Long Beach Unified School District Governing Board Member, District 1 in Long Beach Unified School District District 1, California

2026 Primary Election

• Deborah Betance — Former Teacher in Long Beach, California

  Deborah Betance is a former teacher at Longfellow Elementary School within the Long Beach Unified School District. In January 2023, she retired from the district.

• Maria Isabel López — Incumbent Governing Board Member, District 1 in Long Beach, California

  Maria Isabel López is the incumbent for the District 1 seat on the Long Beach Unified School District school board, having assumed office on December 9, 2022. She is a career educator with over two decades of experience as a teacher, consultant, and curriculum developer. López is an alumna of the Long Beach Unified School District, having graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA and a Master's in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her career has included roles such as Teaching and Learning Specialist, English Learner Consultant, and administrator. She was previously named Teacher of the Year while working for the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District.