San Jose Unified voters will fill two of the five seats on the school board on Nov. 3, and the race is largely a referendum on this year's decision to close five elementary campuses. The district serves more than 24,000 students. Every challenger in both races says they oppose the closures.
Why this election matters
Under its Schools of Tomorrow plan, driven by a 20% drop in enrollment since 2019, the board voted 3-2 to close Canoas, Empire Gardens, Gardner, Lowell and Terrell elementary schools and move the Hammer Montessori magnet program from Galarza to Gardner. Trustees Carla Collins, Teresa Castellanos and board president José Magaña voted yes. Brian Wheatley and Nicole Gribstad voted no. Families protested for months, and San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan and state Sen. Dave Cortese both raised concerns about a lack of community input. A 2024 Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury report also faulted the board on transparency, and the board voted to reject nearly all of its findings.
Trustee Area 2: Magaña vs. Hall vs. Dance
Magaña, on the ballot as a governing board member, says the board raised teacher and staff pay, limited student cellphone use and funded workforce housing for educators. He wants to raise third-grade reading rates, eighth-grade math proficiency and college and career readiness. He has said the closure process "wasn't as great as it could have been." Parents have questioned the roughly $80,000 he received from pro-charter groups in 2018 and 2022. Magaña says the money does not decide his votes. Collins, Castellanos, Wheatley and Assemblymembers Patrick Ahrens and Alex Lee endorse him.
Tomara Hall, a special education teacher in the Union School District who ran in 2020 and 2024, says the closures hit low-income students, students with disabilities and English learners hardest. "I don't want to see any more schools closed," she said. County Board of Education trustee Raeena Lari endorses her. Carson Dance, PTO president at Merritt Trace Elementary and listed on the ballot as a student services administrator, says the board has failed to include families in big decisions. She wants to close achievement gaps, fully staff classrooms and cut absenteeism.
Trustee Area 4: an open seat
Wheatley announced his retirement in August after eight years leaving the Area 4 seat open. Mary Grunthaner, who taught in San Jose Unified for 28 years, says the grand jury report pushed her to run. She is focused on rebuilding trust, school safety and student mental health. The San Jose Teachers Association and the Santa Clara County Democratic Party endorse her.
Michael Melillo, a data scientist and parent who served on the board in 2018 after an appointment, wants measurable academic goals and stronger early literacy and math help. He co-chaired the 2024 Measure R campaign, the $1.15 billion school repair bond. In a June op-ed, he criticized the district's plan to use Measure R money to buy 337 condos in downtown's Silvery Towers for staff housing. As of Oct. 10, Bay Ballot counted three of four local voter guides backing Melillo and two backing Grunthaner.
Area 2 has about 29,500 registered voters and Area 4 about 32,200, according to The Ballot Book. See all of our Nov. 3 coverage in the 2026 election guide.