The Abridged version:
- A more under-the-radar ballot item — races for the Sacramento County Board of Education — was a magnet for six-figure campaign contributions.
- On one side, the Sacramento City Teachers Association put its weight behind candidates Annie Fischer and Davon Thomas. On the other, charter school advocates backed incumbent Paul Keefer and candidate Dominique Donnette.
- Yet Anna Molander Hermann, whose war chest was a fraction of her opponents, led the way against Thomas and Donette as the first results were announced.
- Following Tuesday’s election, the winning candidates begin a four-year term July 1.
The election for the Sacramento County Board of Education pits unions against charter schools, showcased by an outpouring of campaign contributions on both sides.
Yet a candidate with a notably smaller war chest leads the way in one of two races, as of early election results Tuesday night.
Anna Molander Hermann, whose endorsements included local trade unions and California Assemblymember Maggy Krell, was just ahead of Dominique Donette, 35.7% to 33.6%, as of polls closing. Davon Thomas had 22% of the vote.
Incumbent Paul Keefer leads Annie Fischer, 53% to 47%, in the race for the other board seat, with about 18% of the votes counted.
Fischer and Thomas each received last-minute six-figure contributions from the Sacramento City Teachers Association. Keefer, Fischer’s opponent, reaped the benefit of charter school advocates’ backing, as did Donnette, facing Thomas.
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Nikki Milevsky, union president, pointed to what she called previous failures by the board that necessitated an overhaul.
The seven-member county board oversees 13 school districts, as well as the Los Rios Community College District. The county has a handful of its own schools, accounting for roughly 30,000 students.
The board has major decisions pending, including the appointment of a new county superintendent, which could have direct implications for the Sacramento City Unified School District.
The county board races did not feature a primary election. Tuesday’s winners will begin their four-year terms July 1.
Board President Mariana Corona Sabeniano’s seat was also up for election in 2026, but she faced no challengers.
Sleepy election gets spendy
A typically more low-key election saw whopping sums this year, on both sides.
Fischer received almost $177,000 from the local teachers union. Keefer’s biggest dollars came from the Charter Public Schools Political Action Committee, which put just over $98,000 toward his campaign.
In the area that covers the largest portion of Sacramento City Unified, the candidates were Molander Hermann, Thomas, Donette and Ralph Merletti.
Thomas banked a little more than $200,000 from the teachers association. He had the favor of district leaders, too. Sacramento City Unified Trustee Taylor Kayatta gave $550 and Elk Grove Unified Trustee Michael Vargas contributed $100.
Donette was by far the next highest earner in the race. She received almost $114,000 in donations from charter school advocates, plus $10,000 from state Sen. Angelique Ashby.
Molander Hermann received about $25,000 total in contributions this year, according to campaign filings.
Board’s next big decisions
The county board is responsible for choosing a superintendent, an appointment that has not come up in more than 20 years.
But with Superintendent Dave Gordon’s retirement set for next summer, newly elected trustees will have a say in his successor.
And that next superintendent could have an outsized role to play in Sacramento City Unified.
The cash-strapped district has been grappling with a multimillion-dollar crisis since September. If leaders do not get a handle on the budget soon, they would need to turn to the state for a loan. With that emergency money comes an outside administrator — picked by the county superintendent.
Recent charter school vote ignites pushback
Among the union’s grievances — and Thomas and Fischer’s talking points — was the county board’s recent decision to give an embattled charter school system another chance.
A state audit last summer found a multitude of violations by the former leadership at Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools in Sacramento. They included wasteful spending, such as expensive trips to San Diego and Hawaii, along with inaccurate attendance records and inappropriate hiring practices.
The Twin Rivers Unified School District board, charged with overseeing the charter system, moved to shut it down at the start of the year. New Highlands leaders appealed immediately to the county board.
Trustees overturned the decision by a vote of 4-3. Keefer was among the “no” votes, supporting the closure of Highlands.
Savannah Kuchar is a reporter covering education. She came to Sacramento to be a part of the Abridged team and contribute to a crucial local news source.