The Ventura County Office of Education is a mysterious entity to many voters. The County Office doesn't focus on supervising local school districts but instead helps to run programs that multiple districts use. There is an elected board but unlike other local school districts there is a directly elected Superintendent. Their program areas include some teacher training, running Gateway schools, working on charter school issues, managing internet connections, some special education programs and a few other programs. To many observers a position on a local school board is much more influential.

I teach in Ventura County and in that role I have very little direct experience with the county office.

Examine their website to learn more about what they do. In the past Governor Schwarzenegger proposed eliminating County offices of education to streamline the education bureaucracy.

Rachel Ulrich is running to replace Mary Louise Peterson ( Who often goes by ML ), who isn't running for re-election to the Board. Judging by her biography, campaign team, and list of people endorsing her I expect she won't draw a tough challenger.

I have requested to interview her on an upcoming Thursday night. I will ask her questions on charter schools, the proposals to eliminate the position she is running for, her qualifications and more.