ABOUT JOSEPH
For over 33 years, Joseph DiSalvo has served students and families as a Teacher, School Principal, and a member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education. Mr. DiSalvo currently serves as the only member of the Santa Clara County Board of Education with direct experience as a teacher and school administrator. He is committed to providing students in Santa Clara County with a high-quality public education that will enable them to succeed and thrive, no matter their background or socioeconomic status.
Throughout his career as a teacher, principal and administrator, Joseph DiSalvo improved educational outcomes for students. Joseph started his career as a teacher at Osborne School, a Santa Clara County Office of Education school in Juvenile Hall. There, he developed his experience in teaching students with special needs and was later instrumental in developing school models designed to serve students with special needs. He went on to serve as an Assistant Principal and Principal at Rogers Middle School, Principal at Leroy Anderson Elementary School, and Principal Thomas Russell Middle School, among others. He served teachers across the county as a Professional Development Instructor for Teachers for the Santa Clara County Office of Education and served as Union President for Santa Clara County Office of Education teachers. During his service, Mr. DiSalvo earned a National Blue Ribbon School nomination and awards for making progress in closing achievement gaps among underserved students. He was also previously recognized as the Association of California School Administrators’ Administrator of the Year.
Joseph Di Salvo: An advocate for education, teachers and your child's future
Some of Joseph's Justice Studies students who had their letters to the editor published in the newspaper. He encourages his students to amplify their voices for justice.
Joseph captured this image of this protester, whose message stood out to him when he was participating in the 2020 Women's March
Joseph Di Salvo: An advocate for education, teachers and your child's future
On the Board of Education, Mr. DiSalvo has a strong record of fighting for students’ needs, especially underrepresented children of color. He expanded teacher recruitment and accreditation programs and fought to protect $1.5M in funding for Head Start early learning programs. He also advocated for and secured increased funding at the state and county level for early learning and career technical education. He is committed to increasing access to high quality pre-K, expand civics education and ensure strong school accountability. He is focused on radically reducing the achievement gap, so students of every background can succeed and will continue to advocate for adequate school funding. Mr. DiSalvo is also experienced in bringing school district leaders and elected school board members together to collaborate and cooperate with school management while encouraging a collective impact strategic plan.
A lifelong San Jose native, Mr. Di Salvo graduated from St. Joseph’s Grammar School and Bellarmine College Preparatory School before attending San Jose State University, where he earned an undergraduate degree and a master’s degree in Education. Currently, Mr. DiSalvo serves as an Adjunct Professor at San Jose State University’s Justice Studies Department. His writing on education has been published widely in local news publications, including San Jose Inside. His wife, Chris, is a professor of public relations at San Jose State University and owns her own public relations business. They have one son, Zack, who attended San Jose Unified School District schools and earned his bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
Joseph looks over a sixth-grade student’s portfolio while principal at Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School back in 2004
Attending Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren's 2019 Women's Luncheon, which celebrated "Women in Our Community Who Have Blazed a Historic and Unforgettable Trail"
Joseph with his wife Chris and CNN reporter Jim Acosta, who was receiving the SJSU School of Journalism and Mass Communications Hearst Award