Ahead of the June primary election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and, in some instances, to remove hate speech and offensive language.
Name: Rocío Rivas
Current job title: LAUSD Board Vice President, Board Member District 2
Age: 52
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: Vice President, Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education (12/2024 – present); Chairperson, Committee of the Whole (12/2024 – present); Chairperson, Greening Schools and Climate Resilience Committee; Chairperson, Charter Schools Committee; Board Director, California School Board Association (12/2024 – present); Elected member, Los Angeles County Democratic Central Committee (2020 – present); Secretary and President, Historic Highland Park Neighborhood Council (2016-2019); Secretary, East Area Progressive Democrats (2018-2022)
City where you reside: Los Angeles
Campaign website or social media: drrivasforschoolboard.com
How should LAUSD address declining enrollment and long-term budget challenges while protecting student programs and classroom instruction? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)
LAUSD is facing long-term financial constraints driven by declining enrollment and broader economic uncertainty. These pressures create real challenges for school budgets, staffing and school services, underscoring the need for a thoughtful response that focuses on students.
I support an approach that makes strategic adjustments rather than reactive cuts that would disproportionately impact our highest-need schools. This includes auditing contracts, reducing external consultants, maximizing public dollars through partnerships with nonprofits and leveraging bonds for long-term operational savings.
Most importantly, I support continued investment in strong student experiences and outcomes, including academics, dual enrollment, CTE, arts, athletics and safe, welcoming learning environments through greening and modernization. I believe LAUSD can navigate these budget challenges by making transparent decisions and building trust with our school communities so we can make tough but necessary choices.
What steps would you take to improve academic performance and reduce achievement gaps across the district? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)
The most effective way to improve student outcomes is to scale what is already working and implement it consistently across schools. Over the past two years, LAUSD students have improved in reading, math and science across every grade level. That progress reflects stronger early literacy, high-quality instruction and targeted support. My focus is on strengthening literacy in grades K–3, social-emotional learning integration and ensuring schools have the staff, training, and support to deliver results.
Improving outcomes also means addressing the conditions that affect whether our students can learn effectively. I support continued investment in student supports like mental health services, family engagement and safe, welcoming school environments, including campus greening and modernization. These investments help close achievement gaps by ensuring students have academic support in the classroom and services outside the classroom to succeed.
How would you address teacher hiring and retention while ensuring strong outcomes for students? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)
Our educators and school staff are vital to student success, and recent academic gains reflect their work in classrooms every day. The most effective way to recruit and retain a strong workforce is through competitive compensation and benefits. I also support expanding pathways for professional growth, including access to salary advancement and programs that help paraprofessionals become credentialed teachers within LAUSD.
Retention also depends on safe and nurturing working conditions. Educators are more likely to stay where workloads are manageable, they have time to plan and collaborate and feel respected and supported in their roles.
I support targeted efforts to recruit and retain educators of color and Indigenous educators who face higher rates of burnout and turnover. These efforts help ensure students see themselves reflected in their classrooms and benefit from a range of perspectives.
How will you help young students who struggle with reading? (Please answer in 200 words or less.)
LAUSD students have made strong gains in reading over the past two years, even after pandemic setbacks, showing that our approach is working. I will continue to support early literacy, strong instruction, high-quality curriculum and targeted support like high-dose tutoring and small-group intervention for students who need it most. I also support expanding family engagement, including literacy workshops that help families support reading at home.
My focus is on strengthening early identification and support for struggling readers, including early screening, timely intervention, increasing levels of support based on student need and high-impact tutoring. My goal is to close persistent gaps and ensure students of color have equitable access to the supports and outcomes they deserve.
What role should the board play in overseeing the superintendent and ensuring accountability for district performance? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)
The board’s role is to set clear priorities and adopt policies that guide the direction of the district, with a focus on improving student outcomes. The superintendent is responsible for implementation, and the board must provide consistent oversight of that work. That includes setting performance expectations, monitoring progress against measurable goals, ensuring transparency in decision-making and maintaining independent oversight through functions like the inspector general, regular audits and financial reporting at the county and state level. The board must maintain an independent and accountable relationship with the superintendent, grounded in clear expectations. Ultimately, our responsibility is to ensure the district delivers results for students and to act when it does not.