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THOMAS CHOI | savepusd.com

Pleasanton Unified School District · Trustee Area 5 · General Election Nov 3, 2026

Save Our Schools. Secure Our Future.

Independent legal and fiscal oversight to protect neighborhood classrooms, eliminate administrative waste, and keep our schools safe for every student.

As a father of two young kids at Hearst Elementary and a weekly classroom volunteer, our schools are deeply personal to me. Having stood at the podium meeting after meeting to challenge 76+ frontline layoffs and organizing over 160 neighbors at SaveHearst.com, I am running to bring transparency, accountability, and classroom-first leadership back to PUSD.

Explore Platform Priorities Watch 2026 Forum Highlights

Endorsed by CSEA Chapter 155 & Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce

Hearst Elementary Parent & Volunteer · Licensed CA Attorney (#309821) · Electrical Engineer · 100% Self-Funded ($0 PACs)

Thomas Choi, Candidate for Pleasanton Unified School District Trustee Area 5

PUSD Board of Trustees · Area 5

Thomas Choi

Parent · Patent Attorney · Engineer

Forum Playlist

Core Platform Priorities · Trustee Area 5

Classroom-First Priorities for Pleasanton Schools

Clear, actionable commitments to restore fiscal health, invest directly in student learning, and protect neighborhood school campuses.

PRIORITY 1: FISCAL HEALTH

Stop Administrative Bloat & Deficit Spending

$20M Emergency Loan

PUSD is the only district in the county under negative budget certification, forcing emergency borrowing just to make payroll.

  • Forensic Contract Audits: Audit the $12M budgeted for outside consulting retainers before cutting a single school site.
  • Protect Frontline Educators: Freeze executive administrative pay and halt repeat layoffs of student-facing staff.
View the Budget Records
PRIORITY 2: ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Invest Directly in Classroom Innovation

Zero Taxpayer Cost

Expanding tuition-free dual-enrollment college credits and Tri-Valley STEM apprenticeships through local partnerships.

  • Hands-On STEM & CTE: Launch robotics, biotechnology, and vocational pathways that attract families and reverse enrollment loss.
  • Specialist Retention: Safeguard dedicated reading interventionists, math specialists, counselors, and librarians.
Read the Education Plan
PRIORITY 3: NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY

Protect Student Safety & Green Spaces

160+ Signatures

Organized SaveHearst.com to stop the district from placing an industrial maintenance depot on elementary playfields.

  • Protect Elementary Playfields: Enforce state codes to prevent industrial zoning and commercial fleet parking on neighborhood campuses.
  • Safe School Routes: Keep heavy maintenance vehicles and daily bus fleets away from elementary and middle school crosswalks.
Sign the Petition

Primary District Evidence · Operational Transparency

Key PUSD Documents & Public Records Archive

Review primary district evidence, county negative budget letters, $12M consulting ledgers, and verified California Public Records Act (CPRA) disclosures obtained by community advocates.

Consulting Contracts & Ledgers · Maintenance Yard Proposals · Verified CPRA Disclosures

Open Public Records Archive Shared Google Drive Folder · 100% Free Public Access

Labor, Business & Community Standing

Endorsed by CSEA Chapter 155 & Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce

Uniting frontline classified educators, local business leaders, and neighborhood parents to bring fiscal discipline and classroom-first leadership back to PUSD.

Official Labor Endorsement CSEA Chapter 155 Logo

CSEA Chapter 155

Proudly endorsed by the California School Employees Association (CSEA) Chapter 155—representing the frontline instructional aides, paraprofessionals, custodians, bus drivers, campus monitors, and school secretaries who keep PUSD classrooms running every day.

Instructional Aides · Paraprofessionals · Bus Drivers · Campus Monitors · Custodians · Secretaries
Official Chamber Endorsement Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce Logo

Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce

Officially endorsed by the Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce BACPAC alongside Mayor Jack Balch and City Council candidates Kathy Narum and Jamie Yee—recognizing Thomas Choi's legal precision, fiscal stewardship, and commitment to educational excellence.

View Official Chamber Endorsement Announcement (Facebook)
Fiscal Discipline · Economic Stewardship · Community Partnerships · Workforce Readiness
Thomas Choi Profile

Thomas Choi

Candidate for PUSD Trustee Area 5

CA State Bar #309821 · Electrical Engineer · Hearst Parent

About the Candidate

Independent Oversight, Technical Precision & Genuine Community Roots

Thomas Choi is a licensed California patent attorney (State Bar #309821), electrical engineer, and HOA board fiduciary with over a decade of experience auditing complex contracts, analyzing technical systems, and stewarding long-term reserve funds.

As an Area 5 parent with two young children attending Hearst Elementary and a weekly classroom volunteer, Thomas saw firsthand the impact of district mismanagement when PUSD eliminated 76+ frontline educators and support staff while maintaining millions in outside administrative consulting contracts.

Thomas organized over 160 neighborhood families at SaveHearst.com to protect elementary and middle school green playfields from an industrial maintenance depot relocation. On the School Board, he will bring independent, 100% self-funded oversight to put students and classrooms first.

PRESS & MEDIA

In the News

Independent local journalism examining candidate qualifications, public financial records, and the future of Pleasanton schools.

Pleasanton Patch
Exclusive Q&A & Profile

By Michael Wittner

Meet The Pleasanton School Board Candidate: Thomas Choi

“My campaign is 100% self-funded... PUSD needs trustees who understand fiscal management, legal compliance, and can prioritize classroom needs over expanding central bureaucracy.”

Profiles Choi’s background in electrical engineering and law (Santa Clara University JD) alongside his executive experience as a Fortune Global 500 tech VP. Highlights his 100% self-funded campaign with zero PAC donations and his official endorsement by CSEA Chapter 155 classified school workers.

Read Full Article
The Pleasanton Weekly
Candidate Forum Cover Story

By Jeremy Walsh

PUSD Area 5 trustee candidates debate top priorities, goals at Weekly forum

“Choi pressed the case for structural financial accountability, emphasizing that solving the district’s negative budget certification begins with rigorous legal and fiscal oversight.”

Details head-to-head debate exchanges between Thomas Choi and opponent Karen Fletcher on reversing PUSD’s negative budget certification and protecting classroom educators from layoffs. Contrasts each candidate’s governance philosophy and accountability standards for hiring the district’s next superintendent.

Read Full Article
opgov.news
Investigative & Records Analysis

By Joel Yahir Martinez

Local Newspaper Hosts PUSD Area 5 Candidate Forum

“Choi pointed to district records showing millions spent on outside legal and public relations consultants while frontline classroom positions faced cuts.”

Examines public records confirming PUSD is the sole Alameda County district in negative budget certification while spending roughly $12M on outside consultants. Details Choi’s push for strict Brown Act enforcement and scrutiny of $7M committed in soft management fees on the ALE expansion prior to neighborhood outreach.

Read Full Article

2026 Candidate Forum Series · Official Video Highlights

2026 Candidate Forum Video Highlights

Watch Thomas Choi's candidate forum answers directly inline below, addressing PUSD's fiscal recovery, binding taxpayer safeguards, and protecting neighborhood school campuses.

Click video player above to stream inline without leaving this page. Open Full Playlist on YouTube ↗

01. Classrooms Over Outside Consultants

Audit $12M in Consulting Retainers First

Challenges why PUSD spent $12M on outside consultants while eliminating 76+ frontline teachers, specialists, and school support staff.

02. Strict Taxpayer Safeguards

Binding Rules Before Any Parcel Tax

Demands independent forensic audits and legally binding classroom-only spending guarantees before asking Pleasanton voters for new taxes.

03. Neighborhood Campus Safety

Keep Industrial Depots Off School Fields

Defends Hearst Elementary and Pleasanton Middle School green playfields from heavy maintenance fleet traffic and commercial rezoning.

Watch All Forum Clips on YouTube