The California Superintendent of Public Instruction is the state’s top education official, leading the California Department of Education (CDE) and overseeing a record $150 billion budget for nearly 6 million public school students across more than 1,000 local school districts. The office was established in the California Constitution and has been independently elected since 1863, making it one of the oldest statewide constitutional offices in California.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction’s responsibilities include:
- Implementing state education policy and overseeing the California Department of Education’s nearly 3,000 employees.
- Administering and distributing state and federal education funding to local school districts.
- Setting and enforcing academic standards, assessments, and accountability systems for K–12 public schools.
- Overseeing teacher credentialing and professional development standards through the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
- Serving as an ex officio member of the State Board of Education, the Regents of the University of California, and the Trustees of the California State University system.
- Using the office’s bully pulpit to advocate for education priorities, promote model policies, and shape the statewide conversation on public education.
An important structural note: Unlike most other statewide offices, the Superintendent’s authority is significantly constrained. Local school districts in California largely control their own budget and curriculum decisions, leaving the state superintendent with limited direct power over day-to-day schooling. The state is currently considering shifting some of the office’s remaining responsibilities to the governor-appointed State Board of Education, which would shrink the role further. In practice, the office wields its greatest influence through the distribution of funds, the bully pulpit, and setting the tone for statewide education policy — not through direct control of schools.
The office is officially nonpartisan. Unlike most other California elections, it is not held under the nonpartisan blanket primary system. Instead, if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the June 2, 2026 primary, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff on November 3, 2026.
Race Synopsis
The 2026 race is the first open contest since 2018, as incumbent Tony Thurmond is term-limited and running for governor. The field is the largest in recent memory, with eight candidates spanning the political spectrum. Key themes include school funding and equity, the response to Trump-era federal education rollbacks, the role of standardized testing, charter school policy, early childhood education, and the ongoing national debate over transgender student rights and classroom curriculum. Nearly a third of California voters are undecided in the race, reflecting low engagement with this down-ballot contest despite its significance.
According to Cal Matters: one issue that’s been glaringly absent in the superintendent race is charter schools. In years past, charter schools were the No. 1 topic in the race. Candidates were deemed to be either “pro-charter” or “anti-charter,” with donations and rhetoric following suit. “Pro-charter” was often interpreted to mean anti-union, leading to an avalanche of rancor from both sides.
But the public, and even the unions, seem to have grown tired of arguing about the independent public schools. One reason is that many charter schools now have unions. Another reason is that because of declining enrollment, charter schools are no longer expanding; they appear to have plateaued at about 10% of overall enrollment.
A more likely reason is that voters see that charter schools and traditional public schools grapple with the same issues, said Marshall Tuck, a former chief executive of the Green Dot charter school network who ran for superintendent in 2018 and 2014. The 2018 election in which he lost to Thurmond was one of the most costly superintendent races ever, with contributions topping $50 million. By comparison, no candidate in the current election has raised more than $1 million so far.
Most schools – regardless of their governance structure – are facing teacher shortages, floundering reading and math scores and lackluster student engagement since the pandemic ended.
“Now that we’ve removed the charter vitriol, we can focus on bigger issues,” said Tuck, who is now chief executive at EdVoice, a policy advocacy organization. “The core issues are the same everywhere.”
Major Candidates
Richard Barrera — President of the San Diego Unified School District Board; endorsed by the California Teachers Association
Nichelle Henderson — Los Angeles Community College District trustee and longtime teacher; endorsed by the California Democratic Legislative Women’s Caucus and the California Legislative Black Caucus
Frank Lara — San Francisco Unified elementary school teacher and former union vice president; endorsed by the Peace and Freedom Party and the Green Party
Gus Mattammal — Silicon Valley tutoring company founder; supports charter schools and school choice alternatives
Al Muratsuchi — State Assemblymember (South Bay LA) and former Assembly Education Committee chair; endorsed by the California Federation of Teachers and the Association of California School Administrators
Josh Newman — Former state senator, former Senate Education Committee chair, and UC Irvine fellow; Army veteran; endorsed by the State Building and Construction Trades Council of California
Anthony Rendon — Former Assembly Speaker (2016–2023) and early childhood education advocate; endorsed by SEIU California, AFSCME, and the California Latino Caucus
Sonja Shaw — President of the Chino Valley Unified School District Board; endorsed by the California Republican Party and Moms for Liberty; prominent opponent of transgender student protections
Media Coverage
CalMatters Voter Guide – Superintendent of Public Instruction
LAist: Superintendent of Public Instruction — Who’s Running and Why It Matters
KPBS: 2026 Primary Election — Superintendent of Public Instruction Race Explainer
CalMatters: Who Will Break Out in the 2026 California Superintendent Election?
CalMatters: As Trump Takes on Education, Candidates Line Up for State’s Top Schools Job
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