Yesenia Maria Cuarenta
CA · Member, Paramount Unified School District Board of Education
Yesenia Maria Cuarenta is a Paramount Unified board member, public school teacher, and youth services coordinator who grew up in Paramount. She lists stronger academics, student mental health, parent involvement, and safer routes to school as her priorities.
Where Yesenia Maria Cuarenta stands, based on their records
Supports
Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Public Education Quality (10 records), Civil Rights (1 record),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (1 support · 10 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 1 support · 10 oppose
Voted to reduce the 2026–27 work year for executive-cabinet members, certificated administrators and classified managers by five days, with corresponding salary reductions, to address budget constraints.
April 22, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted against the final plan eliminating up to ten full-time social-worker positions after opposing the initial teacher and staff layoff notices in March; both votes passed 3–2.
April 22, 2026Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to approve the 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan, including $3,137,502 for targeted student supports and $3,347,345 for curriculum and instructional improvement.
June 23, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to approve a classified-employee agreement with a 1.5% salary increase, a $500 payment for staff ineligible for health benefits, and benefit changes; the estimated compensation increase was $1,509,169.
November 13, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to renew state-funded part-day preschool services at seven district schools for approximately 400 children, with reimbursement of up to $3,338,349.
July 24, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to place a $190 million school-facilities bond measure before voters for classroom buildings, campus renovations and related upgrades.
July 24, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to authorize temporary borrowing between district operating funds for 2024–25, allowing transfers of up to 75% of available cash as needed.
July 24, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted for a temporary substitute-teacher pay increase to address staffing shortages: daily pay rose from $150 to $205 and long-term substitute pay from $185 to $245 for March 10–June 9, 2022.
March 9, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to fund 2022 summer-school and extended-school-year programs, including credit recovery and services for students with disabilities, with costs capped at $1.5 million plus $450,000 in special-education funds.
March 9, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to approve a $1,747,799 college-eligibility improvement plan funding tutoring, academic counseling, credit recovery, advanced-course exam fees and staff training.
March 9, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to adopt Paramount Unified’s 2019–20 budget and dedicate all Education Protection Account funds to teacher salaries; both actions passed 4–0.
June 24, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: resources.finalsite.net
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Testified as a Paramount school trustee and Downey Unified educator in support of stronger county gun-control measures, including safe-storage rules and raising the purchasing age to 21.
June 14, 2022Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: lacounty.granicus.com
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 10 support
Voted to approve the 2025–26 Local Control and Accountability Plan, including $3,137,502 for targeted student supports and $3,347,345 for curriculum and instructional improvement.
June 23, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to renew state-funded part-day preschool services at seven district schools for approximately 400 children, with reimbursement of up to $3,338,349.
July 24, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to place a $190 million school-facilities bond measure before voters for classroom buildings, campus renovations and related upgrades.
July 24, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to adopt the district’s updated English Learner Master Plan, including language-development instruction, assessment and progress monitoring, and requested quarterly updates.
December 12, 2023Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted for a temporary substitute-teacher pay increase to address staffing shortages: daily pay rose from $150 to $205 and long-term substitute pay from $185 to $245 for March 10–June 9, 2022.
March 9, 2022Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to fund 2022 summer-school and extended-school-year programs, including credit recovery and services for students with disabilities, with costs capped at $1.5 million plus $450,000 in special-education funds.
March 9, 2022Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to approve a $1,747,799 college-eligibility improvement plan funding tutoring, academic counseling, credit recovery, advanced-course exam fees and staff training.
March 9, 2022Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to adopt a high-school ethnic-studies course and its instructional materials for 2021–22; the course examined race, ethnicity, nationality and culture in United States society.
May 10, 2021Supports Public Education Quality
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to continue the Compton College partnership allowing high-school students to earn an associate degree in Administration of Justice and add a third student cohort; the agreement passed 5–0.
April 12, 2021Supports Public Education Quality
Source: resources.finalsite.net
Voted to adopt Paramount Unified’s 2019–20 budget and dedicate all Education Protection Account funds to teacher salaries; both actions passed 4–0.
June 24, 2019Supports Public Education Quality
Source: resources.finalsite.net
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 1 support
Voted to create the Director of Equity, Diversity and Support Systems position, including oversight of student support systems and Title IX compliance; the measure passed 4–0.
November 8, 2021Supports Civil Rights
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 2 support
Voted to approve a $17,771,091 contract for solar-power systems and electric-vehicle charging stations at district sites.
July 24, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Voted to place a $190 million school-facilities bond measure before voters for classroom buildings, campus renovations and related upgrades.
July 24, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Track record — General
General · 11 records
Served as a California School Boards Association delegate for Region 24, representing Paramount Unified.
October 23, 2026
Source: paramountusd.com
Interned for Nevada Assemblywoman Lucy Flores and volunteered or interned with CARECEN and Community Lawyers Inc., including advocacy for immigrant families and children.
October 23, 2026
Source: paramountusd.com
Was a founding member of Paramount Kiwanis and Muxeres en Movimiento.
October 23, 2026
Source: paramountusd.com
Served on the City Council/School Board Ad Hoc Committee and urged an e-bike safety presentation and a Safe Routes to School agenda item, describing her work with Streets Are For Everyone.
June 11, 2026
Source: paramountcity.gov
Voted to reunify Paramount High School’s ninth-through-twelfth-grade campuses in 2027–28; the board selected that timetable over a 2028–29 option, 5–0.
September 10, 2025
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Worked as a kindergarten teacher at Aspire Antonio Maria Lugo Academy.
October 14, 2023
Source: lacoe.edu
Urged the South Gate City Council to table its street-vendor ordinance and find ways to support vendors, speaking as a school-board member and teacher.
June 26, 2023
Source: selareport.com
Voted to continue remote learning through the end of the 2020–21 school year; the recommendation passed 5–0.
March 8, 2021
Source: resources.finalsite.net
Was elected president of the Paramount Unified school board for the 2021 calendar year, 5–0.
December 14, 2020
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Endorsed Elizabeth Warren for president, as listed in the campaign’s California endorsement release.
March 2, 2020
Source: democracyinaction.us
Took the oath of office on the Paramount Unified School District board and was elected vice president/clerk, 4–0.
December 10, 2018
Source: resources.finalsite.net
Track record — Candidate Ethics
Candidate Ethics · 3 records
Was censured under Resolution 25-79 after the school board found repeated unauthorized disclosures of confidential closed-session discussions. The measure passed 4–1, with her voting no.
April 22, 2026
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Was censured under Resolution 25-55 after the school board found she publicly disclosed a confidential closed-session personnel discussion without authorization. The measure passed 4–1, with her voting no.
December 10, 2025
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Was censured under Resolution 23-63 for public comments about employees that the board found violated its governance standards. The board said she failed to distinguish her opinions from its position. The vote was 4–0, with her absent.
May 14, 2024
Source: paramount-k12.community.diligentoneplatform.com
Past race Yesenia Maria Cuarenta ran in:
- Paramount Unified School District Governing Board Member, Trustee Area 4 · November 3, 2026 · Paramount Unified School District Trustee Area 4 · incumbent