Hello,

My name is Andrea De Leon, and I am honored to serve you as a trustee on the San Bernardino County Board of Education representing Trustee Area E.

Born and raised in San Bernardino County, I have deep roots in our community. I have a strong commitment to making a positive impact on our children’s education because I believe they deserve the best!

Since being elected to the Board in 2020, I have been dedicated to improving our educational system and ensuring our children receive the best possible start in life. I have focused on improvement literacy rates, improving the opportunity for parent choice, and I led a full review of the entire package of the policies that guide our board and the oversight responsibilities. As President of the Board for 2023, I focused on initiatives such as improving literacy, adding more policy language for charter schools approvals, and assuring budget transparency. This amazing organization facilitates critical education programs such as First 5 San Bernardino, promoting early childhood learning and development, teacher training throughout the county, positive mental health programs, and credit recovery programs to assist students reach graduation! I couldn’t love it more.

During my tenure, we have been successful in accomplishing several key promises:

Literacy and Math Scores: We have relentlessly pursued literacy and improved math scores at every meeting. Clearer language was secured in the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) to support these improvements, ensuring more student testing information is reported to parents.

Budget Transparency: We have worked towards more transparent budgeting. Public information within the budget has become clearer each year, with the latest budget being praised for its clarity.

Parent Assistance & Student Appeals: We obtained clearer instructions for student appeals, now detailed in the parent handbook and on County websites.

Charter School Policies: We led the review of all county board policies, including charter school applications. By collaborating with charter schools, the Charter Schools Association, and the San Bernardino County Office of Education, new tools were created to ensure quality charter school oversight and partnerships.

Literacy Projects: We worked with the Superintendent of Schools to create literacy projects for every local unified district in the county.

As we run for re-election, we are committed to upholding the values that matter most to our community:

Family Values: Ensuring our schools support and nurture our students’ development in a safe and inclusive environment.

Safe Schools: Prioritizing the safety and well-being of our students, staff, and community members.

Balanced Transparent Budgets: Advocating for fiscal responsibility and transparency in our budget processes to ensure resources are allocated effectively and equitably.

Parent Choice and Information: Empowering parents with the information and choices they need to support their children’s education.

Better Literacy Scores: Working tirelessly to improve literacy rates and ensure every child has the skills they need to succeed.

I bring a wealth of experience to this role. With a Bachelor of Arts from UC Riverside and an MBA from California State University, San Bernardino, and as the owner of Inland Strategies Group, I have developed and managed comprehensive strategies for various clients, advocating effectively with corporate and community leaders, and building budgets and fundraisers to meet organizational needs. My leadership extends beyond professional careers, with experience serving as executive director and as a board member for several nonprofits.

Together, we can continue to build a brighter future for our children and our community. We humbly ask for your support in the upcoming election, so we can keep pushing for the changes and improvements that will make a lasting difference. Thank you for believing in our vision and for being a part of this journey.

Sincerely,

Andrea De Leon