FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) \u2014 Three candidates vying to become the next Fresno County Superintendent of Schools took the stage Thursday night during a public forum hosted by The Maddy Institute.<\/p>\n
The event brought together longtime educators Dr. Johnny Alvarado, Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher, and Dr. Eimear O\u2019Brien to discuss the future of education across Fresno County, which oversees 31 school districts.<\/p>\n
During the forum, candidates addressed key issues including student achievement, campus policies and the future of bilingual education.<\/p>\n
Dr. Alvarado, Assistant Superintendent of Parlier Unified, emphasized the need for stronger academic outcomes and accountability, pointing to concerns about students graduating without meeting grade-level standards.<\/p>\n
Current Fresno County Superintendent Dr. Cantwell-Copher discussed the implementation of upcoming cell phone restrictions in schools, stressing that success will depend on cooperation between parents, students and educators.<\/p>\n
Dr. O\u2019Brien, former superintendent of Clovis Unified, weighed in on the state\u2019s goal of expanding bilingual education by 2030, saying foundational literacy must come first before broader language goals can be achieved.<\/p>\n
The forum was part of an effort to inform voters ahead of the upcoming election. <\/p>\n
It was held in partnership with the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CMAC), Fresnoland, GV Wire and Valley Public Radio.<\/p>\n
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