Four candidates seeking three at-large seats on the Los Altos School District (LASD) Board of Trustees offered contrasting views on school funding, student achievement and board oversight during an Oct. 13 candidate forum.
Current Board President Vaishali Sirkay, Trustee Bryan Johnson, appointed Trustee Brandon Stroy and challenger David Poll participated in the livestreamed forum, hosted by the Los Altos-Mountain View Area League of Women Voters and co-sponsored by KMVT.
Poll, a parent and engineering director who entered the race in late July, said teachers and families felt unheard and argued that teachers should be able to raise concerns with trustees without their supervisor present.
“That’s no way to provide effective oversight. It has to be possible for our teachers to raise concerns without their boss in the room,” Poll said.
Stroy, who joined the board in March following former Trustee Vladimir Ivanovic’s resignation, disputed Poll’s characterization. He said trustees should not meet with union leaders about labor negotiations without the superintendent present, but remain available to hear teachers’ concerns. Johnson, who has served on the board since 2016, said the district could revisit how it communicates with employees and families, including through office hours and neighborhood meetings.
Johnson cited the district’s finances as evidence of progress, saying reserves had grown from roughly 5% when he joined the board to about 30%. But he cautioned that reliance on residential property taxes could leave the district vulnerable if housing-market activity slows and revenue growth fails to keep pace with rising costs.
The candidates also discussed how to allocate Measure EE bond funds. Approved by voters in 2024, the measure authorizes up to $350 million. The moderator said about $245 million had been earmarked for campus modernization and the new San Antonio Campus in Mountain View, and asked how the remaining roughly $100 million should be used. The campus is expected to open in fall 2028.
Johnson questioned whether that money was truly unallocated, citing soft costs and contingencies. If projects come in under budget, he said, leftover funds could replace temporary school buildings not included in the current round of work. Stroy favored accelerating modernization at other campuses and improving teacher resources, while Sirkay said the district should follow its facilities master plan. Poll urged careful spending and said the district should prioritize projects with the greatest benefit for students.
Academic performance and technology were also major themes. Sirkay emphasized closing opportunity gaps, supporting teachers and creating safe, welcoming schools. Discussing test scores at Santa Rita and Almond elementary schools, which the moderator said had fallen short of expectations, she said the district tracks student performance and examines barriers affecting English learners. She described closing opportunity gaps as “identifying and removing the barriers” that keep some students from accessing the resources and support they need.
Poll said strong districtwide academic results can mask challenges at individual schools and among student groups. He also questioned whether reading instruction reflects current research. Stroy agreed that demographic differences can affect school-level results and said the district should examine how best to serve different groups of students.
All four candidates identified artificial intelligence as a challenge for schools. Sirkay and Johnson discussed balancing AI tools with teacher-led instruction and ensuring students develop their own skills rather than rely on chatbots. Poll, while also calling AI urgent, said the district’s more immediate challenge was ensuring that teachers and families feel heard. Stroy highlighted the need to manage the new campus opening and the transition to a middle-school model for sixth graders.
Poll also argued that the district should more actively communicate its schools’ strengths to attract families, as LASD continues to contend with enrollment losses.
The candidates are competing for three seats in the Nov. 3 election.
