Jia-Jing Lee
She/Her
Election history: 1st-time candidate for School Committee
She/Her
Election history: 1st-time candidate for School Committee
Dr. Jia-Jing Lee earned her PhD studying the genetics of thyroid cancer and moved to Cambridge in 2009, during her Postdoc Fellowship at Harvard Medical School.
Jia-Jing is parent of two CPS students, including one with special needs. An early bad experience with the Individualized Education Program led her to home school for several years, before her children returned to CPS. Jia-Jing's child was a student at Kenney-Longfellow leading up to its closure.
She speaks four languages, has lived in five countries, and her campaign website supports eight languages.
Jia-Jing Lee credits her experience during the Kennedy-Longfellow closure saga as an impetus for running for School Committee. She was a vocal critic of the communication surrounding the closure, and found herself informing and advocating on behalf of non-native speaking families.
Jia-Jing's priorities include more Family Engagement, more public comment/meetings, better multi-lingual support for communications, and accountability/feedback mechanisms for Superintendent and School Committee. She wants to see more direct classroom funding, rather than overhead, and an emphasis on individualized approaches to student needs. She favors project-based learning over test-driven instruction.
She is in favor of reviewing the Controlled Choice school selection program, citing that its last full review came in 2013.
Relying heavily on standardized tests does not meaningfully measure student progress. We need assessments grounded in data and guided by educators’ professional expertise.
| Organization | Cambridge? | Union? | View |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cambridge Citizens Coalition | |||
| Cambridge Residents Alliance | this cycle |
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Pedestrian and cycling safety, policy, infrastructure, governance
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; 12 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
Lengthy panel on progressive issues; 12 respondents. This is the first year this has appeared.
If Cambridge schools should adopt (or adhere to possible state adoption) of the IHRA definition
If Cambridge schools should adopt (or adhere to possible state adoption) of the IHRA definition
Forum run by the Cambridge Education Association union
Forum run by the Cambridge Education Association union
A two-panel candidate night hosted by the Cambridge Advanced Learning Association focused on achievement gaps and advanced learners.
A two-panel candidate night hosted by the Cambridge Advanced Learning Association focused on achievement gaps and advanced learners.
Roundtable discussion focused on "why" candidates want to run
Roundtable discussion focused on "why" candidates want to run
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association School Committee Candidate Night 2025
Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association School Committee Candidate Night 2025
“If the district had truly communicated with the community, we might have avoided the frustrations and perhaps the sudden closure of the school,” challenger Jia-Jing Lee said, referencing last year’s vote to close the Kennedy-Longfellow school.
“Whether it’s controlled choice of the enrollment, the budget, or the curriculum, we need to sit together and truly listen and make the decisions together,” she added.
Oct. 10, 2025 — Dionise Guerra-Carrillo“If the district had truly communicated with the community, we might have avoided the frustrations and perhaps the sudden closure of the school,” challenger Jia-Jing Lee said, referencing last year’s vote to close the Kennedy-Longfellow school.
“Whether it’s controlled choice of the enrollment, the budget, or the curriculum, we need to sit together and truly listen and make the decisions together,” she added.
Both Anne M. Coburn and Jia-Jing Lee have children who attended K-Lo before its closure — an important motivating factor in their decision to run.
Sept. 9, 2025 — Ayaan Ahmad and Claire A. MichalBoth Anne M. Coburn and Jia-Jing Lee have children who attended K-Lo before its closure — an important motivating factor in their decision to run.
Lee came away from the K-Lo experience feeling that transparency in the district could be improved and that communication is very “one-sided.”
“There was no discussion, despite consistent requests from the community, teachers, parents,” she said. Should she be elected, Lee said she will increase communication with teachers and make sure stakeholders are “on board” with big decisions.
“I have to seek feedback with all stakeholders. That’s what the School Committee should be,” she said.
Aug. 17, 2025 — Meg RichardsLee came away from the K-Lo experience feeling that transparency in the district could be improved and that communication is very “one-sided.”
“There was no discussion, despite consistent requests from the community, teachers, parents,” she said. Should she be elected, Lee said she will increase communication with teachers and make sure stakeholders are “on board” with big decisions.
“I have to seek feedback with all stakeholders. That’s what the School Committee should be,” she said.