As voters in the Colton Joint Unified School District prepare for the November 3, 2026, election, decisions about declining enrollment, school consolidation, educational quality and the district's financial future are becoming increasingly important.
Sandy J. Torres, a candidate for the district's Board of Education in Trustee Area 3, believes his years working in education and his longstanding connection to the community provide a foundation for serving on the board. Torres emphasizes classroom relationships and community input, while questions remain about how his ideas would translate into board-level decisions.
Torres is challenging incumbent Joanne Thoring-Ojeda for the seat representing Grand Terrace and portions of southern Colton.
During an extensive interview with City News Group, Torres spoke openly about his upbringing, his educational career, his experiences as a teacher and administrator, and his beliefs about how children learn.
His responses reflected a strong personal connection to education and a willingness to consider different approaches to teaching. However, when the discussion turned toward some of the district's most pressing policy and financial challenges, his answers centered on gathering additional information rather than identifying specific actions he would pursue as a board member.
A Lifetime Connected to Colton, Torres described growing up in a family that valued community involvement and giving back.
After attending San Bernardino Valley College, where he played baseball, Torres transferred to the University of California, Davis. He graduated in December 1989 with a bachelor's degree in economics and a minor in statistics.
He returned to Colton in 1990, beginning work as a substitute teacher while volunteering as a baseball coach.
Torres explained that returning home was both a professional and personal decision. His mother had died during his senior year of high school, and he wanted to spend time with his aging father.
His experiences outside the Inland Empire, he said, also gave him a broader understanding of education and the opportunities available beyond his hometown.
Throughout the interview, Torres frequently returned to the importance of relationships, teamwork and personal experiences in shaping his educational philosophy.
Those values were especially evident when he discussed his years in baseball, including playing on a Colton High School team that reached the CIF championship game.
For Torres, teamwork and cooperation are lessons that extend beyond athletics and into the classroom; and life, and facing difficult challenges.
One of the most significant challenges facing Colton Joint Unified is declining student enrollment.
On July 17, 2026, the district publicly announced an initiative to address the issue, including a facility asset management study under its Vision 2030 planning efforts.
Fewer students can mean reduced funding, difficult staffing decisions and questions about whether existing school facilities can continue operating as they have in the past.
Asked what he believes is causing families to leave the district, Torres suggested that the reasons may differ by community.
In Grand Terrace, he said, some families have chosen schools in Redlands, Riverside or charter school systems.
Rather than immediately proposing a particular program or policy change, Torres emphasized the importance of asking families why they are leaving.
"We need to ask them, why are you leaving? What is it that you're looking for?" Torres said.
He suggested surveying parents and community members to determine whether concerns involve educational opportunities, campus safety or enrichment programs.
His approach would begin with identifying what the district could realistically change.
"Are they within the realm of our control?" Torres asked, referring to the reasons families choose other educational options.
The proposal places considerable emphasis on gathering community feedback. However, the interview did not establish how Torres would use that information to develop specific enrollment targets, evaluate program costs or determine which changes should receive funding.
Those decisions could become especially consequential if enrollment continues declining.
When asked what alternatives he would consider before recommending school closures, Torres acknowledged that the district has been discussing consolidation.
He pointed to population changes and warehouse development in Bloomington as factors he believes have contributed to reduced student enrollment.
Torres recalled that Bloomington High School previously served approximately 3,000 students before Grand Terrace High School opened. He described subsequent changes in attendance boundaries and said enrollment had continued declining.
Those historical enrollment figures and his explanation of their causes were presented as Torres's recollections and assessments during the interview.
Asked directly what he would do before supporting a school closure, Torres returned to the need for additional information.
"I just want to find out where kids are going," he said.
He also recognized that some enrollment losses may reflect broader population changes, including families leaving California.
As the discussion continued, Torres raised another possibility: repurposing school buildings if closures become unavoidable.
"The thing is, is there a way to prevent us from closing schools? And if not, then how do we repurpose those buildings?" he asked.
The suggestion raises an important question for the district, where unused or underutilized facilities could potentially serve alternative educational or community purposes.
Torres spoke with greater specificity when discussing classroom instruction and the role of technology.
Asked whether artificial intelligence might eventually replace teachers, he was unequivocal.
"No, it can't, because there's the social—there's the social skills that kids need to have," Torres said.
He described artificial intelligence as a tool that should support education rather than replace classroom relationships.
According to Torres, students need opportunities to interact with teachers and classmates, develop communication skills and learn collaboratively.
He expressed concern that some technology-based instruction has simply transferred traditional worksheets onto computers without meaningfully improving learning.
Torres argued that students should become more active participants in their education.
"Today the kids should carry the burden of learning, not us," he said.
He described classroom exercises in which students work together to solve problems, identify mistakes and explain their reasoning.
His observations offered a clearer picture of his instructional philosophy, particularly his belief that students learn effectively through collaboration.
At the same time, decisions made by school board members extend beyond classroom techniques.
Board members must consider districtwide academic performance, budgets, instructional priorities, staffing, policies and the superintendent's accountability.
Torres described his experiences as both an educator and administrator as important influences on his understanding of effective teaching.
He said observing classrooms allowed him to recognize when instruction was engaging students and when it was not.
"If I'm learning, I know they're learning," Torres said, describing his approach to classroom observations.
His comments emphasized the importance of instructional quality and the ability of educators to connect with students.
School board service, however, involves a different set of responsibilities from classroom teaching or school administration.
Trustees must make decisions collectively, establish policy, oversee public resources and evaluate district leadership while considering competing priorities across multiple communities.
For example, a proposal to expand educational programs may have considerable appeal to parents but must also be evaluated against available funding, staffing requirements and long-term sustainability.
Similarly, a decision to consolidate schools may offer financial benefits while creating transportation challenges and disrupting established school communities.
During the interview, Torres demonstrated familiarity with many of the educational issues facing the district. His answers were less developed when questions required a specific sequence of board actions, financial considerations or measurable outcomes.
A consistent theme throughout Torres's interview was his belief that district leaders should listen before acting.
Whether discussing school enrollment, classroom practices or educational opportunities, he repeatedly emphasized understanding the circumstances behind a problem.
Yet listening is only one part of the governing process.
The district's enrollment challenges will ultimately require decisions about facilities, spending, academic programs and the distribution of limited resources.
For Torres, the next question is how he would move from identifying concerns to recommending solutions, building support among fellow trustees and measuring the results.
The November election offers residents of Trustee Area 3 an opportunity to consider what qualities they want in their school board representative.
Torres brings personal ties to the community, experience working in education and an emphasis on student relationships, collaborative learning and family engagement.
He also enters the race at a time when the district faces decisions that will require more than an understanding of what happens inside a classroom.
Such as enrollment trends, school facilities, financial sustainability and educational outcomes will demand careful analysis and clear policy choices.