John Paul Drayer Announces Candidacy for Bellflower School Board, Trustee Area 2

Bellflower, CA – November 18, 2025 – John Paul Drayer officially announced his candidacy today for the Bellflower Unified School District (BUSD) School Board, Trustee Area 2. Drayer, a long-time resident and dedicated advocate for Bellflower students, launched his campaign on a platform focused on bringing transparency, academic rigor, and supportive resources back to the center of district operations.

"Our district stands at a pivotal moment, requiring leadership that prioritizes the classroom and the community over bureaucracy," said Drayer. "My campaign is centered on four essential pillars that will ensure every Bellflower student has the opportunity to succeed in a safe, supportive, and fiscally responsible environment. We must move forward with clear goals and a renewed commitment to our families."

Drayer’s core priorities for BUSD, as detailed on his official campaign website, are:

1. Enhanced School Safety Through Mental Health Investment

My core school safety priority is to implement a comprehensive strategy that moves beyond simple reactive measures toward proactive mental health investment. This involves significantly expanding on-campus counseling staff—including specialized trauma-informed counselors and social workers—to drastically lower student-to-counselor ratios. By doing so, we can establish an accessible network of support for early identification and intervention, directly addressing underlying student needs which are often the root causes of safety concerns. Ultimately, this approach fosters a supportive, positive school environment where every student feels heard, valued, and safe by partnering with professionally trained school security.

2. Elevating Student Success Through Personalized Learning

For Student Success, I will ensure that every student has a clear, supported path to achieving their full academic potential. I will prioritize promoting customized learning pathways by significantly increasing funding dedicated to two key areas: smaller class sizes and personalized, high-dosage tutoring programs. This two-pronged strategy ensures that interventions are timely, focused, and tailored to specific student needs, effectively closing achievement gaps and guaranteeing that every student receives the focused attention and resources necessary to thrive. I believe that specialized programs, such as STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), Entrepreneurial, and vocational education, are essential for preparing students to succeed in life and thrive in the modern economy.

3. Transparent Budget and Fiscal Responsibility

Concerned by financial mismanagement in other government bodies, I proactively requested a state legislative audit of the BUSD finances, which subsequently led to the discovery of financial mismanagement within the district. To establish the utmost fiscal responsibility and build community trust, my plan for a Transparent Budget is to implement two measures. First, I will mandate the creation of a public, easy-to-access online dashboard that details all district expenditures in real-time, categorized clearly by school site and program. Second, I will commit to holding quarterly community forums dedicated solely to reviewing and discussing our financial allocations. This process will empower parents and ensure our spending priorities genuinely reflect the needs and values of the community we serve.

4. Affordable Before and After School Programs

My commitment to Affordability centers on ensuring that quality, supervised before and after school programs are genuinely accessible to all Bellflower families, regardless of income. This includes a clear plan to immediately cap participation fees for low-income households at a nominal rate. Furthermore, we must maximize the quality and availability of programs by optimizing the use of existing district facilities during non-school hours to expand the range of engaging activities available, providing reliable, high-value support for all working parents.

John Paul Drayer invites residents of Trustee Area 2 to visit his website to learn more about his platform and join the campaign to build a brighter future for Bellflower students.

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John Paul Drayer is a lifelong resident of Bellflower, having been born, raised, and educated in BUSD schools, a legacy shared by his parents, including his father who served as Mayor. An accomplished educator with a Master of Arts in Counselor Education, Drayer retired from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) and the Cerritos College Board of Trustees, and now works as a part-time teacher in the Los Alamitos School District while successfully managing local family businesses. He is committed to leveraging his deep local roots and professional experience to give back to BUSD, focusing on delivering a top-tier education for all students by prioritizing community preservation, transparency, and a balanced budget.

Media Contact: (562) 331-5028 | johnpauldrayer4busd@gmail.com | Campaign for John Paul Drayer for Bellflower School Board | www.JohnPaulDrayer4BUSD.com