Barrera runs for California superintendent of public instruction

Richard Andrew Barrera, a San Diego Unified School Board member, is running for California Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The nonpartisan race also includes Sonja Shaw.

Barrera has served on the San Diego Unified School Board representing District D since 2008 and has served as board president, according to the California Secretary of State's voter guide. He also worked as deputy superintendent and senior policy adviser at the California Department of Education in 2024, according to his San Diego Unified board profile.

Candidate information

Party: Nonpartisan
Education: Bachelor's degree in history, University of California, San Diego; master's degree in public policy, Harvard University
Hometown: San Diego. Barrera is a first-generation San Diegan whose father immigrated from Colombia and whose grandparents immigrated through Ellis Island.
Recognition: Named School Board Member of the Year by the San Diego County School Boards Association in 2022

Experience and public service

Barrera has held roles in labor organizing and education policy. He served as secretary-treasurer at the San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council and worked as a community and labor organizer, according to his San Diego Unified board profile. He is a graduate of El Cajon Valley High School.

On the issues

The following positions are drawn from Barrera's campaign priorities page, submitted via BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

School funding: Barrera said he wants to lead a statewide effort to increase education funding and hold the federal government accountable for meeting its funding obligations to programs like special education. He said he also wants to help local districts organize and pass their own funding measures.

Student mental health: Barrera said mental health and student wellness should be a top priority. He called for expanding access to school counselors and mental health services and putting peer counseling programs in every high school.

Teacher recruitment and retention: Barrera said he wants to expand paid apprenticeships for future teachers, cover tuition for those who commit to teaching in California public schools, and strengthen partnerships between school districts and higher education. He also called for helping districts secure funding to build workforce housing for teachers and school staff.

College and career access: Barrera said every high school should offer college-prep courses so no student finds out too late they lack the classes needed to apply to a four-year university. He also called for expanding career and technical education, apprenticeships and vocational training.

Inclusion and equity: Barrera said schools should protect the rights of LGBTQ students and expand dual-language immersion programs so students graduate fully bilingual.