Orange County is getting its first new superintendent of schools in over a decade.
On Tuesday, the OC Board of Education will decide on appointing a new superintendent to run the county’s department of education which handles payroll, legal and fiscal guidance for school districts and helping several smaller student populations, including continuation schools.
The appointment will replace outgoing Superintendent Al Mijares, who announced his retirement in April amidst his battle with cancer after nearly a year on medical leave.
[Read: Orange County’s School Superintendent to Retire While Battling Cancer]
Mijares has bumped heads with the OC Board of Education members, who are responsible for replacing him, in the past and they have even sued him for more access over his department.
While OC Board of Education has no say over curriculum at school districts across the county, the board has gained attention in recent years tackling a host of controversial issues and lawsuits – including suing Gov. Gavin Newsom for school closures during the pandemic.
This also includes a proposal to ban communism indoctrination, hosting panels on state ethnic studies requirements and recommending schools reopen without mask mandates or social distancing during the height of the pandemic.
The Candidates
Six candidates have applied to take over the reins of the 1,400-person department that also manages ACCESS, which offers continuation school and special needs education to students throughout the county.
The candidates include Ramon Miramontes, the current acting superintendent; Dennis Cole, a Fountain Valley School Board Trustee and the department’s director of district partnerships and operations for OCDE’s Alternative Education division; and Kirsten Vital Brulte, former superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District.
The candidate roster also includes Stefan Bean, who unsuccessfully ran against Mijares in 2022 and is the executive director of Irvine International Academy; Charles Hinman, who has served as superintendent of West Covina Unified School District; and Maria Martinez-Poulin, who served as Deputy Superintendent of Schools of the Los Angeles County Office of Education.
[Read: Meet the Candidates For Superintendent of OC Department of Education]
The OC Board of Education conducted public interviews with the candidates on May 22.
Hinman said in his interview that his calling in life is education and he agrees with the stances the board has taken and the statements they’ve made in the past, calling the COVID school closures a crime.
“I’ve tried to live my career by those same stances,” Hinman said, adding that he refused to close his schools as the West Covina Unified Superintendent when the pandemic kicked off.
“Until one day the governor became the superintendent of my school district and he shut (down) my schools and I was so angry,” he said.
Bean said in his interview that his directive would be to establish an effective working relationship with the board and the number one purpose of education is to teach kids to think critically.
“In the past there has been at times a contentious relationship. That needs to change,” he said. “I hope that one day we can set aside social politics and just get back to the basics of teaching our students academics.”
Vital Brulte said she wants the job because she wants to work with the board and wants to start by focusing on supporting charter schools and superintendents across the county and has relationships with people from every level of government.
“One of my really important skills is that I can see the big picture. I really can think about what are those problems to solve based on goals and those student outcomes,” she said. “I am student centered.”
Martinez-Poulin said the primary purpose of education is to help students think creatively and help build up their understanding of the world around them.
“It’s important for us to keep tabs on what’s happening – what’s interesting to students and how we can help them so they stay engaged, connected and are a part of the instructional day on a day to day basis,” she said.
Miramontes said that he wants to focus on moving students forward and would look to improve the outcome for all learners.
“OCDE’s mission is to equip all our students with competencies needed to thrive in the 21st century and that resonates with me deeply. In my role I have led initiatives to enhance college and career readiness,” he said.
Cole said his life is dedicated to helping kids grow and thrive and that he strives for the same issues as the board members.
“You need someone who agrees with your concerns about issues affecting education and who also knows the internal systems and is trusted in the educational space across Orange County. I fit both these requirements more than anyone,” he said.
He added he’d resign from the Fountain Valley School board if he is selected to serve as the superintendent.
To view the board’s full interview with the candidates, click here.
Who Should Lead?
The Orange County Superintendents Group, a host of superintendents from across OC, wrote a letter to the board calling on them to appoint someone with previous superintendent experience and who will foster a culture of inclusivity.
“The new County Superintendent should have a proven track record of motivating others
to achieve extraordinary results for students and a history of collaborating with
administrators, teachers, students, and the community to improve school culture and student achievement,” reads their May 8 letter to the board.
A host of school board members from across the county also sent a similar letter to the board on May 17.
Ellen Gravitt, president of the Fourth District PTA which represents all OC’s parent teacher association members, urged the board in a letter to pick someone who will partner with parents in the county.
“We have faith that you will choose a candidate that not only has the educational background, but one with the experience and proven record in leading large educational organizations; as well as having a reputation for working closely with families and community partners,” reads a letter to the board.
In Orange County, the county superintendent of schools is an elected position.
Mijares has served in that role since 2012 and is expected to step down from the position in June.
Whoever is appointed Tuesday will complete the rest of Mijares’ current 4-year term expected to end in January 2027 and may run for the position in 2026.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at helattar@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.
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