[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":478},["ShallowReactive",2],{"header":3,"footer":32,"footer-cities":56,"content-\u002Fnews\u002Ffresno-county-school-chief-candidates-outline-positions-on-ai-literacy-and-phone-limits":237},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"description":10,"extension":13,"links":14,"meta":26,"navigation":27,"path":28,"seo":29,"stem":30,"__hash__":31},"header\u002Fheader.md","Central Valley AI",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":9},"minimark",[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":12},"",2,[],"md",[15,20],{"label":16,"to":17,"icon":19},"News",{"path":18},"\u002Fnews\u002F","mdi-newspaper-variant-outline",{"label":21,"to":22,"icon":25},"Contact",{"path":23,"hash":24},"\u002F","#contact","mdi-email-outline",{},true,"\u002Fheader",{"title":5,"description":10},"header","CcnlvU-MIELm1QjRt6-8EIWzffq9TShbzfGuB7P8caE",{"id":33,"title":34,"body":35,"copyright":39,"description":10,"developedBy":40,"extension":13,"links":46,"meta":51,"navigation":27,"path":52,"seo":53,"stem":54,"__hash__":55},"footer\u002Ffooter.md","Footer",{"type":7,"value":36,"toc":37},[],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":38},[],"© {year} All rights reserved.",{"label":41,"link":42},"Developed by",{"label":43,"to":44,"target":45},"Kaweah Tech","https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech","_blank",[47,48],{"label":16,"to":18},{"label":49,"to":50},"Privacy Policy","\u002Fprivacy-policy\u002F",{},"\u002Ffooter",{"description":10},"footer","hsL9eJ4YEacLAdbs9C023GtZ9cLz07zVbmRn545fjvk",[57,87,125,156,183,210],{"id":58,"title":59,"body":60,"county":79,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":80,"meta":81,"navigation":27,"path":82,"seo":83,"stem":84,"tag":85,"__hash__":86},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield.md","Bakersfield",{"type":7,"value":61,"toc":76},[62,67],[63,64,66],"h2",{"id":65},"ai-in-bakersfield","AI in Bakersfield",[68,69,70,71,75],"p",{},"Bakersfield's AI conversation sits at the intersection of municipal government, the ",[72,73,74],"strong",{},"California State University Bakersfield"," community, and the energy and ag operators that drive Kern County's economy. The city was an early mover on AI-assisted permitting and has been a recurring backdrop for parent- and teacher-led debates about classroom AI use. Articles below follow specific Bakersfield initiatives, public-meeting decisions, and Kern County workforce stories — and how they reflect national AI trends from a regional vantage point.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":77},[78],{"id":65,"depth":11,"text":66},"Kern County","Bakersfield and the surrounding Kern County are home to some of the most concrete AI-in-government experiments in the Central Valley, from instant municipal permitting to school-district debates about classroom AI. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is reshaping public services, education, and the energy and agriculture economies that dominate the region.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fbakersfield",{"title":59,"description":10},"cities\u002Fbakersfield","bakersfield","ozFL4HvDA_g7UrRE1mHbKqcS-vDLwbiH9JWVh3rB2Ac",{"id":88,"title":89,"body":90,"county":117,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":118,"meta":119,"navigation":27,"path":120,"seo":121,"stem":122,"tag":123,"__hash__":124},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno.md","Fresno",{"type":7,"value":91,"toc":114},[92,96,111],[63,93,95],{"id":94},"ai-in-fresno","AI in Fresno",[68,97,98,99,102,103,106,107,110],{},"Fresno's AI story spans several distinct ecosystems. ",[72,100,101],{},"Fresno State"," and the ",[72,104,105],{},"California State University"," system anchor a workforce-readiness push, while local ",[72,108,109],{},"Fresno Unified School District"," debates around responsible use have made the city a recurring reference point in California's K-12 AI conversation. The city's economic base in agriculture, healthcare, and public services means most AI adoption stories here are about applied uses rather than model development — a different posture than coastal tech hubs but arguably more consequential for the people living here.",[68,112,113],{},"Use the articles below to follow how AI is showing up in Fresno-area institutions and businesses.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":115},[116],{"id":94,"depth":11,"text":95},"Fresno County","Fresno is the largest city in California's Central Valley and the regional center for AI adoption across agriculture, healthcare, higher education, and small business. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being applied — and contested — in and around the city of Fresno and Fresno County.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Ffresno",{"title":89,"description":10},"cities\u002Ffresno","fresno","gOL2xk8y9t9OV6PPxP02OjYhZFHC_Cg-VGijh_V93dI",{"id":126,"title":127,"body":128,"county":148,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":149,"meta":150,"navigation":27,"path":151,"seo":152,"stem":153,"tag":154,"__hash__":155},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced.md","Merced",{"type":7,"value":129,"toc":145},[130,134],[63,131,133],{"id":132},"ai-in-merced","AI in Merced",[68,135,136,137,140,141,144],{},"Merced is a research-heavy node in the Central Valley AI ecosystem. ",[72,138,139],{},"UC Merced"," faculty appear in national conversations about AI safety, autonomous vehicles, climate modeling, and pediatric health applications, while the ",[72,142,143],{},"Merced Unified School District"," and surrounding county institutions navigate the same K-12 and workforce questions the rest of the Valley faces. The articles below cover both the campus research story and the broader applied uses around the city and county.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":146},[147],{"id":132,"depth":11,"text":133},"Merced County","Merced punches above its weight in AI research, anchored by UC Merced — a leading West Coast hub for AI in agriculture, climate, autonomous systems, and health. Coverage on this page tracks both academic research coming out of the campus and how AI is showing up across Merced's schools, businesses, and county institutions.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmerced",{"title":127,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmerced","merced","pSWWlEzMdcv2_RZrUKdkEHU3bixNboePGdHbSdd1m34",{"id":157,"title":158,"body":159,"county":175,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":176,"meta":177,"navigation":27,"path":178,"seo":179,"stem":180,"tag":181,"__hash__":182},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto.md","Modesto",{"type":7,"value":160,"toc":172},[161,165],[63,162,164],{"id":163},"ai-in-modesto","AI in Modesto",[68,166,167,168,171],{},"Modesto's AI conversation tends to combine ag-tech adoption stories with workforce-readiness questions for the city's small and mid-sized employers. ",[72,169,170],{},"CSU Stanislaus"," and the regional community college network shape the higher-ed angle. Coverage below follows Modesto-area AI announcements and the wider Stanislaus County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":173},[174],{"id":163,"depth":11,"text":164},"Stanislaus County","Modesto and Stanislaus County sit between the Bay Area and the southern Valley, and their AI story reflects that bridging role — from agriculture and food processing to the **California State University Stanislaus** community to small businesses adapting to AI-driven changes in marketing, hiring, and operations.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fmodesto",{"title":158,"description":10},"cities\u002Fmodesto","modesto","l75Dc40MX8wTb4lD088Yx9we4ypuDwmcvE-uEdqqREc",{"id":184,"title":185,"body":186,"county":202,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":203,"meta":204,"navigation":27,"path":205,"seo":206,"stem":207,"tag":208,"__hash__":209},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton.md","Stockton",{"type":7,"value":187,"toc":199},[188,192],[63,189,191],{"id":190},"ai-in-stockton","AI in Stockton",[68,193,194,195,198],{},"Stockton's economic base in logistics, healthcare, and higher education gives the city a different AI profile than the southern Valley. ",[72,196,197],{},"University of the Pacific"," anchors the academic conversation, while San Joaquin County government, hospitals, and warehouse operators are navigating practical adoption questions: cost, training, security, workforce impact. The articles below track Stockton-area AI announcements and the broader San Joaquin County context.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":200},[201],{"id":190,"depth":11,"text":191},"San Joaquin County","Stockton and San Joaquin County sit at the northern edge of the Central Valley, where logistics, healthcare, and the University of the Pacific shape the local AI adoption story. Coverage on this page follows how AI is being put to work — and questioned — across San Joaquin County's institutions, employers, and public services.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fstockton",{"title":185,"description":10},"cities\u002Fstockton","stockton","TYEBK9akp2HbpAFmYY67FeKt7Rs7L8tvtYeQBtgJAHw",{"id":211,"title":212,"body":213,"county":229,"description":10,"extension":13,"intro":230,"meta":231,"navigation":27,"path":232,"seo":233,"stem":234,"tag":235,"__hash__":236},"cities\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia.md","Visalia",{"type":7,"value":214,"toc":226},[215,219],[63,216,218],{"id":217},"ai-in-visalia","AI in Visalia",[68,220,221,222,225],{},"Visalia's AI footprint is grounded in the practical adoption stories that come with a Tulare County economy built around agriculture, food processing, and rural healthcare. ",[72,223,224],{},"College of the Sequoias"," and the surrounding K-12 districts anchor the education conversation. The articles below cover Visalia-area AI developments and the Tulare County context, with a focus on applied uses rather than research or model development.",{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":227},[228],{"id":217,"depth":11,"text":218},"Tulare County","Visalia is the largest city in Tulare County and a center for agriculture, healthcare, and county-government services in the southern Central Valley. Coverage on this page tracks how AI is being adopted across Tulare County's schools, hospitals, ag operations, and small business community.",{},"\u002Fcities\u002Fvisalia",{"title":212,"description":10},"cities\u002Fvisalia","visalia","gN4g7aAl-cqD4FfSTgtTAarltUoKLh8NFlPzCbZngqU",{"id":238,"title":239,"archived":240,"author":241,"body":242,"date":467,"dateModified":467,"description":468,"extension":13,"meta":469,"navigation":27,"path":470,"rawbody":471,"seo":472,"sitemap":473,"stem":474,"tags":475,"__hash__":477},"news\u002Fnews\u002Ffresno-county-school-chief-candidates-outline-positions-on-ai-literacy-and-phone-limits.md","Fresno County school chief candidates outline positions on AI, literacy and phone limits",false,"CVAI Education Desk",{"type":7,"value":243,"toc":459},[244,248,252,287,291,318,324,334,338,361,368,372,387,398,402,421,431,446,449,453],[245,246,239],"h1",{"id":247},"fresno-county-school-chief-candidates-outline-positions-on-ai-literacy-and-phone-limits",[63,249,251],{"id":250},"a-race-shaped-by-schools-biggest-pressures","A race shaped by schools’ biggest pressures",[68,253,254,255,258,259,262,263,266,267,270,271,274,275,278,279,282,283,286],{},"A public forum for the ",[72,256,257],{},"Fresno County Superintendent of Schools"," race highlighted how local education leaders are trying to respond to several overlapping challenges at once: uneven academic recovery, persistent reading struggles, shifting enrollment, and the rapid arrival of ",[72,260,261],{},"artificial intelligence"," in schools. Hosted by ",[72,264,265],{},"The Maddy Institute",", the event featured incumbent ",[72,268,269],{},"Michele Cantwell-Copher",", former ",[72,272,273],{},"Clovis Unified"," superintendent ",[72,276,277],{},"Eimear O’Brien",", and ",[72,280,281],{},"Parlier Unified"," assistant superintendent ",[72,284,285],{},"Johnny Alvarado",", each laying out what they would prioritize if elected to lead the county office.",[63,288,290],{"id":289},"literacy-emerged-as-the-sharpest-dividing-line","Literacy emerged as the sharpest dividing line",[68,292,293,294,297,298,301,302,305,306,309,310,313,314,317],{},"The strongest point of urgency centered on early reading. ",[72,295,296],{},"Cantwell-Copher"," emphasized student gains made during her tenure and argued that Fresno County has posted some of the strongest growth in California. ",[72,299,300],{},"O’Brien"," and ",[72,303,304],{},"Alvarado",", while acknowledging improvement since the pandemic, focused more directly on what they described as a continuing ",[72,307,308],{},"literacy crisis",". O’Brien said roughly ",[72,311,312],{},"60% of third graders are not reading at grade level",", while Alvarado said that for more than a decade about ",[72,315,316],{},"55% of Fresno County students"," each year have not demonstrated grade-level reading and writing performance, even as math performance has been comparatively stronger.",[319,320,321],"blockquote",{},[68,322,323],{},"“About 60% of our third-graders aren’t reading at grade level. That’s unacceptable,” O’Brien said. “My top priority is every child reading by third grade.”",[68,325,326,327,329,330,333],{},"For ",[72,328,89],{}," and the broader ",[72,331,332],{},"Central Valley",", that emphasis is especially significant because county leadership often shapes how districts coordinate support, training, and intervention strategies across a region where schools serve large and diverse student populations. The debate suggests that literacy is likely to remain a central benchmark in the campaign, not just as a classroom issue but as a broader measure of whether local systems are helping students recover from long-running learning setbacks.",[63,335,337],{"id":336},"enrollment-and-attendance-remain-practical-concerns","Enrollment and attendance remain practical concerns",[68,339,340,341,344,345,347,348,350,351,354,355,357,358,360],{},"The candidates also addressed the financial and community consequences of changing attendance and enrollment patterns. Because school funding is closely tied to ",[72,342,343],{},"average daily attendance",", falling enrollment can eventually force difficult decisions, including campus closures. ",[72,346,304],{}," said closures can sometimes become unavoidable but argued that districts need to involve communities early and examine why families are leaving. ",[72,349,296],{}," said countywide enrollment has not shifted dramatically overall, though some districts, including ",[72,352,353],{},"Fresno Unified",", have been losing students as families relocate within the county. ",[72,356,300],{}," pointed to the kind of long-range planning used in ",[72,359,273],{},", including analysis of birth rates, construction, and enrollment trends, as a model for avoiding more disruptive decisions later.",[68,362,363,364,367],{},"The conversation also touched on fears tied to ",[72,365,366],{},"federal immigration enforcement",", with all three candidates stressing that schools must remain places where families feel safe and informed. That matters in Fresno County because school climate, trust, and family engagement affect whether students consistently attend class, and attendance in turn affects both learning and district finances.",[63,369,371],{"id":370},"ai-is-no-longer-optional-in-school-leadership","AI is no longer optional in school leadership",[68,373,374,375,378,379,301,381,383,384,386],{},"On technology, the candidates were largely aligned on one point: ",[72,376,377],{},"AI is already part of education",", and school systems cannot afford to ignore it. ",[72,380,300],{},[72,382,304],{}," argued that local districts should establish clear boundaries for how AI is used, while O’Brien also stressed the need for teacher preparation so educators can use the tools ethically and effectively. ",[72,385,296],{}," described the county office as already embracing AI, saying it is being used both to improve administrative efficiency and to help educators become more comfortable using it in instruction, with safeguards for students.",[68,388,389,390,393,394,397],{},"That position is important for the ",[72,391,392],{},"technology"," conversation in the Central Valley because county offices often help smaller districts interpret new tools, set expectations, and share training resources. In practical terms, the forum suggested that the next superintendent will likely influence not only whether AI is adopted, but ",[72,395,396],{},"how responsibly it is integrated","—whether as a productivity tool for staff, an instructional aid for teachers, or a regulated technology students must learn to use carefully.",[63,399,401],{"id":400},"phone-restrictions-add-another-technology-test","Phone restrictions add another technology test",[68,403,404,405,408,409,412,413,416,417,420],{},"The candidates also discussed classroom cellphone limits in light of ",[72,406,407],{},"Assembly Bill 3216",", the ",[72,410,411],{},"Phone-Free School Act",". California law requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to ",[72,414,415],{},"develop and adopt"," policies limiting or prohibiting student smartphone use by ",[72,418,419],{},"July 1, 2026",". At the forum, all three candidates said any local policy will work only if students, parents, teachers, and administrators all buy into it.",[68,422,423,424,426,427,430],{},"Taken together, the debate showed that the superintendent’s race is not only about administration; it is also about how ",[72,425,117],{}," schools will define academic recovery and govern new technology. The next county leader will face pressure to improve literacy, steady enrollment, reassure families, and build rules for both ",[72,428,429],{},"AI"," and student devices at a moment when digital tools are becoming more embedded in daily schooling across California.",[68,432,433],{},[434,435,436,437,439,440,445],"em",{},"Central Valley AI is produced by the ",[72,438,241],{}," team and developed by ",[441,442,43],"a",{"href":44,"rel":443},[444],"nofollow",", a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.",[447,448],"hr",{},[63,450,452],{"id":451},"source","Source",[68,454,455],{},[441,456,457],{"href":457,"rel":458},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.fresnobee.com\u002Fnews\u002Flocal\u002Feducation-lab\u002Farticle315256320.html",[444],{"title":10,"searchDepth":11,"depth":11,"links":460},[461,462,463,464,465,466],{"id":250,"depth":11,"text":251},{"id":289,"depth":11,"text":290},{"id":336,"depth":11,"text":337},{"id":370,"depth":11,"text":371},{"id":400,"depth":11,"text":401},{"id":451,"depth":11,"text":452},"2026-04-07","Candidates for Fresno County superintendent used a public forum to frame the race around early literacy, enrollment pressures, artificial intelligence in classrooms and the coming statewide push to restrict student smartphone use.",{},"\u002Fnews\u002Ffresno-county-school-chief-candidates-outline-positions-on-ai-literacy-and-phone-limits","---\ntitle: \"Fresno County school chief candidates outline positions on AI, literacy and phone limits\"\ndescription: \"Candidates for Fresno County superintendent used a public forum to frame the race around early literacy, enrollment pressures, artificial intelligence in classrooms and the coming statewide push to restrict student smartphone use.\"\ndate: 2026-04-07\ntags:\n  - education\n  - technology\n  - fresno\nauthor: \"CVAI Education Desk\"\ndateModified: \"2026-04-07\"\n---\n\n# Fresno County school chief candidates outline positions on AI, literacy and phone limits\n\n## A race shaped by schools’ biggest pressures\n\nA public forum for the **Fresno County Superintendent of Schools** race highlighted how local education leaders are trying to respond to several overlapping challenges at once: uneven academic recovery, persistent reading struggles, shifting enrollment, and the rapid arrival of **artificial intelligence** in schools. Hosted by **The Maddy Institute**, the event featured incumbent **Michele Cantwell-Copher**, former **Clovis Unified** superintendent **Eimear O’Brien**, and **Parlier Unified** assistant superintendent **Johnny Alvarado**, each laying out what they would prioritize if elected to lead the county office.\n\n## Literacy emerged as the sharpest dividing line\n\nThe strongest point of urgency centered on early reading. **Cantwell-Copher** emphasized student gains made during her tenure and argued that Fresno County has posted some of the strongest growth in California. **O’Brien** and **Alvarado**, while acknowledging improvement since the pandemic, focused more directly on what they described as a continuing **literacy crisis**. O’Brien said roughly **60% of third graders are not reading at grade level**, while Alvarado said that for more than a decade about **55% of Fresno County students** each year have not demonstrated grade-level reading and writing performance, even as math performance has been comparatively stronger.\n\n> “About 60% of our third-graders aren’t reading at grade level. That’s unacceptable,” O’Brien said. “My top priority is every child reading by third grade.”\n\nFor **Fresno** and the broader **Central Valley**, that emphasis is especially significant because county leadership often shapes how districts coordinate support, training, and intervention strategies across a region where schools serve large and diverse student populations. The debate suggests that literacy is likely to remain a central benchmark in the campaign, not just as a classroom issue but as a broader measure of whether local systems are helping students recover from long-running learning setbacks.\n\n## Enrollment and attendance remain practical concerns\n\nThe candidates also addressed the financial and community consequences of changing attendance and enrollment patterns. Because school funding is closely tied to **average daily attendance**, falling enrollment can eventually force difficult decisions, including campus closures. **Alvarado** said closures can sometimes become unavoidable but argued that districts need to involve communities early and examine why families are leaving. **Cantwell-Copher** said countywide enrollment has not shifted dramatically overall, though some districts, including **Fresno Unified**, have been losing students as families relocate within the county. **O’Brien** pointed to the kind of long-range planning used in **Clovis Unified**, including analysis of birth rates, construction, and enrollment trends, as a model for avoiding more disruptive decisions later.\n\nThe conversation also touched on fears tied to **federal immigration enforcement**, with all three candidates stressing that schools must remain places where families feel safe and informed. That matters in Fresno County because school climate, trust, and family engagement affect whether students consistently attend class, and attendance in turn affects both learning and district finances.\n\n## AI is no longer optional in school leadership\n\nOn technology, the candidates were largely aligned on one point: **AI is already part of education**, and school systems cannot afford to ignore it. **O’Brien** and **Alvarado** argued that local districts should establish clear boundaries for how AI is used, while O’Brien also stressed the need for teacher preparation so educators can use the tools ethically and effectively. **Cantwell-Copher** described the county office as already embracing AI, saying it is being used both to improve administrative efficiency and to help educators become more comfortable using it in instruction, with safeguards for students.\n\nThat position is important for the **technology** conversation in the Central Valley because county offices often help smaller districts interpret new tools, set expectations, and share training resources. In practical terms, the forum suggested that the next superintendent will likely influence not only whether AI is adopted, but **how responsibly it is integrated**—whether as a productivity tool for staff, an instructional aid for teachers, or a regulated technology students must learn to use carefully.\n\n## Phone restrictions add another technology test\n\nThe candidates also discussed classroom cellphone limits in light of **Assembly Bill 3216**, the **Phone-Free School Act**. California law requires school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to **develop and adopt** policies limiting or prohibiting student smartphone use by **July 1, 2026**. At the forum, all three candidates said any local policy will work only if students, parents, teachers, and administrators all buy into it.\n\nTaken together, the debate showed that the superintendent’s race is not only about administration; it is also about how **Fresno County** schools will define academic recovery and govern new technology. The next county leader will face pressure to improve literacy, steady enrollment, reassure families, and build rules for both **AI** and student devices at a moment when digital tools are becoming more embedded in daily schooling across California.\n\n*Central Valley AI is produced by the **CVAI Education Desk** team and developed by [Kaweah Tech](https:\u002F\u002Fkaweah.tech), a regional firm that builds, deploys, and integrates AI solutions for businesses across California's Central Valley.*\n\n---\n\n## Source\n\nhttps:\u002F\u002Fwww.fresnobee.com\u002Fnews\u002Flocal\u002Feducation-lab\u002Farticle315256320.html\n",{"title":239,"description":468},{"loc":470},"news\u002Ffresno-county-school-chief-candidates-outline-positions-on-ai-literacy-and-phone-limits",[476,392,123],"education","XWLF3xhLx2BlMU7SMTLQ3fgIbfOHaeObxr_3CdF7sMg",1779739125872]