Don Shalvey Tribute Fund

In March, California lost its most affable and persistently cheerful resident, Donald Shalvey, godfather of the California charter school movement.

Don arrived in California during the summer of 1967– the “Summer of Love”-- and spent the next 57 years serving the Central Valley and Bay Area, as a teacher, counselor, teacher mentor, principal, superintendent, charter school founder, and, eventually, deputy director of the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation’s education team. He ended his career as CEO of San Joaquin A+, improving educational opportunities for children in Stockton and SJ County, and as Regent of the University of the Pacific.

Don was a galvanizing force in national efforts to find solutions to the country’s most difficult education problems. He was an inaugural member of the Annenberg Superintendent Leadership Forum, the prestigious Pahara cohort of 2013, the Aspen Global Leadership Network and a recipient of an Ashoka Fellowship.

For the last two decades, Don lived on a ranch with his wife and fellow educator, Sue, in Linden in the Central Valley with son, Brian, a former Navy SEAL. Living nearby in Acampo is daughter, Megan Anderson, an educator and equestrian, granddaughter Grace and son-in-law Luke Anderson. In addition, he is survived by brothers-in-law Michael Machado (Diane) and Greg Machado (Michelle); many cousins including Peggy Roesch (Warren), nephews Erahm Machado (Emilie), David Machado (Annie), Stephen Machado (Lodi), Matthew Machado (Maddie) and niece Melissa Cheney (Drew).

“Here in the San Joaquin Valley, the quality of what we cultivate – our grapes, walnuts, cherries, and tomatoes – is known for being among the very best in the world. We envision a world where our education system is known for the same high quality, where we cultivate minds as well as we cultivate crops.” (Don Shalvey, 1944-2024)