Top California public schools chief says he was left out of power shift decision

July 6, 2026 - 02:10

California's top public schools official, State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, says he was deliberately excluded from the negotiations and decision-making process when Governor Gavin Newsom and state lawmakers approved a major education restructuring. The overhaul, which was recently signed into law, strips the Department of Education from the superintendent's direct control and shifts significant authority to a newly created executive branch position.

In a statement released Thursday, Thurmond expressed frustration over being left out of the talks that led to the power shift. He said the decision was made behind closed doors without input from his office or the educators and families he represents. The new law transfers oversight of key education programs, including school funding and accountability measures, to a governor-appointed official, effectively reducing the elected superintendent's role to a largely ceremonial one.

Thurmond, a Democrat who was first elected in 2018, argued that the move undermines the will of California voters, who chose him to lead the state's education system. He warned that centralizing power in the governor's office could lead to political interference in education policy and reduce transparency. Supporters of the overhaul, however, say it will streamline decision-making and improve coordination between the state's education agencies.

The conflict highlights a growing tension between California's elected school chief and the governor's administration over who should control the state's sprawling public school system, which serves nearly six million students. Thurmond has not ruled out legal action to challenge the restructuring.