Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board, is running for California Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Nov. 3 general election. The nonpartisan statewide race, which appears on every California ballot including for Beverly Hills and Westside voters, also includes Richard Andrew Barrera.
Shaw said on her campaign website that she is running to refocus schools on reading, writing and math, and to expand parental rights in education decisions.
Candidate information
- Residence: Born and raised in Chino, California
- Education: Graduated from Ayala High School in the Chino Valley school system. Did not attend college.
- Professional background: Owner of a professional photography business; owner of AMP Fitness since 2014; previously held a California real estate license
- Community: Leads a community-based Bible study
Experience and public service
Shaw has served as board president of the Chino Valley Unified School District since 2022, according to the district's website. She has also served since 2022 as a representative on the Baldy View Regional Occupational Program Commission.
On the issues
The following positions are drawn from Shaw's campaign website and her BallotReady questionnaire responses.
Academic standards: Shaw said half of California's students cannot read or write at grade level. She called for a "back-to-basics approach" centered on reading, writing and math, and said recruiting and retaining top educators is essential. Shaw said this approach has been "proven effective in local districts" and can prepare students for success.
School closures and mandates: Shaw said prolonged school closures disrupted learning and burdened families. She said mask and vaccine mandates "ignored families' well-being" and set children back years. Parents must have a voice, Shaw said. She said leadership challenging such mandates at the local level should extend statewide.
Gender policies in schools: Shaw said policies allowing boys to undress in girls' locker rooms and play on girls' sports teams "undermine fairness and safety." She said daughters deserve to compete on equal terms and should not "lose opportunities to biological males." Shaw called for statewide action to "safeguard girls' opportunities, prioritize parental rights, and ensure education focuses on learning, not politics."
Endorsements
Shaw's campaign website and BallotReady profile list the following endorsements:
- Steve Hilton, Golden Together
- Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff's Office
- Riley Gaines
- Orange County Register
- Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
- California Republican Assembly
- Bay Area GOP
- Silicon Valley Association of Conservative Republicans
- Santa Clara County GOP
- San Francisco GOP
- Monterey County GOP
- Los Angeles County GOP
- Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
- California Rifle and Pistol Association
- California GOP
- California Congress of Republicans
- Alameda County GOP
- San Bernardino County GOP
Candidate positions and issue responses are based on Shaw's campaign materials and questionnaire answers. They reflect the candidate's own statements and have not been independently verified.
