Ahead of the November general election, the Southern California News Group compiled a list of questions to pose to the candidates who wish to represent you. You can find the full questionnaire below.
Name: Hector Bustos
Age: 27
Current job title: Governing Board Member, Santa Ana Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
Incumbent: Yes
Other political positions held: Governing Board Member, Santa Ana Unified School District, Trustee Area 5
City where you reside: Santa Ana
Campaign website or social media: www.hectorbustos4sausd.com
What are the top two needs of your school district, and how are you prepared to address them? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
Two of our greatest needs are addressing declining enrollment and strengthening special education.
Santa Ana families are being squeezed by the high cost of living, while declining birth rates mean fewer school-aged children. We must adapt by strengthening programs that make families choose SAUSD, including visual and performing arts, dual-language immersion, dual enrollment, and career pathways in automotive, culinary arts, healthcare, and construction trades.
We must also strengthen special education so every student receives the services in their IEP while educators have the support to deliver them. I called for one of our Board’s first comprehensive public discussions on special education in years because accountability begins with understanding where we are falling short. I want strong site-level teams, including administrators and coordinators with special education expertise, better training for general and special education teachers, and meaningful partnership with parents so students can succeed in the least restrictive environment.
To you, what is the role of a school board in education? Is it driving policy, being involved in curriculum, something else entirely? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
A school board’s responsibility is to set policy, establish clear expectations, allocate resources responsibly, and hold the Superintendent accountable for delivering results for students. Our focus must always be academic excellence and ensuring every department and program is effectively supporting student learning.
But governing cannot happen from 30,000 feet. Board members should be present in our schools, visiting classrooms, attending school events, and listening directly to students, educators, staff, and families. What we learn on the ground should inform the policies we make at the Board table.
Most importantly, students must have a voice in decisions made about their education. That is why I championed bringing Student Board Members onto the dais alongside elected Board Members. SAUSD now has student representatives participating directly in our governance process and elevating their peers’ perspectives.
Good governance means knowing our role while never losing sight of who we serve. Every budget, policy, and program should ultimately answer one question: Does this help our students succeed?
How do you feel artificial intelligence is, or isn’t, safe in the classroom? In what instances should it be expanded in the classroom? What about when it should be limited? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
I approach artificial intelligence in our classrooms with significant caution. The risks are real, from student privacy and data collection to misinformation, bias, academic integrity, and an overreliance on technology that can undermine critical thinking and authentic learning. We should never introduce technology simply because it is new or convenient.
I support developing a comprehensive district policy that establishes clear limits and safeguards around AI. Before adopting that policy, I believe we should hold a public forum where students, educators, families, and experts can openly discuss its risks and potential uses.
Any use of AI should have a clear educational purpose and should never replace educators, student creativity, original work, or meaningful human interaction. We must also protect student data and ensure technology companies are not given unnecessary access to information about our children.
Our responsibility is to prepare our students to think critically, solve problems independently, communicate effectively, and understand how to use emerging technology responsibly and safely.
How do you believe schools can better teach or engage students in civil discourse? How would you like to see your district tackle this issue? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
Public schools have an important responsibility to prepare students not only for college and careers, but also for participation in our democracy. That means teaching students how to respectfully disagree, evaluate information, understand different perspectives, and engage with issues affecting their communities.
That is why I championed a resolution strengthening civic engagement at the high school level. I believe classrooms should provide neutral, respectful environments where students can discuss issues they care about without being told what to believe. Our responsibility is to give students the skills to think critically, develop their own perspectives, and communicate those perspectives respectfully.
Students should understand how local government and school boards work, learn how public decisions affect their lives, and have opportunities to participate in their communities. Eligible students should also be encouraged to register and exercise their right to vote.
We should be developing informed young people who know that their voices matter and understand how to use those voices constructively.
Some school districts around California are recruiting teachers by building subsidized housing. How would you suggest your district could better attract — and retain — educators? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
SAUSD has been fortunate to have a dedicated workforce, and we have not experienced the same level of difficulty recruiting and retaining educators that some districts across California have faced. I credit that to the educators who have built careers in Santa Ana and their commitment to our students and community. However, we should never take that commitment for granted.
We must continue providing competitive compensation, strong benefits, manageable working conditions, professional development, effective school-site leadership, and opportunities for educators to grow. I also believe strongly in working collaboratively with our employee organizations so the people working directly with students have a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their classrooms.
Housing affordability is an increasing challenge throughout Orange County. As we evaluate underutilized district property, I believe workforce housing should be part of that conversation. We should also strengthen pipelines that encourage SAUSD graduates to become educators and return home to serve the next generation.
What experiences and priorities do you bring to this role? What have you learned in prior leadership roles that makes you the person for the job? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
I bring both lived experience as a recent SAUSD graduate and four years of experience governing the district. I attended Santa Ana public schools from elementary school through graduation, and because I graduated less than a decade ago, I understand many of the challenges our students face today.
My advocacy for young people began before joining the Board. I helped advocate for free public transportation for Orange County youth, contributing to an effort that ultimately allowed young people 18 and under to ride public buses for free.
That experience shaped how I govern. My priorities include improving early literacy, expanding mental health services, strengthening special education, creating more career and technical education and dual-enrollment opportunities, supporting educators, maintaining responsible budgets, and modernizing aging schools. I have also prioritized student voice, including championing Student Board Members so students participate directly in district governance.
Four years on the Board have taught me that leadership requires listening, building coalitions, asking difficult questions, and being willing to hold systems accountable. I know SAUSD as a former student, community advocate, and Board Member, and I remain focused on ensuring the next generation receives even greater opportunities than I did.
If your campaign had a mascot, what would it be and why? (Please answer in 200 words or fewer.)
A monarch butterfly. It represents migration, resilience, transformation, and the families who make Santa Ana the community I am proud to call home.
The monarch reflects the story behind my campaign. I am the son of an immigrant mother, a product of Santa Ana public schools, and now have the privilege of helping lead the same school district that raised me. My campaign is rooted in the belief that our public schools should give every student the opportunity to go further than the generation before them.
Monarchs are also a symbol of change without forgetting where you come from. That is what this campaign is about: protecting the progress we have made while continuing to move our schools forward.
For me, the monarch represents a campaign grounded in our community, shaped by our families, and focused on what is possible for the next generation.
Bonus question: What is the best book you’ve read this year? Explain why you found it compelling.
The best book I’ve read this year is “Queso, Just in Time” by Ernesto Cisneros, an SAUSD educator. The book follows 12-year-old Queso as he travels back in time and meets his late father as a child. What stayed with me was the realization that our parents had dreams, struggles, and entire lives before we knew them, and that many of the opportunities we inherit were made possible by sacrifices we may never fully see. I thought about my own mother. She immigrated to this country and raised three children on her own. I grew up in our public schools, sitting in the same classrooms and walking the same campuses as the students I now have the responsibility of serving. Less than a decade after graduating from SAUSD, I found myself sitting on the School Board making decisions that will shape opportunities for the next generation. That is why the book felt so personal. My service is one way I honor my mother’s sacrifices: by making sure the opportunities she worked to give me extend to thousands of other children in Santa Ana. Our students deserve to know their stories matter, and that where they begin does not limit where they can go.