Michele Cantwell-Copher
Candidate for County Superintendent of Schools, Fresno County · Fresno County Superintendent
Michele Cantwell-Copher has worked in Fresno-area schools for 30 years. She has degrees from Fresno City College and Fresno State. She also has a doctorate from the University of La Verne. She worked at Central Unified for nine years. There, she was a vice principal, a principal, and an assistant superintendent. She then spent 14 years working at the Fresno County schools office. In 2022, she became the first woman elected to lead that office. She sits on nonprofit boards. She also volunteers at Valley Children's Hospital. She was named a Top 10 Business Woman of the Year. She is married with two adult children.
Positions in brief
Cantwell-Copher has led Fresno County's schools office since 2022. She has focused on school safety and support for English learners.
Cantwell-Copher says her mission is that education changes lives. She has grown ties between schools and local businesses. She backs programs like Fresno Cradle 2 Career. She has made safe and healthy schools a top goal. Since she took office, the county's graduation rate has grown. Test scores have also risen at every grade level. Her office runs five National Blue Ribbon Schools and 30 state-honored schools. She has grown career training programs for students. She has also added more support for English learners.
On the issues
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