Two candidates are running to represent Central Unified Trustee Area 1. Central Unified school district covers northwest Fresno and parts of western Fresno County, including Biola and areas near Kerman.
Central Unified encompasses 28 schools and is a rapidly growing school district, with a nearly 16,000-student population.
Incumbent Joshua Sellers, elected in 2022, faces newcomer John Nale, the owner of Ziveli Winery in Biola.
Central Unified is home to many low-income and immigrant families and faces similar challenges seen across school districts in California, including chronic absenteeism, declining enrollment, low test scores, and school safety.
Elections for the Central Unified board of trustees seven areas are held in November of even-numbered years. Elections are staggered so that three or four seats are up for election at a time.
Four of the seven seats are up for general election and one seat is up for special election on Nov. 3.
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Joshua Sellers
- Job: Firefighter for the City of Fresno
- Age: 42
- Residency: born and raised in Fresno
- Key Endorsements: Fresno County Democratic Party, Central Unified Teachers Association, Fresno City Fire Fighters, Central Valley Democratic Women’s Club, California School Employees Association, California State Assembly candidate for D31 Annalisa Perea, California State Assembly candidate for SD14 Esmeralda Soria, and the Local 246 Union
Sellers has been involved with Central Unified since his two children were in kindergarten, serving in PTA, school site councils, the district advisory committee and the superintendent’s advisory committee. His children are now in high school and his wife works as a school nurse in the district.
He said his four years as a trustee have brought unexpected challenges, particularly because board decisions often draw disagreement, including from his own family.
Sellers said another challenge has been the pace of change in a school district. He said some initiatives take years to implement, even when trustees identify them as priorities early on.
“It’s not a microwave, it’s a slow cooker,” Sellers said. “Everybody wants an instant meal right now, but it takes time. There’s still a lot of work to be done, and that’s why I’m running for re-election to make sure that that work continues and we stay on track.”
Top three priorities:
- Budget: Maintain a balanced budget, make strategic investments and minimize the impact of any necessary cuts on students and classrooms.
- Strategic/master plan: Develop a long-term roadmap for the district, using data to track progress and adjust course while prioritizing the needs of students, families and the community.
- Career technical education: Expand CTE opportunities and partnerships so students have more career pathways after graduation, including opportunities beyond college.
How should Central Unified address facility needs?
Sellers said Central Unified is experiencing “flat enrollment,” with neither significant growth nor major losses. Because state funding is tied to enrollment and daily attendance, he said maintaining enrollment is important to the district’s finances.
To address future enrollment and facility needs, Sellers said he and the current superintendent are developing a long-term strategic plan to guide the district’s enrollment and facility needs over the next five, 10 and 15 years.
“Unfortunately, what we’ve seen is a kind of a lack of that plan, and just more, I don’t want to call knee-jerk reactions, but reactions to the current conditions,” Sellers said. “We’ve [seen] a lot of growth in this area, so now all of a sudden we need a school. Well, there’s so much that goes into that.”
He pointed to the years it can take to acquire property, design a school, receive state approval and complete construction as an example of why the district needs to anticipate future enrollment and facility needs.
With Central Unified now operating three comprehensive high schools, Sellers said the board will need to prioritize facility needs and develop long-term plans for addressing them while ensuring resources are distributed across the district.
He pointed to Central High School’s dual-enrollment program, which allows students to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate degree, as an example of an opportunity the district could consider expanding to other high schools.
Sellers also said the district needs a plan to address aging campuses and deferred maintenance.
What’s your assessment of Measure X spending for facility repairs?
Sellers said rising construction, labor and material costs, along with project delays, have stretched the bond funding and pushed some projects behind schedule. He said the district may have overestimated what it could accomplish with the money raised.
Sellers said some community members have raised concerns that promised projects remain incomplete. For future bond measures, he said he wants “better communication, explaining how the money is intended to be used, with realistic expectations.”
“Unfortunately, I wish I had a magic wand to go back in time and say, ‘Hey, let’s get these projects started sooner. Let’s get it done before prices increase.’ And that’s just kind of where we are today.”
Sellers said all Central Unified schools have facility needs. Justin Garza High School, the district’s newest high school, is still under construction, including its visual and performing arts building, which is partially funded through Measure X.
The district is identifying eligible schools and working with architects to develop plans for potential upgrades. He added that the district is also pursuing state funding for upgrades at older campuses.
Sellers said those projects should be part of a districtwide facilities master plan that accounts for both future growth and maintaining existing schools.
“We don’t want people getting left behind as the community grows in certain directions,” Sellers said. “It’s our responsibility to make sure that we, as a district, are growing together.”
What’s your stance on the Southeast Development Area (SEDA) plan, and what concerns have you heard from the community about it?
Sellers said he opposes SEDA and voted in support of the district’s anti-SEDA resolution after hearing constituent concerns who want existing neighborhoods taken care of before approving more sprawl development.
He pointed to areas where sidewalks end in dirt fields and residents face dangerous crossings, saying constituents want the city to follow through on infrastructure promises.
“As the elected official, the people who ultimately I answer to have expressed concerns and don’t want it prioritized over their parts of the community,” Sellers said. “So that’s why, as a district and as a district representative, I take a stance against it.”
What would you do to improve safety for students walking to schools?
Sellers said large parts of the district lack sidewalks because they remain rural areas of the county that have not experienced significant growth. But other areas have seen growth without completing sidewalk networks.
He pointed to the new HAWK beacon and sidewalk system installed at the crosswalk in front of Herndon-Barstow Elementary. The project involved both city and county owned property, requiring coordination across jurisdictions.
While the district cannot directly build sidewalks or crosswalks, he said trustees can work with the superintendent and local officials to encourage infrastructure projects that improve the community.
How would you address chronic absenteeism at Central Unified?
According to the California Department of Education, 22.5% of students in Central Unified were chronically absent during the 2024-25 school year, meaning they missed at least 18 instructional days.
Sellers said the district is “doing a good job of trying to identify those root causes” of chronic absenteeism.
“As a school board trustee, that’s not really something that I have the boots on the ground that I’m working directly to address,” Sellers said. “I can make sure that the superintendent, the administrative staff and the team has the resources that they need when they ask for different programs.”
He said his role is primarily to hold the district accountable for how it allocates money and resources to address absenteeism.
Sellers said creating more family outreach liaison positions to reach out and connect with families when students are frequently absent can help address barriers such as illness, bullying or transportation.
“If you’re struggling, let’s find additional resources for you to get you up to speed,” Sellers said. “Graduation rates are directly aligned to your daily attendance. If you’re not at school, you’re not going to learn.”
How should the district improve test scores, college readiness and overall academic success?
Sellers said Central Unified recently adopted new state-approved math programs that span elementary school through 12th grade, which he hopes will help improve student achievement. Math and English scores remain a challenge across Central Unified.
“Math and English scores are low, and while we celebrate and say, ‘yeah, we saw a 1% gain,’ OK, that’s good that we’re moving the needle in the right direction,” Sellers said. “But the reality is that’s still a whole lot of kids that are struggling.”
Sellers also pointed to the district’s recent school boundary changes, which created feeder patterns in which students from elementary schools will continue together to the same middle and high schools. He said that structure could allow teachers and departments at different grade levels to work closer together to identify gaps and prepare students for the next level.
He said the district can use students’ performance in middle school to determine what skills need to be reinforced in elementary school and what students need to be prepared for in high school.
While he said higher education remains important and encouraged students to consider college, he acknowledged that it is not the right path for everyone.
The district is also expanding career technical education (CTE) for students who may not pursue college. It recently hired a CTE director to build partnerships with local employers and labor groups and expand career opportunities for students after graduation.
What can the district do to ensure underrepresented students have equitable access to academic resources and opportunities?
Sellers said the district plays a significant role in west-side communities where resources can be limited.
He pointed to the Foundation for Central Schools who have offered scholarships and basic need assistance.
Sellers said he has been encouraged by the growth of the district’s community school model serving six schools, which takes a holistic approach to addressing students’ needs beyond academics.
“More of our schools are becoming community schools, as there’s a huge need for it,” Sellers said. “And it’s addressing those barriers that are helping kids from wanting to come to school [to] wanting to be engaged [and] involved.”
How would you ensure that undocumented families are both informed and protected amid immigration enforcement presences within our communities?
Sellers said immigration enforcement is not welcome at Central Unified schools and that the district will continue to focus on students’ social and emotional needs.
“If families are concerned and worried that school is not a safe place for them, they don’t send their kids, and that is absolutely devastating,” Sellers said.
He said the district uses family outreach liaisons, many of whom are bilingual, to communicate with families in their preferred languages, including Spanish and Punjabi. Sellers also pointed to investments in school safety, including cameras, campus liaison positions and a new district safety manager position, informed by his experience as a first responder.
Who are some of his top funders?
Sellers filed California form 410, which declared his intention to run for office and indicated that he anticipates raising or spending at least 2,000 on his campaign.
John Nale
- Job: owner of Ziveli Winery in Biola.
- Age: 57
- Residency: lives in Biola but grew up in Kerman
As the son of an elementary school teacher, John Nale says he’s always loved schools. In the 1990s, the businessman, farmer and Fresno State alum taught swimming in Kerman.
Nale’s family moved into the area in 2010, and have been farming ever since. Even before that, Nale’s family was involved in the Biola Chamber of Commerce.
Nale also operates Brick L’Oven, a mobile wood-fired pizza pop-up, that has gone to the Central Unified job fair twice and has hired 19 students for the past four to five years. He’s also worked with five wineries and a distillery locally..
“I wanted to be a part of the direction that the school district and the community was heading,” Nale said. “People make up the district, but I find that businesses, churches and schools, which are ran by the people, take the community in the direction it’s going to go [for] the next probably 20 years.”
Top three priorities:
- Reading, writing and arithmetic: wants students to have these skills and take them out to the real world and not get scammed
- Student safety: bring more basic need resources to students
- More technical programs: if they don’t want to go to college, have other opportunities available to them and chose the right path
How should Central Unified address facility needs?
Nale did not have a clear plan as to how to address enrollment and attendance but said he understands why some families may be upset by the district’s school boundary changes, particularly when children who grew up together are no longer attending the same school.
He said the district should work to understand why students are leaving and address concerns raised by parents. He also emphasized the importance of keeping students enrolled in Central Unified and involving parents in decisions that affect their children.
“The parents are the advocates for their children.”
What’s your assessment of Measure X spending for facility repairs?
Nale said he was not familiar with the ins and outs of the bond program but said he wants the bond program to be fulfilled 100%, including all the money allocated exactly how the district said they would, and will make sure that happens.
“I would not want any one facility to lack whatever that facility may need to help the children be more comfortable and in the learning process,” Nale said.
Nale said he would not necessarily prioritize one particular school without first seeing the conditions at facilities throughout the district. However, he specifically mentioned Biola-Pershing Elementary, which he said is an older school near him, as a facility he would want to examine for potential needs.
He also said the district should maintain its existing facilities and not allow older buildings to deteriorate.
What’s your stance on the Southeast Development Area (SEDA) plan, and what concerns have you heard from the community about it?
Nale said he opposes SEDA and said his primary concern was whether new development could shift families away from the district.
He said the potential development raises questions about water, infrastructure and the effect of new housing on existing communities.
He also questioned whether the development would attract families from outside the area or draw existing Central Unified families away from the district.
“Are we going to bring in 45,000 families from outside the area, or are we going to lose our families on the west side?” Nale said. “Are we going to lose communities west of 99 to that area?”
Even a relatively small loss of families, he said, could have significant consequences for the district.
“I’m not excited about any new development,” Nale said. “I don’t know who comes in and fixes up old development, too. It’s just tough.”
What would you do to improve safety for students walking to school?
Nale said he was still learning about the role Central Unified could play in addressing infrastructure and safety concerns around schools, including sidewalks, bike lanes and bus stops.
“Of course, I want to work toward safe bus stops, safe bike lanes, safe sidewalks,” Nale said. “I get it 100%.”
He also described a recent experience that made him more aware of the safety challenges around school bus stops. While driving near Grantland Avenue, he said, he encountered a stopped school bus that was positioned close to a corner and difficult to see.
Through these experiences, he said, he wants to understand where the school district’s responsibility begins and ends, particularly when issues involve infrastructure typically handled by cities or counties.
“You got to have great people working with the city, the county, and whoever else is involved in these things,” Nale said. “I wouldn’t know where to start on that kind of deal.”
He said he also wants to hear directly from parents and make sure their concerns are addressed, while recognizing that his role as a school board member has limits.
“I can assure you that I will do everything I can to make sure these kids are safe.”
How would you address chronic absenteeism at Central Unified?
Nale wasn’t familiar with the term “chronic absenteeism” and was surprised to hear that about 22.5% of students last academic year missed significant numbers of school days.
He wants the district to better understand the academic performance and reasons behind chronic absenteeism, including whether students who are frequently absent are also struggling academically.
“I want to know why they’re chronic,” Nale said. “I want to know what the scores are. I want to know why,”
He also questioned whether some families may be leaving the district because they want online schooling options. Nale said he believes students benefit from being in school and interacting with their peers and teachers, but suggested the district should examine whether demand for online education is contributing to enrollment changes.
How should the district improve test scores, college readiness and overall academic success?
Nale wants to prioritize getting students to grade-level testing standards in reading and math by third grade. He said students who reach that benchmark are better positioned to succeed academically.
“I think they have to be at grade-level, at third grade minimum,” Nale said. “Whatever we need to get to that, we need to do because I think that’s the most important.”
Nale said he supports having instructional aides in classrooms to help teachers when students have significant behavioral or academic needs.
“I’m an advocate for aides because I’m an advocate for someone in that classroom to help the teachers when they need it.”
Nale emphasized the importance of English proficiency and multilingualism.
“I think it would be wise to speak two languages. But if they don’t speak English, we got to get these kids speaking English, and they got to speak English and read English.”
He said teachers also face the challenge of reaching students with different learning styles and needs.
“How do you reach them all sitting in a chair when they’re little? I’m hoping that people know. I know the administration knows. I know teachers know. So we just need to help them get there.”
Nale said students should have multiple pathways after high school, including college and technical careers, depending on their interests and goals. He said students who do not want to attend college should still have opportunities to build successful careers.
He wants Central Unified to expand career pathways by working with local agricultural and construction equipment companies. He suggested developing short certificate programs that would give students basic mechanic skills before entering the workforce.
He also suggested expanding partnerships with local fire departments and supporting the district’s existing agricultural programs. He also emphasized the importance of preserving arts programs, saying students need opportunities beyond athletics and traditional academics.
“Some people are meant for college, and other people don’t want anything to do with it,” Nale said. “And it’s totally okay.”
What can the district do to ensure underrepresented students have equitable access to academic resources and opportunities?
Nale said he believes Central Unified offers students significant opportunities and that parents who advocate for their children can play an important role in their success.
“Central is absolutely fantastic. I love Central because of the diversity,” Nale said. “You can’t get a better melting pot than Central.”
He said the district should ensure students have access to the academic and social-emotional resources and access to basic learning resources, including computers and books.
Nale also expressed support for the district’s decision to restrict student cellphone use during the school day, saying social media can negatively affect students.
“I think social media is brutal on our kids,” Nale said. “I feel like we need to protect our kids from that.”
How would you ensure that undocumented families are both informed and protected amid immigration enforcement presences within our communities?
Nale said schools should remain safe spaces for students and families regardless of immigration status.
“For me, immigration has to stay away from the school. Period. That’s just a simple. That’s my answer.”
He said schools play an important role in connecting families and communities and argued that immigration enforcement in schools undermines that role. He also said the district should maintain relationships with relevant agencies while ensuring schools remain separate from immigration enforcement.
Nale said his experiences in agriculture have also shaped his views on immigration and the role immigrant workers play in the regional economy. He saw firsthand how the uncertainty surrounding immigration enforcement can create challenges for agricultural employers and workers alike.
Key Endorsements:
“I just need votes, I don’t need endorsements.”
Who are some of his top funders?
Nale filed California form 470, which indicated that he does not anticipate raising or spending at least 2,000 on his campaign.
