The proposal arrives as the Trump administration moves to dismantle the federal Department of Education and shift its responsibilities to states, increasing the stakes of California’s own governance structure — one that policy analysts have long described as fragmented, redundant, and sometimes at cross purposes with itself.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday proposed reducing the authority of the state’s elected State Superintendent of Public Instruction and placing day-to-day control of K-12 schools under the State Board of Education, an 11-member panel he appoints.

Under the plan, the board would absorb the California Department of Education, which currently operates under the superintendent’s direction. The superintendent would take on a broader advisory role, with the proposal describing the new mandate as fostering “coordination and alignment of state education policies from early childhood through post secondary education.” The proposal offered no further details on how that responsibility would function in practice.

“These critical reforms will bring greater accountability, clarity and coherence to how we serve our students and schools,” Newsom said.

The proposal arrives as the Trump administration moves to shutter the federal Department of Education and spin off its duties to states and other federal agencies, increasing the responsibilities states bear for educating children. Newsom said California “can no longer postpone reforms that have been recommended regularly for a century,” citing previous reports that called for governance changes, including ones from 2002 and as far back as 1920.

California is one of only nine states that elects its top schools official. In most states, the position is appointed by the governor or a board of education, according to research by the Education Commission of the States.

Policy Analysis for California Education, known as PACE, issued a report in December calling for a similar restructuring of the state’s school governance. The report’s authors wrote that “the need for stronger, more coherent governance has never been greater,” citing fiscal pressures on schools alongside deepening educational inequities and the lasting effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning. PACE recommended that the Department of Education be run by an administrator appointed by the State Board of Education, with the superintendent serving as an independent accountability advocate — largely the structure Newsom proposed.

Efforts to restructure the role of the state superintendent have stalled before. In 2023, a constitutional amendment, ACA 9, by then-Assemblyman Kevin McCarty, a Democrat from Sacramento, would have made the position governor-appointed. McCarty withdrew the measure after the California Teachers Association, the California School Boards Association, and other groups opposed it.

Coalition support

Newsom’s proposal drew backing from the Association of California School Administrators, the California Association of School Business Officials, Californians Together, which advocates for English learners, and EdTrust-West, a research and advocacy organization focused on educational equity.

“For far too long, California’s fractured education governance system has contributed to persistent inequities disproportionately impacting low-income students, students of color and multilingual learners,” said Christopher Nellum, executive director of EdTrust-West. “EdTrust-West commends Governor Newsom for championing these essential reforms.”

Thurmond’s departure

The current superintendent, Tony Thurmond, is serving his second and final term and leaves office in 2026. He is running for governor. During his tenure, the department expanded literacy programs, community schools, and student wellness initiatives. Thurmond also faced criticism for working side jobs and for what employees described as a toxic workplace.

The proposal requires action by the California Legislature to take effect.