Dr. Rocío Rívas Sworn In as Los Angeles Unified’s Newest School Board Member
Dr. Rocío Rívas was sworn in today as the newly-elected Los Angeles Unified Board of Education Member representing Board District 2. Board Member Jackie Goldberg administered the Oath of Office.
Dr. Rívas immigrated to the United States from Mexico at the age of two, attended Los Angeles Unified schools and graduated from Reseda High School with honors. She is also the mother of a current Los Angeles Unified student. She was the first in her family to finish college, with a degree from UC Berkeley in Political Science and Development Studies, and a minor in African American Studies. She went on to earn a doctorate from Columbia University in Comparative and International Education, with a Political Sociology emphasis and focus on the U.S. and Latin America.
Dr. Rívas’ commitment to public education spans the local and global landscape. She has served as a parent in the School Site Council and PTA for her child’s school. She also worked for Los Angeles Unified as a Community/Parent Representative at a school in Highland Park. Through her academic and professional work, she has conducted field research from the Republic of Georgia to Bolivia, as well as research and evaluation of Los Angeles Unified’s traditional public schools and charter schools.
“As an advocate for authentic parent participation in public education, I believe we can transform our schools so that all students thrive and succeed,” Dr. Rivas said. “This election reflects the call for change that requires the engagement of all parts of Los Angeles Unified — parents, educators, students and the community at-large.”
Dr. Rívas brings a plethora of experience and knowledge to the Board of Education as she worked on the Los Angeles Unified School Board for elected member Jackie Goldberg since 2019. As Policy Deputy, she focused on policy development related to charter schools, early childhood education, dual language programs, magnets and arts education. Now with a seat on the Board, Dr. Rívas will continue her leadership and commitment to public education by representing the families of one of LA’s most vibrant regions.
District 2 includes the communities of East Los Angeles, City Terrace, Boyle Heights, Downtown Los Angeles, Chinatown, Little Tokyo, Solano Canyon, Echo Park, Los Feliz, East Hollywood, Historic Filipinotown, Silver Lake, Angeleno Heights, Westlake/MacArthur Park, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, El Sereno, Hermon, Monterey Hills, Highland Park, Garvanza, Cypress Park and Mt. Washington.
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