Michelle Richardson Bailey
CA · Member, Pasadena Unified School District Board of Education
Michelle Richardson Bailey is a Pasadena Unified board member who wrote board resolutions supporting Black and Latinx students that helped set up Ethnic Studies. She says she will put classrooms first, raise student voice, strengthen accountability, and back workforce housing and job training.
Where Michelle Richardson Bailey stands, based on their records
Supports
Government Efficiency (2 records), Public Safety and Crime Control (1 record), Civil Rights (3 records),
Mixed record
Government Spending Reduction (6 support · 17 oppose), Public Education Quality (15 support · 2 oppose)
Track record
Track record — Government Efficiency
Government Efficiency · 2 support
Seconded staff authority to prioritize, procure and deliver health-and-safety projects within the existing approximately $40 million Measure O allocation, without separate board approval for each contract; it passed 6–1.
April 23, 2026Supports Government Efficiency
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved Resolution 2797 authorizing expedited emergency repair work at school sites damaged by the Los Angeles County wildfires, including emergency contracting; it passed 6–1.
January 16, 2025Supports Government Efficiency
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — Government Spending Reduction
Government Spending Reduction · 6 support · 17 oppose
Publicly supported the district’s staff-reduction resolutions, including classroom-teacher cuts, on fiscal-solvency grounds after describing her initial opposition. She asked for a timetable explaining continued student services.
February 27, 2026Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pasadenanow.com
Voted against the November 2025 package of central-office, contracted-service and advisory-committee-ranked reductions. The amended package excluded two career-technical-education options and one athletics option and passed 4–3.
November 20, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved authorization of up to $50 million in Measure R Series A bonds for school-facility projects, after seconding the 2024 resolution calling the bond election; the issuance motion passed 6–0.
October 23, 2025Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved budget increases for Muir, Madison and Longfellow modernization projects, including accessibility improvements at Muir and Longfellow. The three motions passed unanimously, with added funding capped at $12,897,170, $8,603,246 and $8,603,246 respectively.
December 12, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded implementation of the Pan African Immersive Storytelling Academy, including a planning year and first-year funding of $1,886,120; it passed unanimously.
October 24, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved initial planning for staff housing at the Roosevelt Elementary site, with estimated initial work of $550,000 to $2,068,000 from Measure O; it passed 6–1.
March 28, 2024Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved approval of the 2023–26 Fiscal Stabilization Plan combining staff layoffs, vacancy closures and expiring-program reductions with Measure J restoration of some programs; it passed 5–2.
March 14, 2024Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded acceptance of a five-year, $14,949,153 Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant for Eliot, Longfellow and Washington schools; it passed 6–0.
October 27, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved adoption of the district’s 2022–23 annual budget; it passed 6–0.
June 30, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded a 5% salary-schedule increase for certificated and classified school-administrator association members, retroactive to July 2021; it passed 5–1.
March 24, 2022Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded the 2021–22 Local Control and Accountability Plan, including $29,480,292 in spending to improve services for high-needs students; it passed 6–1.
June 30, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved the 2021–22 classified-service reduction resolution after removing two library positions from the cuts; it passed unanimously.
March 25, 2021Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved Resolution 2594 authorizing up to $20 million in the first Measure O bond series for technology projects; it passed unanimously.
February 25, 2021Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against establishing the Armenian dual-language immersion program; the board approved it 4–3. She questioned staffing funding and campus separation and contrasted the deliberation with the district’s treatment of American Sign Language education, while describing the program as a positive addition.
March 26, 2020Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pasadenanow.com
Voted against the 2019 closures of Franklin, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Wilson schools. In March 2020, cast the sole No on a related layoff resolution covering 55 staff positions, including classroom teachers; it passed 6–1. She linked her opposition to the school closures.
March 5, 2020Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved implementation of the five-year Code to the Future computer-science immersion program at Franklin and Norma Coombs elementary schools; it passed 6–0.
June 27, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded the Measure J agreement securing at least $5 million annually from Pasadena sales-tax revenue for the school district; it passed unanimously.
March 28, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against Resolution 2490 reducing certificated services by 32.40 full-time-equivalent positions for 2019–20, including elementary and secondary teaching positions; it passed 4–1.
March 7, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved acceptance of a $508,908.66 Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant for school health and arts programs; it passed 5–0.
January 10, 2019Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against $1.5 million in special-education coordinator and teacher-support cuts, elimination of 2.5 teacher-support positions, a nurse hiring freeze, and a $5,000 board-travel cut. Those reductions passed; separate elementary-science and technology-teacher cuts she opposed failed.
November 13, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against the 2018 fiscal-plan proposals to close Franklin Elementary and Wilson Middle School; both closure motions failed.
October 30, 2018Opposes Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded a $32,138 reduction to the school board’s budget; it passed unanimously.
November 16, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against adding the accelerated Math Academy secondary course sequence; the board approved it 5–2. The staff proposal included about $112,000 in initial district staffing and assessment costs.
May 11, 2017Supports Government Spending Reduction
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — Public Safety and Crime Control
Public Safety and Crime Control · 1 support
Moved Resolution 2558 supporting retention of the Altadena Sheriff Station and urging county officials to resolve budget issues without closing it; it passed 6–0.
May 14, 2020Supports Public Safety and Crime Control
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — Public Education Quality
Public Education Quality · 15 support · 2 oppose
Seconded adoption of Amplify Science for grades 6–8 and SAVVAS Experience Science for high-school science, following the district’s materials pilot; it passed 6–0.
March 26, 2026Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Publicly supported the district’s staff-reduction resolutions, including classroom-teacher cuts, on fiscal-solvency grounds after describing her initial opposition. She asked for a timetable explaining continued student services.
February 27, 2026Opposes Public Education Quality
Source: pasadenanow.com
Moved the amended special-education improvement plan addressing disproportionate placement in separate schools and suspension disparities, with literacy and behavior interventions at focal schools; it passed 6–0.
October 23, 2025Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded implementation of the Pan African Immersive Storytelling Academy, including a planning year and first-year funding of $1,886,120; it passed unanimously.
October 24, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved the second phase of classroom interactive-display purchases, including a $200,000 project-budget increase; it passed 6–1.
August 29, 2024Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded acceptance of a five-year, $14,949,153 Magnet Schools Assistance Program grant for Eliot, Longfellow and Washington schools; it passed 6–0.
October 27, 2022Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded Resolution 2641 supporting SB 830’s enrollment-based supplemental school funding and chronic-absence support; it passed 4–2.
January 27, 2022Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded the 2021–22 Local Control and Accountability Plan, including $29,480,292 in spending to improve services for high-needs students; it passed 6–1.
June 30, 2021Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against the 2019 closures of Franklin, Jefferson, Roosevelt and Wilson schools. In March 2020, cast the sole No on a related layoff resolution covering 55 staff positions, including classroom teachers; it passed 6–1. She linked her opposition to the school closures.
March 5, 2020Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved implementation of the five-year Code to the Future computer-science immersion program at Franklin and Norma Coombs elementary schools; it passed 6–0.
June 27, 2019Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded the Measure J agreement securing at least $5 million annually from Pasadena sales-tax revenue for the school district; it passed unanimously.
March 28, 2019Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against Resolution 2490 reducing certificated services by 32.40 full-time-equivalent positions for 2019–20, including elementary and secondary teaching positions; it passed 4–1.
March 7, 2019Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved acceptance of a $508,908.66 Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant for school health and arts programs; it passed 5–0.
January 10, 2019Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against $1.5 million in special-education coordinator and teacher-support cuts, elimination of 2.5 teacher-support positions, a nurse hiring freeze, and a $5,000 board-travel cut. Those reductions passed; separate elementary-science and technology-teacher cuts she opposed failed.
November 13, 2018Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded Resolution 2467 opening John Muir High School’s D-Building and access routes to the public for Pasadena City College classes during the school day. The motion passed 5–0.
July 26, 2018Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved approval of a Dell lease for 18,000 Chromebooks supporting a student-to-device ratio of one to one; the motion passed 6–1.
October 12, 2017Supports Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Voted against adding the accelerated Math Academy secondary course sequence; the board approved it 5–2. The staff proposal included about $112,000 in initial district staffing and assessment costs.
May 11, 2017Opposes Public Education Quality
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — Civil Rights
Civil Rights · 3 support
Moved the amended special-education improvement plan addressing disproportionate placement in separate schools and suspension disparities, with literacy and behavior interventions at focal schools; it passed 6–0.
October 23, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded Resolution 2838 directing multilingual voter-registration materials at high-school and adult-school parent centers and registration information for high-school seniors; it passed unanimously.
September 11, 2025Supports Civil Rights
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved budget increases for Muir, Madison and Longfellow modernization projects, including accessibility improvements at Muir and Longfellow. The three motions passed unanimously, with added funding capped at $12,897,170, $8,603,246 and $8,603,246 respectively.
December 12, 2024Supports Civil Rights
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — Public Infrastructure
Public Infrastructure · 6 support
Seconded staff authority to prioritize, procure and deliver health-and-safety projects within the existing approximately $40 million Measure O allocation, without separate board approval for each contract; it passed 6–1.
April 23, 2026Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved authorization of up to $50 million in Measure R Series A bonds for school-facility projects, after seconding the 2024 resolution calling the bond election; the issuance motion passed 6–0.
October 23, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved Resolution 2800 supporting restoration of Eliot Arts Magnet’s fire-damaged campus and preservation of its architecture; it passed 6–1.
January 30, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved Resolution 2797 authorizing expedited emergency repair work at school sites damaged by the Los Angeles County wildfires, including emergency contracting; it passed 6–1.
January 16, 2025Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved budget increases for Muir, Madison and Longfellow modernization projects, including accessibility improvements at Muir and Longfellow. The three motions passed unanimously, with added funding capped at $12,897,170, $8,603,246 and $8,603,246 respectively.
December 12, 2024Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved approval of the districtwide solar-carport power-purchase agreement in July 2018, then voted against amendments to the agreement in June 2019.
June 27, 2019Supports Public Infrastructure
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Track record — General
General · 37 records
Served on Ideal Youth’s advisory board.
October 23, 2026
Source: idealyouth.org
Served on the Boys & Girls Club of Pasadena’s Community Advisory Board.
October 23, 2026
Source: bgcpasadena.org
Moved a staff-facilitated community committee for the district transformation process; the substitute motion passed 4–3. Earlier, she moved rejection of the draft school-consolidation equity-impact report in May.
October 8, 2026
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Commissioned Resolution 2586 affirming PUSD’s commitment to Latinx students, including culturally relevant curriculum and Spanish and Indigenous-language family resources.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Established the school board’s Legislative Action Committee as president and chaired its Facilities and Safety and Legislative Action committees.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Chaired Pasadena’s Human Relations Commission and Heritage Square Senior Housing Project and advised the Human Relations youth program.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Pacific Oaks College and completed Leadership Pasadena’s Class of 2017 and Citizens Police Academy Class 25.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Held church-governance roles including trustee vice chair, parliamentarian, executive-board member and bylaws and procedures committee chair.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Worked for more than 20 years in public education, including secretarial roles at Blair High, Pasadena High and the superintendent’s office, and administrative support to a county board of education.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Held first- and second-vice-president and political-action roles in CSEA Pasadena Chapter 434, and regional PAC and PACE committee appointments.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Served on the California Association of Black School Educators’ governing board and the Darden Law Leadership Academy board, and belonged to the Pasadena Alliance of African American School Educators.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Founded the superintendent’s Classified Advisory Council and served on PUSD’s LCAP, AB 86, branding and professional-development committees and Blair’s School Site Council and PTSA.
October 5, 2026
Source: pusd.us
Received the Los Angeles County Democratic Party’s endorsement for Pasadena Unified District 3.
September 10, 2026
Source: pasadenanow.com
Moved Resolution 2869 authorizing sale of delinquent property-tax receivables for fiscal years 2026–28 in exchange for upfront revenue; it passed unanimously.
April 23, 2026
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded approval of the consent agenda containing the Community Workforce Agreement for construction contracts over $500,000, with union hiring-hall requirements and local-worker and graduate outreach.
March 26, 2026
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded Resolution 2796 reaffirming equal access to education and safe, welcoming schools for students across protected identities; it passed 6–0.
December 12, 2024
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Urged the 710 advisory process to include families displaced by the 210 freeway as well as those displaced by the 710 project.
September 20, 2024
Source: pasadenanow.com
Moved Resolution 2747 addressing adultification bias and racial and gender discrimination against Black girls, including advocacy for educational resources and reduced discipline disparities; it passed 6–0.
February 29, 2024
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Endorsed Brandon Lamar for Pasadena City Council District 3.
February 5, 2024
Source: pasadenanow.com
Endorsed Phlunté Riddle for California State Assembly District 41 in the 2024 election.
January 22, 2024
Source: pasadenanow.com
Seconded the strategic-plan amendment adding school-site employee shared decision-making with families and site staff; it passed unanimously.
June 22, 2023
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Was appointed an at-large member of Pasadena’s Reconnecting Communities 710 Advisory Group.
March 6, 2023
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Worked as an academic advisor at Pacific Oaks College.
February 17, 2023
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Was elected school-board president for 2023 and appointed a Pasadena Educational Foundation liaison at the board’s organizational meeting.
December 12, 2022
Source: pusd.granicus.com
ACT and the Arroyo Democratic Club endorsed her 2022 school-board campaign and approved a $2,000 campaign contribution at the October 6 ACT meeting.
October 6, 2022
Source: oldactpadc.com
Received school-board endorsements from Elizabeth Pomeroy, Tyron Hampton and Chris Holden.
August 31, 2022
Source: pasadenanow.com
Seconded Resolution 2669 supporting Pasadena’s Fair and Equitable Housing Charter Amendment; it passed 4–0 with one abstention.
June 30, 2022
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved opening the 2020–21 school year through remote learning, with in-person or hybrid instruction conditional on health and safety conditions; it passed 4–0.
July 16, 2020
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Moved the amended Commitment to Black Students resolution, including eradication of discriminatory practices, policies, systems and curriculum; it passed unanimously.
June 18, 2020
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded revocation of the superintendent’s emergency authority under Resolution 2551; the motion passed 4–3.
May 28, 2020
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Seconded denial of the Odyssey Charter School South petition, then voted against its approval; the board approved the K–8 charter 4–3.
November 16, 2017
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Took the oath of office as Pasadena Unified’s District 3 school-board member.
May 1, 2017
Source: pusd.granicus.com
Received the Armenian National Committee’s Pasadena chapter endorsement in the 2017 school-board election.
March 8, 2017
Source: ancnews.info
Served on the interview panel that evaluated four architectural firms for the Robinson Park recreation-center renovation after being selected steering-committee vice chair on July 23.
July 30, 2013
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Asked Pasadena’s City Council to preserve the original Craftsman design for the Heritage Square housing project.
November 19, 2012
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Spoke as Northwest Commission chair in support of expanding its economic-development duties and reducing regular meetings from twice monthly to once monthly.
October 1, 2012
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Was appointed to Pasadena’s Northwest Commission as the mayor’s nominee.
October 5, 2009
Source: ww2.cityofpasadena.net
Past race Michelle Richardson Bailey ran in:
- Pasadena Unified School District Board Member, District 3 · November 3, 2026 · Pasadena Unified School District Board District 3 · incumbent