for Santa Clara County
Board of Education Area 7

For Each and Every Student. Health. Wellness. Safety. Inclusion. Belonging without othering . Ready to Learn!

Keynote Address at three-day “Empowering Communities Shaping School Climates: Supporting Healthy Learners Conference”, September 10-12, 2025.

https://www.sccoe.org/news/NR/Pages/Supporting-Healthy-Learners-Conference.aspx

Dear Friends and Supporters,

As your current Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee for Area 7, a former Santa Clara County Health Commissioner, a non-profit Board member, a Parent Volunteer, and an Advocate for Children from Preschool to College, I have served my community for almost three decades.

I would love to continue the work I started on academic excellence and Health & Wellness as interdependent priorities for our students. This culminated in a three-day conference connecting stakeholders, to support safe, inclusive, and healthy school environments.

But there is so much more to do. This is why I am running for re-election as the Santa Clara County Board of Education Trustee, Area 7.

Learning does not exist in isolation. Students cannot learn, parents cannot parent, and teachers cannot teach, when they face the many challenges and social justice issues that impact their health and well-being.

My vision for the future is Individualized support for every student and family to mitigate existing social and systemic barriers to learning, empowering each student to reach their full potential. As life grows more complex, this need becomes more urgent.

I have worked professionally as a recognized researcher and economist, nationally and internationally, for a decade. This experience will continue to serve the County Board in its mission to examine disparities and create a more transparent look at how we spend our public dollars.

Please join me in helping improve student outcomes for all.

Yours in Community,

Raeena

#StudentsFirst #HighQualityLearning #LivingWage4Teachers #Health&Wellness #InclusionandBelonging

Speech at Women’s March.

Public Health Awareness series, co-moderated and organized as a League of Women Voters Board member, to examine the issues impacting the health & well-being of our students and families.

Endorsed by the California Teachers Association (CTA), SJTA, ESTA, ACE, many school district trustees, and the majority of the SCC Board of Education.

  • Photo by James Kim

  • New List Item

  • Oranssi previous project

with U.S. Rep. Ro Khanna

“I will fight at the highest levels for our children, our students, our teachers, our parents, and our communities!”

with U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar
Advocacy in D.C. at the U.S. Capitol
with U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo

Priorities

  • Picture by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

    High-Quality Learning

    It is well established that early learning bridges equity gaps between students, and leads to enhanced long-term student learning outcomes. We need to have strong oversight of our early childhood education programs and build on the pillars of the Board of Education’s Strong Start Initiative.

  • Picture by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

    Student, Family, & Teacher Wellness

    We need safe environments for our students and teachers that promote health and well-being for all. Good physical and mental health are prerequisites for effective learning. Let’s strive to ensure our schools are safe and healthy environments. This includes social justice issues that impact the health and well-being of students and families: racism and gender discrimination, housing insecurity, toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences, inequities in our criminal justice system, the climate and environmental crisis, food insecurity, nutrition and ultra-processed foods, the growing affordability crisis, our device dependence, and the epidemic of loneliness.

  • Picture by Louis Hansel on Unsplash

    Preparing Students for Their Future

    Every student deserves to be college and career ready so that they can thrive after graduation. Curriculums need to consider the diverse needs of learners and our changing economy, increasing the choice and availability of vocational training and education programs.

  • Equitable Pay for Teachers

    Our educators shape the lives of our children, shaping their worldviews and bringing out the best in them. As student face more challenges and they themselves grapple with the affordability crisis, their jobs became harder. And studies have proven that higher teacher pay is linked to better learning outcomes for kids. Let’s fight for a livable wage for teachers, who are so integral to preparing students for the future.

“Our children deserve a compassionate school environment that is optimal for their well-being, where physical and mental health is prioritized along with their academic outcomes. County programs for justice-involved youth, alternative education, special education, and early learning can be strengthened through a culture of inclusion, high-quality learning, and collaboration. ”

Meet Raeena
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Address: 5655 Silver Creek Valley Rd, #325, San Jose, CA 95138