Monterey County’s Superintendent of Schools is decided – but the board of trustees is not.

In Nancy Kotowski’s 12-year tenure as Monterey County Office of Education’s superintendent of schools, achievement gaps closed and participation in the Migrant Student Program increased. After she retires in January, MCOE Deputy Superintendent Deneen Guss – the only candidate to file papers to run for the position – will take the reins.

What remains unknown is who will represent MCOE’s District 7, which encompasses East Salinas. That’s where two candidates – Delia Alvarado and Lupe Sanchez – are running for the seat now occupied by Sergio Alejo, who is not seeking re-election.

Alvarado, a Salinas native who’s been an employee of Salinas City Elementary School District for 28 years, says she’s running to focus on special-needs and at-risk students. “There are so many services out there but they’re not being shared,” she says.

Alvarado is also an advocate of the “grow your own” method when it comes to a widespread teacher shortage. For long-term teachers, she says the solution is local: “I’d like to support the teachers we do have,” she says.

Sanchez is a consultant who does voter outreach, and is campaigning on a platform of closing the achievement gap, especially visible in Latino communities, and increased parent involvement.

By many measures, Sanchez says, the county is doing well: 60 percent of local students are graduating college-ready, versus the state average of 39.9 percent. Yet not enough are staying in college, she says: “There are resources out there, but parents don’t know it or are too intimidated to ask because it’s another language. We have to meet them where they are.”