EDITORIAL: Dana Eaton, Contra Costa County superintendent candidate, answers Bay Area News Group's primary questionnaire

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Ahead of the June primary election, the Bay Area News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates for Contra Costa County superintendent. You can find the full questionnaire below. Questionnaires may have been edited for spelling, grammar, length and clarity.

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Name: Dana EatonCurrent job title: Superintendent of schools for the Brentwood Union School DistrictDate of birth: November 20, 1970

Political party affiliation: N/AOther political positions held: NoneCity where you reside: Brentwood

What are the top three problems you're seeking to tackle if elected?

1. Early literacy: Ensuring every child reads proficiently by third grade, which is one of the strongest predictors of long-term success

2. Fiscal stability: Providing strong oversight and early support to districts facing financial challenges so problems are addressed before they become crises

3. Educator workforce: Recruiting, developing and retaining excellent teachers and staff to ensure students have access to high-quality instruction

Why are you uniquely qualified to address the three problems you've identified above?

I bring 30 years of experience in public education, including 17 years as a superintendent. I've worked at every level, from classroom teacher to district leader. I also serve in statewide leadership roles focused on the issues this position requires.

I'm in my third term of serving on the state governing board for the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT). I sit on the superintendent's advisory panel for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence (CCEE).

I'm in my second year of a three-year term serving as the state superintendency council president for the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).

What differentiates you from your competition?

I'm proud to have earned broad support from educators and community leaders across Contra Costa County, including over a dozen sitting Contra Costa County district superintendents. My campaign is also endorsed by the past two county superintendents, along with the family of the third, as well as dozens of teachers, board members, classified staff and community leaders who know this work firsthand and believe in my leadership.

I bring a nonpartisan mindset. This role should not be about politics, it should be about students. My focus has always been on strong academics, safe schools and responsible use of public funds.

What did Lynn Mackey do right as Contra Costa County Office of Education superintendent?

Lynn Mackey brought strong county experience and a clear commitment to serving vulnerable students. She championed the county office's role as a provider of important programs for students with the greatest needs, including those in alternative and court school settings.

She has also kept the county office engaged in areas like student support, attendance and district services, and has continued to position the office as a partner to local school districts.

What did Lynn Mackey do wrong? How would you have led the office differently during her tenure?

I approach this with respect. I don't believe this role is about criticizing individuals, but about identifying where we need to go next.

Where I believe the office could have gone further is in more proactive intervention around district fiscal challenges, a more robust focus on early literacy and stronger countywide coordination around advocating at the federal and state level for the resources that Contra Costa County students need to be successful.

West Contra Costa Unified School District is in litigation over its use of long-term substitute teachers. Was that district right in using these long-term substitutes? Do you support the district's policy? Or not? Please explain.

No, I do not support the routine use of long-term substitutes in place of credentialed teachers. Students deserve qualified teachers in every classroom. Short-term emergency measures should never become a long-term strategy.

At the same time, we have to acknowledge that districts facing severe staffing shortages are often making difficult decisions. The real solution is not just criticism, but building a stronger pipeline of educators, improving working conditions and removing barriers that prevent qualified individuals from entering and staying in the profession. No district wants to have substitutes instead of a credentialed teacher.

In what ways could the California Department of Education and/or the state Legislature help Contra Costa County schools?

The state can help by supporting educator recruitment pipelines (especially in hard-to-fill positions), improving funding models, investing in mental health services and ensuring long-term, sustained investments in literacy and student support programs.

The state also needs to take a more coordinated and accountable approach to closing the achievement gap. Rather than relying on one-time initiatives, one-time money, dozens of new legislative bills or other disconnected reforms, California should establish clear statewide goals, track progress transparently and ensure that resources are tied directly to improving outcomes for students who are currently underserved.

West Contra Costa USD's finances have been teetering on a knife's edge. How did it get to this point? How do you assess its fiscal solvency moving forward? If elected, what demands of the district would you make to ensure its fiscal health?

WCCUSD's situation is the result of multiple pressures, including decades of financial instability, declining enrollment, rising costs, increasing special education expenses and the use of one-time funds to support ongoing obligations.

The district is still recoverable, but only if it makes real structural changes. Moving forward, the focus must be on transparency, realistic budgeting, restoring reserves and making decisions that prioritize long-term stability.

If elected, I would offer significant support, expect clear financial plans, early corrective action and a commitment to avoiding short-term fixes that create larger problems later.

WCCUSD is mulling renewing Measure T. Do you support renewing that parcel tax? Have you thought through what actions the district might have to make if it doesn't pass? Please explain.

Yes, I support renewing Measure T. It provides essential funding that supports staffing and student programs.

If it does not pass, the district would likely face even more significant cuts, including reductions in staff and student services. These cuts would likely be catastrophic on top of the extraordinarily difficult reductions that need to be made already. That is why it is important that WCCUSD communicate clearly with the community about what is at stake and to ensure that any local funding is used responsibly and transparently.

In what areas do students in your county's school districts need the most improvement? How would you measure that improvement?

Key areas include early literacy, attendance, student well-being and closing opportunity gaps.

I would measure improvement through clear data systems that track literacy, attendance, graduation and other key indicators, while also ensuring that progress is happening for all student groups, especially those who have been historically underserved. These should all be part of the Local Control Accountability Plans that the county office supports and holds local school districts accountable to complete.

Teachers want to be well paid. Parents don't want schools to close. And county taxpayers are usually resistant to paying higher taxes to fund higher salaries, school construction, etc. Each group has legitimate interests. How will you manage these inevitable conflicts? Why should we believe you can navigate these often-competing stakeholders?

These challenges require transparency, honesty and strong relationships. I have spent years working with unions, families and boards to navigate these exact tensions.

My approach is to bring stakeholders into the conversation early, share clear information and focus on decisions that prioritize students while being responsible with public funds. People may not always agree, but they deserve to understand how decisions are made.

The county superintendent has a statutory and constitutional responsibility to both support and hold districts accountable for their district budgets. It is critical that facts are the foundation for the difficult conversations that must take place.

Much of this position requires a deep understanding of finance. How has your background prepared you to manage the fiscal health of the county's school districts?

I have spent 17 years as a superintendent managing district budgets, making multiyear financial decisions, working with elected leaders to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars and maintaining stability in a low-funded environment.

I also have statewide experience working on fiscal oversight and supporting districts facing financial challenges through my extended service on the FCMAT governing board. That combination has given me both practical experience and a broader understanding of how to prevent and address fiscal instability. Understanding the financial spiral that state receivership brings in the event of insolvency motivates me.

How, if at all, do you plan to protect Contra Costa County students from federal immigration raids?

I would ensure that every district in Contra Costa County has clear policies and training aligned with state law. California has made this a priority through recent legislation. Assembly Bill 49, the California Safe Haven Schools Act, prohibits school staff from allowing immigration enforcement officers on campus or sharing student or family information without a warrant or court order. Senate Bill 98 requires schools to notify staff and families if immigration enforcement is present and to have clear procedures in place. I would ensure districts are fully aware of these laws and offer support and guidance in implementation.

If elected, how should we measure your performance?

By whether students are doing better and whether school systems are stronger. That starts with improvements in early literacy, attendance and closing opportunity gaps, along with stronger support for student mental health and well-being. We should also see measurable progress in how districts recruit and retain high-quality educators.

The county office should be viewed as a trusted partner and an effective oversight agency. That means districts are receiving earlier support to prevent fiscal crises, budgets are more stable and transparent and communities have clear, accessible information about how schools are performing.

Please tell us anything else that we didn't ask you that might inform our board about your candidacy.

Public education shaped my life, and I have dedicated my career to serving students, educators and communities. I believe that those of us whose lives were transformed by public education have a responsibility to the next generation to ensure their experience is even stronger than our own.

I bring both deep local experience and a statewide perspective, along with a practical, student-centered approach to leadership. My goal is simple: to ensure that every student in Contra Costa County has access to a high-quality education and the opportunity to succeed.

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