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Contra Costa County is set to see a new face leading its office of education following this year’s election, with two candidates competing in a wide open race as the incumbent prepares to depart from her position at the end of the year.
The race for the next elected leader of the Contra Costa County Office of Education is between Jag Lathan and Dana Eaton, both longtime Bay Area educators and administrators who are now months into their campaigns ahead of the June 2 primary election.
The campaign for public office is a first for Eaton, a 17-year superintendent of the Brentwood Unified School District. Lathan is currently serving as president of the Antioch Unified School District Board of Education in her final months on the job after being elected to a four-year term in 2022.
Lathan’s campaign for superintendent has been officially underway since September, with Eaton’s having kicked off in January, according to filings with the county elections office.
“Public education shaped my life, and I’ve spent more than 30 years giving back to that system,” Eaton told DanvilleSanRamon. “I’m running because this is a critical moment for our schools, financially, academically, and in terms of student well-being,” he added.
Lathan said on her campaign website that her educational journey has also shaped her perspective on life, education, and what works and doesn’t work in public school systems across the state.
“I believe deeply in public education as a gateway to opportunity—whether that path leads to college, the trades, the military, or a meaningful career,” Lathan said. “This is my life’s work.”
Both candidates’ resumes and career trajectories are also shaped by both private and public higher education experiences in the Bay Area, with bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University.
Eaton was a Contra Costa College student prior to that, going on to earn a teaching credential and master’s degree from St. Mary’s College in Orinda and later traveling to southern California for a doctoral program at University of LaVerne.
Lathan earned a master’s degree in special education from National University, then completed both master’s and doctoral degrees in educational leadership at Mills College.
“These experiences deepened my understanding of how policy, teaching, and leadership must come together to transform outcomes for students,” Lathan said.
In addition to his time as a student and as a leader in local public education, Eaton said that his current service on the state school board association’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, the advisory panel for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, and as president of the Association of California School Administrators have been critical in shaping his campaign priorities.
“Those roles give me a unique statewide perspective on fiscal stability, system improvement, and workforce development, all of which are central to this position,” Eaton said.
Lathan also touts experience with school districts across the state and further, and their multiple challenges over the decades, as a key component of her campaign vision.
She began her career in education at the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1999, transitioning to teaching then administrator roles in Emeryville and Oakland, then to executive roles in San Diego before serving as chief academic officer of the Alameda County Office of Education.
Eaton said that his experience at the local and state level – particularly on the FCMAT, which serves districts in the throes of financial crises – has given him a sense of the financial challenges currently in the forefront and on the horizon for the county.
“The county office plays an important dual role, supporting districts while also providing oversight, and that foundation is important to continue,” Eaton said. “Where my approach would build on that work is in being more proactive, especially around fiscal oversight and early literacy. Through my work with FCMAT, I’ve seen how important it is to identify financial challenges early and support districts before they reach a crisis point.”
Fiscal oversight and responsibility were also areas Lathan emphasized in a 10-page entry plan published to her campaign site, committing to balance financial troubles for the county’s school districts with the needs of its students by advocating for “student-centered budgeting” as an option that “costs less than repeated fiscal emergencies.”
“Student-centered budgeting means aligning limited resources with what matters most—student learning, safety, and well-being,” Lathan said. “California has historically invested less per student than many higher-performing states, and the consequences show up in classrooms and communities alike. Budget decisions made today shape educational opportunity, workforce readiness, and community stability for years to come, affecting every resident—not just families with school-aged children.”
But while current and ongoing fiscal challenges are a high priority for the county office of education, which is tasked with financial oversight of public school districts throughout Contra Costa, both candidates acknowledged that the office has other important duties. In particular, serving students who aren’t able to access the services they need within their local school districts, including alternative education options and services for foster youth and incarcerated students.
“In short, the County Superintendent is here to strengthen public schools in Contra Costa County, expand support and professional growth opportunities for educators, foster meaningful partnerships, and ensure that every student—no matter their circumstance—has the opportunity to excel, while serving as a beacon of innovation and a model of excellence, including leading juvenile court and community schools that give students a second chance to succeed,” Lathan said.
The multifaceted nature of the county office of education makes that a tall order even in the best of times, with state and federal cuts to education and student services amid growing needs from students currently coalescing into a particularly challenging outlook in the present day.
“We are facing real challenges, including underfunding at both the state and federal level and growing needs in special education, mental health, and alternative programs,” Eaton said. “The reality is that schools are being asked to do more with less, and that’s not sustainable.”
Despite those challenges, both candidates said they were eager to get to work on upholding and improving the office’s operations according to each of their visions.
Voters will have the opportunity to meet the candidates in person and hear more about their platforms in a forum May 8 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., before going on to cast their ballots by Election Day on June 2.
More information on Eaton’s campaign is available at eatonforschools.com. More information on Lathan’s campaign is available at drjaglathan.com.
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