2026 race to lead Fresno County Office of Education begins as two candidates enter race

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The contention for Fresno County Superintendent of Schools is already gearing up much than a twelvemonth earlier the election.

"I would not enactment my sanction successful this contention if I didn't consciousness that I could bash a truly bully job," Eimear O'Brien said.

She is entering the contention aft an 18-month retirement. She led Clovis Unified from 2017 done 2023. Now, she is campaigning to oversee 32 districts, including California's 3rd-largest, Fresno Unified.

"The superintendent definitely, astatine the region level, plays a large relation of facilitating a batch of support," O'Brien said.

She volition look disconnected against incumbent Michele Cantwell-Copher, who has confirmed she volition tally again successful 2026 but says it is excessively soon to commencement campaigning.

"We are creating opportunities with integrity and a shared imaginativeness for a brighter aboriginal for our students and strengthens our communities," Cantwell-Copher wrote successful a connection to Action News. "Right now, my absorption remains firmly connected the enactment astatine hand, delivering meaningful advancement and making a quality for our students."

"Something has been happening wherever folks are nary longer successful statement with the absorption that the region bureau of Education is going," governmental advisor Henry Perea said.

Voters elected Cantwell-Copher successful 2022 aft enactment from outgoing Superintendent Jim Yovino.

Yovino championed the Kids Cafe, which taught vocational skills to much than 600 students, but it closed nether Cantwell-Copher's enactment successful May.

Yovino said helium was "sad" to spot it close. While helium did not knock Cantwell-Copher, helium present supports her opponent, telling Action News that O'Brien "has the acquisition and would marque a large superintendent."

"I truly judge that we could go the acquisition superior that's the envy of the authorities if we enactment arsenic a squad unneurotic and clasp connected to our halfway values we cognize are idiosyncratic to Fresno County," O'Brien said.

Perea estimates O'Brien volition request astatine slightest $500,000 to triumph the seat.