Sonja Shaw says she is “energized and focused” as voters head to the polls Tuesday, confident she is ready to become California’s superintendent of public instruction—even as the office prepares to lose much of its authority.
Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified school board, is competing against Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified school board.
“Parents and families across California have made it clear they want schools that deliver real results in reading, writing and math, while also protecting fairness and safety for girls,” Shaw told the California Post. “I’m grateful for the support and ready to get to work.”
Shaw led a 10-candidate field in June’s primary, finishing more than 250,000 votes ahead of Barrera.
The Post asked both candidates the same questions. Barrera did not respond before publication.
Though the race is officially nonpartisan, Shaw is a Republican campaigning in a state dominated by Democrats. Asked whether she had attracted undecided and Democratic voters, she said she had.
“The core problems aren’t partisan,” Shaw said. “Fewer than half of California students are reading and writing at grade level. Families want transparency about what children are taught and how taxpayer money is spent. Girls deserve fair competition and dignity in their private spaces.”
“Those are questions of results, not party politics,” she added.
If elected, Shaw said she would make “proven instruction” in reading, writing and math a priority. Her approach would include early screening and intervention for students who are struggling, as well as “clear, honest reporting” on academic progress.
Shaw also said girls’ sports and facilities would comply with “Title IX,” while school resources would be directed toward classrooms and effective teachers rather than “bureaucracy.”
Debates over transgender athletes, parental rights, standardized testing and Donald Trump have dominated the campaign, even though Trump himself is not on the ballot.
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Barrera has repeatedly linked Shaw to Trump. Shaw says she has “never even met with the dude” and has accused Barrera of suffering from “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” arguing that he invokes Trump to avoid addressing the race’s central issues.
Tuesday’s winner will inherit an office with significantly reduced power. Beginning Jan. 15, 2027, a governor-appointed education commissioner will lead the California Department of Education, while the elected superintendent will retain the title but no longer oversee the department.
The restructuring was established by Assembly Bill 181, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed July 10. Under the change, the superintendent will oversee only a small group of deputies and continue serving on the State Board of Education, the UC Board of Regents and the community college board.
Shaw argues that the law is unconstitutional and says she would challenge it.
“It is my belief that this change is inconsistent with our state’s constitution, which established this as an independent office accountable to the people,” she said. “If elected, I will challenge the implementation of this law in court.”
Even without authority over the department, Shaw said the superintendent’s office would remain important as “an independent statewide voice.” She said she would use it to “publish results, call out waste, demand fiscal transparency and push for a back-to-basics focus in our schools.”
Shaw became a prominent figure during Chino Valley’s disputes over parental notification and transgender athletes. Barrera, a senior policy adviser at the state Department of Education, has said California laws protect LGBTQ+ students. He supports increased school funding, backs Proposition 3 and has argued that California needs more counselors, nurses and smaller class sizes.
The California Teachers Association’s independent expenditure committee spent $5 million supporting Barrera during the primary.
In her closing appeal to voters, Shaw presented the contest as a referendum on academic performance.
“California’s children are falling behind in the basics, and families are right to expect better,” she said. “This is about getting our schools back on track.”
