Overview
- Under the plan, operational control of the California Department of Education would move from the elected superintendent to the governor acting through the State Board, which would appoint a director to run the department.
- The proposal is folded into the state budget and requires legislative approval, with officials indicating changes would take effect after 2026.
- Newsom frames the move as long-recommended realignment to resolve fragmented authority, echoing findings in a December PACE report and earlier state studies.
- Initial support includes the Association of California School Administrators, the California Association of School Business Officials, Californians Together and EdTrust-West.
- State Superintendent Tony Thurmond voiced concerns about diminishing the office’s authority even as he praised Newsom’s broader education record; he terms out in 2026 and is running for governor.