Perris Union High School District Trustee Steve Campos said he is seeking a second term because there is still unfinished work he wants to see through.
Campos, who works as a middle school physical education teacher in Temecula, is in his 31st year as a public school teacher. His background in education also includes serving on school site councils, English learner committees and in union leadership.
Campos said his experience working in different areas of public education ultimately led him to run for the board.
“The way to make great change is to run for the school board because you oversee kind of everything,” Campos said.
One issue Campos said he wants to continue addressing is what he described as a disconnect between the Menifee community and the district.
When asked about concerns over trust and transparency, Campos said board members do not always know about issues unless parents, employees and community members bring them forward.
“I personally don’t want to be in this position to only hear what they want me to hear,” Campos said. “I want to hear what I need to hear because the only way that I can make change from my position is to hear what the problems are.”
Campos encouraged residents to attend or watch board meetings, review agendas and votes and contact trustees directly with questions or concerns.
Campos discussed the possibility of unifying Menifee schools under one district. He said the process would be more complicated than it may appear, pointing to issues including the division of district assets, school board representation and funding.
Campos said unification would require approval at the county and state levels. He expressed concern that Menifee schools could receive less funding if they separated from Perris Union, pointing to differences in how districts receive supplemental and concentration funding based on student demographics.
He said differences in employee compensation would also have to be addressed, including whether Menifee Union could maintain the salary schedule currently offered to Perris Union employees.
Another area Campos wants to continue focusing on is school safety.
Campos said one change made during his first term was offering full-time employment and medical benefits to campus security personnel in an effort to reduce turnover. The district is now exploring weapon detection systems and artificial intelligence technology to assist with campus security.
“Student safety and security is always the No. 1 priority,” Campos said.
Campos has pushed for more support for arts programs. He said the district added a program administrator for visual and performing arts for the 2026-27 school year and pointed to the addition of show choir at Paloma Valley High School.
Campos discussed continuing to expand Career Technical Education programs. He said an aviation program involving drone technology is among the new offerings being planned by the district.
Growth is another issue Campos said the district will have to continue planning for, particularly in Menifee.
Campos said the district has already outgrown Liberty High School. Portable classrooms were added to the campus, and he said the district is now looking at constructing a two-story building near the football field to add capacity.
Campos discussed the district’s proposed $187 million bond measure, which will go before voters in November. He said bonds are one of the ways districts can pay for major facility projects and said he supported moving the measure forward.
Long term, Campos said continued growth could eventually lead to discussions about another comprehensive high school or smaller specialized campuses focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
Campos said planning for that growth is something he would like to continue working on during a second term.
