Ten candidates are competing for the nonpartisan office, which oversees California’s roughly 10,000 public K-12 schools. The next superintendent will take office at a pivotal moment for education, as districts contend with artificial intelligence in classrooms, uncertain state funding, declining enrollment, uneven test scores and other pressures affecting schools from the Inland Empire to the Bay Area.

The future authority of the office is also uncertain. In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed changing California’s education governance structure in a way that would significantly reduce the superintendent’s responsibilities. Under the proposal, more decision-making power would shift to the 11-member State Board of Education, whose members are appointed by the governor, and to a new education commissioner. The superintendent would function more as a public advocate for education policy.

Newsom has said the change would simplify a bureaucracy he has described as cumbersome and difficult to navigate, while improving transparency and accountability. He has also argued it would bring California more in line with how most other states manage education. Candidates for superintendent have sharply criticized the idea, saying it would weaken voters’ influence and concentrate too much power in the governor’s office.

Both Newsom and current Superintendent Tony Thurmond are completing their terms this year.

The race has been notably quiet compared with previous contests for the office, which have often drawn major spending and sharp debates over charter schools. In an April statewide survey by the Public Policy Institute of California, no candidate had more than 10% support, and 32% of voters remained undecided. As of last week, no candidate had raised more than a few hundred thousand dollars.

That is a sharp contrast with the 2018 race between Thurmond and Marshall Tuck, a former charter school executive, which drew more than $50 million in contributions.

This year, one of the biggest surprises has been the alignment of two groups that have historically been on opposite sides of California’s education battles. The California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association both endorsed Richard Barrera, a San Diego Unified School District board member who was not widely known outside San Diego before the campaign. Both organizations cited his record on the school board and his support for public education.

The joint endorsement reflects a shift in the politics surrounding the superintendent’s race. For much of the past two decades, charter schools dominated campaigns for the office and helped drive millions of dollars in spending. This year, the issue has received far less attention, likely because charter school enrollment appears to have leveled off and both charter and traditional public schools are facing many of the same challenges.

Another closely watched candidate is Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board in San Bernardino County. Shaw drew statewide attention in 2023 after clashing with Thurmond over privacy rights for transgender students. She has centered her campaign on policies opposing LGBTQ+ protections in schools. In the April poll, Shaw was tied with Barrera.

Other prominent candidates include Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, a former chair of the Assembly Education Committee; Josh Newman, a former chair of the Senate Education Committee; Anthony Rendon, a former Assembly speaker and longtime early childhood education program administrator; Nichelle Henderson, a member of the Los Angeles Community College District Board of Trustees; and Ainye Long, a teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District.

The state superintendent position is nonpartisan and pays $210,460 a year.

Original source: CalMatters

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Ten candidates are running for the nonpartisan office, including several longtime state lawmakers and local education leaders. The top two vote-getters will move on to the November election.

The race comes at a difficult moment for public education in California. School systems are facing budget uncertainty, declining enrollment, uneven academic performance, questions about artificial intelligence in classrooms and other pressures affecting campuses from San Bernardino and Riverside counties to Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego.

The future of the office itself is also uncertain. In January, Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed a major restructuring of California’s education governance system that would reduce the superintendent’s authority. Under his plan, most decision-making power would shift to the governor-appointed State Board of Education and a newly appointed education commissioner, while the superintendent would serve more as a public policy advocate.

Newsom has said the change would make the state’s education bureaucracy more transparent and accountable while bringing California closer to how many other states oversee schools. Candidates in the race have criticized the proposal, arguing it would weaken voters’ role in choosing education leadership and give too much power to the governor’s office.

Newsom and current Superintendent Tony Thurmond are both termed out this year.

Unlike past superintendent campaigns, this year’s contest has been relatively quiet. An April poll showed no candidate with more than 10% support, while 32% of voters remained undecided. As of last week, no candidate had raised more than a few hundred thousand dollars. That is a sharp contrast to the 2018 race between Thurmond and former charter school executive Marshall Tuck, which drew more than $50 million in contributions.

One of the most notable developments this year has been the shared endorsement of Richard Barrera, a San Diego Unified school board member, by both the California Teachers Association and the California Charter Schools Association. The two groups have historically been on opposite sides of some of the most expensive and bitter education campaigns in the state.

Their joint support reflects a shift in the politics surrounding charter schools. For much of the past two decades, charter school policy was a defining issue in superintendent races and a major source of campaign spending. This year, it has drawn far less attention, as charter enrollment appears to have leveled off and traditional public schools and charter schools face many of the same statewide challenges.

Also drawing attention is Sonja Shaw, president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board in San Bernardino County. Shaw became a prominent figure in statewide education politics in 2023 after clashing with Thurmond over policies involving transgender students’ privacy rights. She has centered her campaign on opposition to LGBTQ-related school policies. In the April poll, she was tied with Barrera.

Other leading candidates include Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, a former chair of the Assembly Education Committee; Josh Newman, a former chair of the Senate Education Committee; Anthony Rendon, a former Assembly speaker and longtime early education administrator; Nichelle Henderson, a Los Angeles Community College District board member; and Ainye Long, a teacher in San Francisco Unified.

The state superintendent’s job pays $210,460 a year.

Original source: CalMatters

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San Jacinto, CA

The San Jacinto Unified School District Board of Trustees have selected Dr. David Pyle as the district’s new superintendent, effective June 1, 2020, a decision that will be ratified at the Board’s next regular meeting on May 12. Dr. Pyle succeeds Dr. Shari L. Fox, who has served as Interim Superintendent since December 4, 2019. In November 2019, the Board accepted the resignation of Diane Perez, who led the district since 2013. Dr. Pyle has been the Superintendent at Nuview Union School District in Nuevo, California since 2012.

He has 23 years of experience in public education and has served as a teacher (El Rancho USD), assistant principal (Hemet USD), and principal (Nuview Union SD) before taking the helm at Nuview eight years ago. Pyle is a California native who was born and raised in San Diego and earned a bachelor’s degree in Speech/Communication from Long Beach State. He earned his master’s degree in Educational Administration from National University and earned a doctorate in Educational Leadership from Azusa Pacific University.

“His energy, excitement and emphasis on student success, building strong relationships throughout the community and responsible financial management fit perfectly with what we were looking for, and the priorities identified by our stakeholders and employees,” said Mr. John I. Norman, SJUSD Board President. “We had 31 applicants from across the country, and we are incredibly happy to welcome Dr. Pyle to SJUSD and to the families that we serve,” noted Norman. Pyle’s family includes wife, Jen, a Speech Pathologist at Murrieta USD, son Gavin (attends Murrieta High School, daughters Taylor and Alyssa (both attending Boise State University), and daughter Shay (attends San Francisco State University).

“It is with the greatest enthusiasm and appreciation that I have been selected to serve as the next superintendent of the San Jacinto Unified School District,” shared Pyle. “For the past 8 years, I have admired San Jacinto as a neighbor while serving Nuview USD, and I am beyond humbled for the opportunity to serve within the San Jacinto Valley, excited for what is to come in our time together. I am looking forward to meeting the community!” San Jacinto Unified School District serves more than 10,500 students in seven K-5th grade schools, including one Dual Immersion Academy.

Three 6th – 8th grade middle schools, including one Leadership Academy and three 9th – 12th grade high schools (one comprehensive and two alternative). All schools are on a traditional calendar, and the district also operates three Head Start and State Preschool programs as well as a community-based adult transition program for students 18-22 years old.

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