and we need to put our students and educators first. That is why, when you elect me, I will immediately move to reverse this pay raise. Let's redirect those funds back to where they are needed most—supporting the people who work directly with our children every day.
I believe our schools should be shaped by the people who know them best: our students, parents, and teachers. Unfortunately, we have drifted away from these vital voices, favoring a hierarchical administrative bureaucracy instead. This top-down system mismanages our community's hard-earned tax dollars through bloated administrative salaries and unnecessary outside contracts. If elected, I will fight to restore student, parent, and teacher voice to the heart of our school system. I will work to address this administrative bloat and eliminate wasteful spending, ensuring our resources are directed where they matter most. Together, we can build a school system that listens to our community and respects our taxpayers.
Have questions or suggestions? I would love to hear from you!
Campaign Headquarters
916 Silver Spur Rd, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274