The Fresno Teachers Association’s political action committee is putting big bucks into the campaigns of two challenger candidates looking to upset incumbents who are running for re-election on the Fresno Unified School Board this November.

James Martinez, who is running in the Fresno High Region, and Dan Bordona, who is running in the Hoover High Region, have reaped a combined total of more than $41,000 in contributions from the teachers union PAC in August and so far this month, according to campaign finance reports.

Candidates are required to file “late contribution” reports for contributions of $1,000 or more. Those reports are eventually folded into campaign finance statements that are updated periodically during the campaign period and at the end of the year.

The next filing deadline for those statements is this Thursday and will reveal how the candidates have been faring on attracting smaller donations for their campaigns.

Since the last campaign finance statement was filed after June 30, Martinez’s campaign has reported $26,732.69 contributed from the Fresno teachers union’s PAC. Martinez also reported contributions of $2,000 from the SEIU, and a total of $3,000 from three individuals.

Martinez, director of operations for Fresno State’s Associated Students Inc., is in a three-person race for the Fresno High Region trustee seat. The other candidates are Andy Levine, co-director of Fresno State’s Center for Community Voices and a sociology lecturer at the university, and Emma Villa, a parent and special education advocate.

Levine’s sole union donation since June 30 was $3,000 from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 246, the largest of his late contributions reported. He also reported $1,500 from the Central Valley Progressive PAC, $2,500 from Joaquin Arambula’s Assembly campaign, and $2,000 from the Fresno County Democratic Women.

Villa has committed to raising and spending less than $2,000 and had no big-money contributions to report.

Hoover High Race

Bordona, a retired Fresno Unified teacher, reported $15,148.30 from the teachers union PAC in late contributions since June 30, plus $1,000 from the Operating Engineers District 50 PAC and $2,500 from James Barr, a former Fresno Unified teacher and unsuccessful School Board candidate. Bordona is trying to unseat incumbent Claudia Cázares, who is seeking her third term on the board.

Cázares, a management analyst with the city of Clovis, received one union contribution since June 30, a $1,000 contribution from the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 246 PAC. She also reported a $2,000 contribution from the National Women’s Political Caucus of Fresno.

The FTA’s political action committee has been active in previous election cycles and has in the past provided substantial contributions to the campaigns of both Levine and Cázares, both of whom also enjoyed strong support from other unions.

The teachers union support for Martinez and Bordona isn’t the only sign that FTA wants to increase its impact on the district and its operations. Last fall’s contract included a provision for the FTA to collaborate with the district on how to spend one-third of the upcoming $500 million Measure H bond measure. The School Board will consider finalizing the Measure H project list at Wednesday’s board meeting, which will be held at the Nutrition Center on North Brawley Avenue in northwest Fresno.

Fresno and Hanford Schools Named National Blue Ribbon Schools

Fresno Unified’s Design Science Middle College High School and Monroe Elementary in Hanford are two of the 33 California schools to be named National Blue Ribbon Schools, the U.S. Department of Education announced Monday.

Blue Ribbon schools are selected for their academic achievements and also for closing achievement and opportunity gaps.

Design Science, located on the campus of Fresno City College, is a dual-enrollment school that gives students the opportunity to earn their high school and associate degree credits simultaneously, enabling seniors to graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate’s degree.

Public schools are nominated for the Blue Ribbon recognition program by top education officials in each state.

“It’s an honor to recognize our exceptional Blue Ribbon Schools, where academic excellence and support for every student truly shine,” State Superintendent Tony Thurmond said in a news release Monday. “Their commitment to creating an inclusive and outstanding learning environment embodies our mission for education here in California. Their dedication is an inspiration to us all, and we proudly celebrate this remarkable achievement.”

Fresno State Student Wins CSU Trustees’ Award

Fresno State student Anthony Agueda was one of 23 California State University students to win a trustees award scholarship, the CSU announced Monday.

Agueda, an agriculture business student, was named the CSU Trustee Emeritus Peter G. Mehas Scholar.

Mehas was the longtime Fresno County superintendent of schools and also served as a CSU trustee and on the state Board of Education. He died in 2013.

Agueda will be honored alongside the other 22 CSU students during a ceremony Tuesday as part of the CSU Board of Trustees meeting.

According to the CSU, the CSU Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Achievement is the highest student distinction within the university and grants scholarships to students based on academic achievements, financial need, excellence in community service, and personal hardship. More than 500 CSU students have been honored with the Trustees’ Award since the program in 1984.