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Thida Cornes
Current board member | thidaformvla.com
Top priorities
- Equitable academic opportunities
- Student belonging
- District transparency
Public service
- Mountain View Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees (2022-present)
- Mountain View Parks and Recreation Commission (2009-2016)
Community involvement
- Great Streets Mountain View, co-founder
- Shoreline West Neighborhood Association
- Mountain View Whisman School District Measure G Oversight Committee
- Mountain View Whisman School District District Facilities Committee
Thida Cornes is finishing up her first term on the Mountain View Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees and wants to keep going to continue her work ensuring all students have equitable access to academic opportunities.
Cornes is one of three candidates vying for the Area 3 slot on the five-member board. She’s running against Catherine Vonnegut, also a current board member, and Sanjay Dave, who served on the board from 2016-2024.
This is the first time the district will elect its board members from separate trustee areas, rather than through an at-large system. Previously, residents throughout the district all voted on each trustee. Now, the district is split into five segments, with each area picking one trustee.
Trustee Area 3 encompasses an eastern portion of Mountain View south of Central Expressway, including the Cuesta Park, Old Mountain View and Shoreline West neighborhoods.
Cornes was first elected to the MVLA school board in 2022. She previously served from 2009 to 2016 on the city of Mountain View’s Parks and Recreation Commission. She became interested in joining the commission after her son fell through a gap between steps on an accessible city playground.
“I was the only parent who applied at that time,” Cornes told the Voice.
Cornes unsuccessfully ran for City Council in 2016. She later set her sights on MVLA’s board after she said she heard from parents and students who weren’t feeling sufficiently supported.
“I ran because I believe every student deserves to be set up to succeed, access MVLA’s excellent education, and feel connected and supported,” Cornes said.
If given the opportunity to serve another term, Cornes said she would like to work on providing more emotional support to students who are dealing with external issues, from family challenges to mental health struggles.
“We really need a proactive system of following up with all students and making sure all students have social, emotional, and behavioral support,” she said. “This is something that I personally am very concerned about because we still have students who are falling through the cracks.”
During her time on the board, Cornes has specifically focused on pushing for greater equity in student outcomes. Cornes, a disabled, Anglo-Burmese immigrant, said that her high school experience was filled with both obstacles and opportunities, and that she hopes to make MVLA students feel supported and set up to succeed.
The district has long experienced wide gaps in student achievement among demographic groups. Last school year, just 29% of Latino students in MVLA met or exceeded state standards in math, compared to 73% of white students and 91% of Asian students, according to standardized testing data.
Cornes cast one of the two dissenting votes last year when the board decided to truncate the district’s ethnic studies course from a full year to a single semester. In a recent interview, Cornes said she supported the course because students had reported feeling “seen” and “empowered” after taking it.
“It was also substantive, caring and inclusive learning, and it was building belonging and empowerment for every student and supporting a respectful, caring school climate for everyone,” Cornes said.
The Voice has published an individual profile of each Mountain View Los Altos High School District Board of Trustees candidate. To view those articles, and the rest of our election coverage, head over to our 2026 Election Center.
