CANDIDATES AT A GLANCE
Barkhordarian, 56, has lived in District 4for more than three decades, including the last 20years in Century
City. Her two elementary-aged children attend Warner Avenue School.
Occupation: Engineer/IT consultant
Background: She noted that none of the current board members have children in K-12 schools and is pushing for parents to have a say in district negotiations with unions. She has an MBA in finance and information systems from USC.
Priorities: Give parents a seat at the negotiating table, restore a sense of normalcy with “student-centered decision-making” and by addressing students' mental health and address pandemic-related learning losses. Website: gentille4lausd.com
Nick Melvoin
Melvoin, 36, was born and raised in District 4. He grew up in Brentwood, but now lives in Hancock Park. Occupation: LAUSD school board vice president
(elected to board in 2017)
Background: Melvoin taught at Markham Middle School in South L.A. and worked for nonprofits such as Teach Plus and Educators 4Excellence. He has a master's degree in urban education from Loyola Marymount University and a law degree from New York University. During his first term, Melvoin said, he advocated to invest $700million to support underserved students through an equity-needs index and to decentralize LAUSD by breaking it down into 44 Communities of Schools, akin to mini-districts.
Priorities: Adopt a four-year strategic plan for the district, provide tutoring or summer school to help with students' academic and social-emotional recovery due to the pandemic; and further decentralize LAUSD by vesting more decision-making authority, including budgets, to Communities of Schools.
Website: nickmelvoin.com
Tracey Schroeder
Schroeder, 48, has lived in District 4for about 20years and currently lives in Tarzana.
Occupation: Teacher in L.A. Unified for 24years. Background: Schroeder taught at Hesby Oaks Leadership Charter school until last fall, when she, along with other teachers who had not complied with the district's COVID-19vaccination mandate for staff, was reassigned to teach online. She received her master's degree in psychology, specializing in art therapy, from Phillips Graduate Institute.
Priorities: Be accountable by holding school board meetings at more convenient times for the public and by being fiscally responsible, focus on standards-based learning and proficiency in reading, writing and mathematics and use common sense by empowering schools to have more autonomy in deciding how to spend their money.
Website: traceyschoolboard.com