Jessica Speiser

Jessica Speiser is a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education in California, representing Trustee Area 1. She assumed office on December 13, 2024. Her current term ends on December 8, 2028.

Speiser ran for election to the Santa Clara County Board of Education to represent Trustee Area 1 in California. She won in the general election on November 5, 2024.

Speiser completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jessica Speiser was born in Ellsworth, Maine. She graduated from Harwich High School. She earned a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College in 1997 and a law degree from the University of California College of the Law in 2004.^[1]

Speiser has been affiliated with the following organizations:^[1]

Santa Clara County School Boards Association
California School Boards Association
California Democratic Party
Rotary Club of Los Altos

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1

Jessica Speiser defeated incumbent Grace Mah in the general election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1 on November 5, 2024.

	Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Jessica Speiser (Nonpartisan)	51.0	47,420
	Grace Mah (Nonpartisan)	49.0	45,506

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 92,926
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

To view Speiser's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here. Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Speiser in this election.

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

Jessica Speiser completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Speiser's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a firm believer that the demographics you are born into should not determine your destiny. I know from first-hand experience that a strong public school education can help you succeed no matter the demographics in which you are born. I grew up with an alcoholic, often drug addicted, rarely employed single mother who often brought physically and mentally abusive men into our lives (my father died when I was 6). The one positive constant I had in my life was my public school. With the academic and mental support of the teachers, counselors and staff of my school system and my own hard work I was able to rise up out of a terrible situation and succeed, gaining early admission to Wellesley College. My life experiences have given me the fire to ensure all students born into devastating demographics and situations have the ability to reach their potential and succeed and that teachers and staff are supported in their service to do the same. I brought that fire to my work of nearly 8 years on the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees, always focusing on how the district is serving its most vulnerable students and will continue to do the same for the larger population of vulnerable and underserved students across the entirety of Santa Clara County if elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

I will account for all students in public education regardless of income, race, background, or personal experience so that their demographics do not determine their destiny.
I will ensure that teachers, paraeducators and other school staff always have the resources they need and deserve to provide every student with the best education possible.
I will make public education in the county transparent and accessible so that community members understand the education students are receiving and the resources available to them.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about equity in education. The demographics that a child is born into should never determine their destiny. Through my own life experiences, I have seen first the transformative effect a great public education can have on the life of a child. As such, I want to ensure children born into difficult circumstances not unlike my own are given every chance to succeed.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Empathy, honesty, and critical thinking are the most important characteristics an elected official should possess.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

The first historical event that I remember vividly was the Challenger explosion. I was in 11 and in 5th grade.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was a sales clerk at a garden center. I worked there for 6 years from ages 13 to 19.

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

I grew up with an alcoholic, often drug addicted, rarely employed single mother who often brought physically and mentally abusive men into our lives (my father died when I was 6). The one positive constant I had in my life was my public school. With the academic and mental support of the teachers, counselors and staff of my school system and my own hard work I was able to rise up out of a terrible situation and succeed, gaining early admission to Wellesley College. My life experiences have given me the fire to ensure all students born into devastating demographics and situations have the ability to reach their potential and succeed and that teachers and staff are supported in their service to do the same. I brought that fire to my work of nearly 8 years on the Los Altos School District Board of Trustees, always focusing on how the district is serving its most vulnerable students and will continue to do the same for the larger population of vulnerable and underserved students across the entirety of Santa Clara County if elected to the Santa Clara County Board of Education.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

As an elected official on the SCCBOE, my top priority will be to ensure that all students receive equal opportunities regardless of their background and that educators are well-supported. I will use the SCCOE as a central hub for collaboration with all 31 districts, ensuring that local trustees, parents, students, and educators are engaged. I will regularly meet with trustees and constituents from Trustee Area 1 and the broader county to stay informed about local issues.
By attending board meetings and maintaining open communication channels, including hosting office hours at community venues and online, I will foster transparency and address concerns effectively. Drawing from my experience with the Los Altos School District, where I focused on clear, accessible communication with my “Notes on LASD” blog, I will work to make complex educational issues understandable and ensure that all voices are heard and considered in decision-making processes.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

I would advocate for better funding of our public education system with county, state and federal elected officials and make sure SCCOE is looking at all relevant funding sources, both public and private, to make sure we are using every last dollar available.

Furthermore, I will support almost any tax/ballot measure that will fully fund/increase revenues for public education. California is the 5th largest economy in the world but is ranked 21st in education spending. We live in a place of great affluence, where the essential workers in our schools barely make a living wage, let alone afford to live anywhere nearby where they work. Reforming at least Proposition 13 to make corporations pay for the market rate assessment of their properties a good start. Easing the burden on local districts to simple majority for any other revenue measure (be it parcel tax or bond measure) is another good solution.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I have received endorsements from over 200 organizations and individuals.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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Candidate

Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1

Personal

Footnotes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 27, 2024

[bio-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on August 27, 2024

[1]

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Jessica Speiser

Contents

Biography

Elections

2024

General election

General election for Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee Area 1

Endorsements

Campaign themes

2024

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also

External links

Footnotes

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