Fresno County Office of Education race heads to June primary with 3 candidates

May 20, 2026 - 10:43

The June primary ballot in Fresno County will feature a competitive race for the top leadership position at the County Office of Education. The office provides support services to 31 school districts and charter schools across the region. Incumbent Dr. Michele Cantwell-Copher is running for a second term, but she will face two challengers in the upcoming election.

Cantwell-Copher took office four years ago and has focused on expanding career technical education and improving mental health resources for students. Her opponents have raised questions about the office's transparency and its handling of budget priorities. The challengers include a local school board member with over a decade of experience and a former teacher who now works as an education consultant. Both argue that the office needs a fresh perspective to address ongoing challenges like declining enrollment and teacher shortages.

The County Office of Education does not directly run schools, but it oversees critical functions such as special education programs, fiscal oversight for districts, and teacher training. Voters will decide in June whether to keep the current leadership or choose a new direction. The top two vote-getters will advance to the November general election if no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote.