30 Facts About Delaine Eastin

Delaine Andree Eastin was an American politician and educator from California.

Delaine Eastin was born in San Diego, California, where her father served in the United States Navy.

Delaine Eastin's parents enrolled her in elementary school in San Francisco, where she was one of 44 children in the second-grade classroom.

The family moved to San Carlos shortly thereafter, where Delaine Eastin's parents enrolled her in a school where she was one of 20 children.

Delaine Eastin received her bachelor's degree from the University of California, Davis and her Master of Arts degree in political science from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1971.

Delaine Eastin began her political career in 1980 as a member of the Union City Council.

Delaine Eastin represented the city on the Solid Waste Management Authority, where she successfully advocated for a Recycling Subcommittee.

Delaine Eastin chaired the SWMA and she represented Union City on the Association of Bay Area Governments.

Delaine Eastin's leadership garnered the "Rookie of the Year" acknowledgment from the California Journal, a non-partisan analytical journal that reported on the state legislature.

Delaine Eastin served four terms in the state assembly, representing parts of Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

Delaine Eastin wrote legislation to enhance school safety and increase parent involvement.

Delaine Eastin received the prestigious Crystal Apple Award from the American Library Association.

Delaine Eastin was given the Inspirational Leader Award from Kidango.

Delaine Eastin received alumni awards from both UC Davis and UC Santa Barbara.

Delaine Eastin's advocacy persuaded the governor and the legislature to invest $2.3 billion in cutting class sizes.

Delaine Eastin implemented a new statewide test and established a new system to increase the accountability of every school and district in the state.

Delaine Eastin was the architect of the first NetDay, held on March 9,1996, where 20,000 volunteers joined Delaine Eastin, President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and much of the Clinton Cabinet in an electronic "barn raising".

Delaine Eastin called for a Garden In Every School in 1995.

Delaine Eastin enlisted California as the first state to join the Clinton Team Nutrition effort for improved nutrition in schools.

Delaine Eastin oversaw a series of curriculum guides on how to teach the academic content standards in the context of nutrition, gardening, and cooking.

Delaine Eastin visited schools in all 58 counties, keeping her commitment to visit a school a week on average.

Delaine Eastin championed Universal Preschool and had a Preschool Task Force made up of educators, business leaders, civil rights advocates, and children's advocates.

Delaine Eastin was unable to run for a third term in 2002 due to term limits and was succeeded by former state senator Jack O'Connell.

Delaine Eastin Elementary is under New Haven Unified School District in Union City.

Delaine Eastin returned to California to teach at Mills College from 2004 to 2008 as a distinguished visiting professor of education, where Delaine Eastin taught courses in public policy, education administrative theory, education leadership, and politics.

From 2008 Delaine Eastin was a speaker and board member on education policy, nutrition, and electing women to public office issues.

Delaine Eastin was board president of Close the Gap CA, a campaign to increase the number of progressive women in the California Legislature by recruiting talented, progressive women to run for targeted winnable seats.

In November 2016, Delaine Eastin announced her candidacy for the 2018 California gubernatorial election.

In March 2021, Delaine Eastin announced her candidacy for chair of California Democratic Party, challenging incumbent Rusty Hicks.

Delaine Eastin died on April 23,2024, at the age of 76 at her home in Davis, California due to complications from a stroke.