Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board, is running for California Superintendent of Public Instruction. The nonpartisan statewide race appears on the Nov. 3, 2026, general election ballot.

Shaw faces Richard Andrew Barrera. Both are running as nonpartisan, according to BallotReady election data.

Shaw is certified for the ballot.

Candidate information

  • Name: Sonja Shaw
  • Party: Nonpartisan
  • Hometown: Chino, California (born and raised)
  • Education: Graduated from Ayala High School in Chino Valley; did not attend college, according to her district biography
  • Professional background: Owner of AMP Fitness since 2014; owner of a professional photography business; previously held a California real estate license
  • Community: Leads a community-based Bible study

Experience and public service

Shaw has served as board president of the Chino Valley Unified School District since 2022, according to her district biography. She has also served since 2022 as a representative on the Baldy View Regional Occupational Program Commission.

On the issues

Shaw's policy positions below are drawn from her campaign website and her responses on BallotReady. All statements reflect the candidate's own claims.

Literacy and curriculum

Shaw said California's education system is failing, stating that half of students cannot read or write at grade level. She called for a "back-to-basics" approach focused on reading, writing and math. She said a curriculum centered on practical skills, paired with recruiting and retaining top educators, would prepare students for success. Shaw said this approach has been "proven effective in local districts."

School closures and parental rights

Shaw said prolonged school closures disrupted learning and burdened families. She said mask and vaccine mandates ignored families' well-being and silenced parents' voices. Shaw said the kind of leadership that challenged those mandates locally would deliver change at the state level, "ensuring families' needs are put over political agendas."

Gender policies in schools

Shaw said policies allowing boys to undress in girls' locker rooms and play on their sports teams undermine fairness and safety. She said daughters deserve to compete on equal terms and should feel secure in private spaces. Shaw said classrooms "are becoming battlegrounds for radical agendas, pushing divisive content that overshadows core education." She called for statewide leadership to safeguard girls' opportunities and prioritize parental rights.

Endorsements

The following endorsements are listed on Shaw's campaign website and on her BallotReady profile. Each is claimed by the endorser.

  • Steve Hilton, Golden Together
  • Chad Bianco, Riverside County Sheriff's Office
  • Riley Gaines
  • Orange County Register
  • Inland Valley Daily Bulletin
  • California GOP
  • California Republican Assembly
  • California Congress of Republicans
  • California Rifle and Pistol Association
  • Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
  • Los Angeles County GOP
  • San Bernardino County GOP
  • Alameda County GOP
  • Bay Area GOP
  • Monterey County GOP
  • San Francisco GOP
  • Santa Clara County GOP
  • Silicon Valley Association of Conservative Republicans

Candidate responses and endorsement claims were collected from Shaw's campaign website and BallotReady. The Newport Signal did not interview the candidate for this profile.