Newsom Proposes Shift Over State Superintendent Of Public Instruction
Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed shifting the state superintendent of public instruction’s executive and administrative duties to a new education commissioner appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state Senate. California voters are set to choose the next schools chief on June 2, and 10 candidates are now running under the shadow of that proposal.
Rendon Rejects Newsom Plan
Anthony Rendon said at a recent online candidate forum that he would fight the changes. He said, “I wouldn’t accept the changes. I would fight against them,” and added, “There’s a reason we have an independently elected superintendent of public instruction. … For the governor and the legislature to do this, particularly without approval of Californians, is undemocratic. It’s a concentration of power.”
Rendon, a former Assembly speaker, tied his criticism to the structure of the office voters are choosing. The proposal would move duties now handled by the state’s elected schools chief to a commissioner chosen by Newsom and subject to Senate confirmation.
Muratsuchi Cites Funding Deferral
Al Muratsuchi, an Assemblymember from Torrance and another candidate, said he opposes the proposed changes. He pointed to Newsom’s attempt to temporarily withhold $3.9 billion in state education funds and said, “That’s a classic example as to why we don’t want to consolidate more power with the governor who has competing interests, who’s not laser focused on championing public education,”
Newsom said the funding deferral is necessary to create a cushion for uncertain state revenue projections. Educators argued the move would further exacerbate teacher shortages and threaten students’ education, while California school districts have been struggling with multimillion-dollar budget deficits and laying off thousands of staff.
Thurmond Faces Open Race
Current State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond said earlier this year that he was blindsided by the proposed changes. Thurmond, who is running for California governor, said some aspects of Newsom’s plan could be beneficial, but he also said the proposal lacks structure and shifts authority away from the official elected by California voters to lead the state’s public schools.
The race remains open and crowded, and none of the ballot-qualified candidates has dropped out since Newsom announced the overhaul earlier this year. A statewide April poll from the Public Policy Institute of California found that 32% of likely voters were still undecided, leaving the contest unsettled as California schools continue to face at least 2,400 preliminary layoff notices and academic scores that trail national averages.
