Azusa School Board member elected VP of CA School Boards Assoc.

Azusa Unified School Board Vice President Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez has been chosen to serve as vice president of the California School Boards Association (CSBA), which represents the interests of nearly 1,000 school district and county office of education governing boards statewide. Cruz-Gonzalez, long active at CSBA, previously served as a member of the CSBA Board of Directors, representing the greater San Gabriel Valley.

“This is a true honor and opportunity for me, but, more important, it’s another step up for Azusa Unified,” said Cruz-Gonzalez. “It keeps our school district at the center of discussions about California education policy, including how we improve education for historically under-served students. We have a lot to add to those discussions, and our views will continue to be heard.”

Now in her 16th year as an AUSD School Board member, her belief that the economic success of our country will only truly be achieved through educational equity drives her educational-advocacy work. Cruz-Gonzalez works for Californians Together, directing a project called “Support for Immigrant and Refugee Students.” She has also served as president of Californians Together and president of the California Latino School Boards Association. Additionally, she has served on a variety of national and state non-profit boards, including the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, Education Trust-West Allies for Equity, and Opportunity Action. She has extensive experience in the development of local, state and federal education policy with a focus on connecting policy to successful local implementation.

“This is another very significant event for Azusa Unified,” said School Board President Helen Jaramillo. “Xilonin serving in such a high-profile statewide position further identifies AUSD as a leader among California school districts.” Jaramillo noted that AUSD Superintendent Dr. Linda Kaminski, recently selected Los Angeles County Superintendent of the Year, also serves as vice president of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

ABOUT AUSD: Azusa Unified School District educates almost 8,300 students in grades TK-12 at 18 schools. Its graduation rate exceeds both the state and national averages.