The Board of Education has announced the three finalists it has chosen to interview for the seat left vacant when Board Clerk Jennifer Williams resigned in mid-August.

After reviewing all 13 applications, the three applicants chosen are:

• Erick O. Bell
• Doug Biggs
• Joyce Boyd

The interviews will take place at the September 22 Board of Education meeting. For the interviews, each applicant will first give a one-minute statement. Audience members will then be able to make public comment, after which Board members will ask questions of the finalists. Once that process is complete, the Board members can begin making motions to nominate one candidate to be the provisional Board member.

The candidate who is chosen will be sworn in at the October 13 Board of Education meeting. The term of this Board position will run from the date of appointment to November, 2028, which would have been the end of Ms. Williams' term.

Background Information

Board Member Williams announced on July 31 that she would resign from her position as of August 12, 2026.

• August 4 Press Release: "Board Member Jennifer Williams Announces Resignation" 

The process for filling a Board vacancy is governed by Board Bylaw 9223.

The first step was for the Board to vote on whether to fill the vacancy via appointment or special election.  At its regularly scheduled meeting on August 25, the Board of Education voted unanimously to fill Ms. William's seat via appointment.

• August 26 Press Release: "Applications for Vacant Board Seat Now Available"

Applications for the Board seat were available from August 26 to September 11, and the Board  received 13 applications for the seat. Those redacted applications are available on AUSD’s Board Vacancy Process page.

• September 11: Board of Education Receives 13 Applications for Vacant Seat

In the next step, the applications were reviewed and three candidates were selected to be interviewed at the September 22, 2026 public Board Meeting.