Anthony (Tony) Perez was elected to the Elk Grove Unified School District Board of Education in November 2012.

 

Mr. Perez has extensive experience as an educator and civil servant with a strong commitment to public education. He endeavors to collaborate with teachers, school employees and parents to tackle the complex problems facing the District. Rather than polarizing populations, he prefers cooperation over conflict. His community outreach includes working with the John F. Kennedy High Drop-Out Prevention Program with the Sacramento City Unified School District, fundraising for the VFW POST 67-Veterans Social Services and Project Ride as well as serving as SEIU 1000 DLC President. He also lead a United Way Campaign for state employees, a March of Dimes campaign for state employees and coached baseball, basketball and soccer teams.

 

Being supportive of youth and being their voice is Mr. Perez’s primary aim. His main objectives as an educational leader are to keep kids safe, protect after school programs, reducing dropout rates and put more resources into the classroom. Mr. Perez is also a staunch advocate for students with special needs and has successfully fought for full inclusion. He is a firm believer of the power of education to change people’s lives. 

 

Mr. Perez dedicated much of his time working for the Department of Health Care Services in the Primary Care and Family Health Division, the Office of Rural Health and the Office of Family Planning where he focused on unmet needs within the community and the male involvement in the prevention of teenage pregnancy. He helped bring the Immigration Reform and Control Act into fruition and played a significant role in the passage of the Tobacco Tax Increase (Proposition 99). His tenure in public health included working for Emergency Disaster Relief, Measles Relief, Farmworkers HIV Prevention, Maternal Child Health and Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Mr. Perez earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University, a Master’s of Science in Education and a multiple subject teaching credential from the University of Southern California.

 

A product of his mother’s hard work, a native Californian who worked in the canneries for over 40 years to provide for three children, Mr. Perez’s mother made it possible for him to be the first to graduate from college. He now has two children of his own and one with special needs. He is a proud father of having had both of his children graduate from Florin High School. As a long-time classroom volunteer, PTA member, Special Education Site Council member, District Special Education Council member, booster club member as well as a K-12 teacher, he’s experienced education inside and out.