A press release by Villegas for VUSD
The son of immigrants from Mexico, Dr. Randy Villegas was raised in the Central Valley and is proud to call Visalia home. A product of public education institutions, he has attended public schools his entire life, earning his Associate’s Degree in Political Science from Bakersfield College in 2015 and Bachelor’s degree from CSU Bakersfield in 2017. After obtaining his Master’s and beginning his career as professor in 2020, he continued his education while working, and recently completed his. Ph.D. in Politics, with a designated emphasis in Latin American and Latino studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Throughout his life Randy has been a champion for students, public education, equity, and the Central Valley. As a trustee he has been at the forefront of increasing transparency, accountability and student success:
“As a 1st generation student/graduate and professor, public education in the Central Valley has given my family and I opportunities that we would have never imagined otherwise. I want to make sure our students in #VUSD have even greater opportunities, and are ready for college, trade school, or entering the workforce with the skills they need to succeed. I will campaign on a platform rooted in community, improving student success, and wellbeing
When a vacancy occurred on the board last December, I didn’t hesitate to step up and serve our community. During this time I’ve:
- Advocated to align graduation requirements with A-G, so our students are college and career ready.
- Pushed for transparency, supporting a policy to grant the public access to previous and future meeting recordings.
- Voted to refinance Measure E, leading to a savings of $6 million dollars for our taxpayers.
- Increased funding for Music/Visual and Performing Arts Programs.
- Supported the hiring of more counselors and psychologists for student’s mental health.
Though I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish so far, there remains much work to be done. As part of my campaign I want to ensure that every student in VUSD from TK-to our Adult school feels valued, cared for, and connected to their schools. We need to have high expectations for our students, and provide a high amount of resources for them to succeed.”
Community members can follow the campaign on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @villegasforvusd
Any inquiries can be sent to villegasforvusd@gmail.com