California has about 5.7 million students in preschool through high school, not to mention older students enrolled in adult education. The needs of all those students — whether they have a disability or are advanced learners, and whether they’re low-income or still learning English — are varied.
To meet those demands, the person in charge of providing guidance to local school districts to support students and improve academic performance is the state superintendent of public instruction.
Superintendent Tony Thurmond is termed out and cannot seek reelection — he is instead running for governor — and 10 people have thrown their hats in the ring to become the state’s next top schools chief in this nonpartisan race.
The candidates whose names appear on the June 2 primary ballot include Richard Barrera, a California Department of Education senior policy advisor; Nichelle Henderson, a California State University system faculty advisor; Frank Lara, executive vice president of United Educators of San Francisco; Wendy Castaneda Leal, a Kern County school superintendent; Ainye Long, a public school teacher from Oakland; and Gus Mattammal, director of a test preparation and tutoring company in Silicon Valley.
Also running are Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, former state senator Josh Newman, former Assembly speaker Anthony Rendon and Chino Valley Unified School District board President Sonja Shaw.
We asked each candidate to answer a series of questions related to their vision for leading the state’s public school system, from teaching reading and the use of artificial intelligence and cellphones in classrooms, to addressing disruptions in student learning caused by immigration enforcement actions or other events and mandatory vaccines for students. All but two — Castaneda Leal and Long — responded. Below is a sampling of their responses to various topics.
Teaching reading
Far too many of California’s students are still not reading at grade level. To improve the situation, several of the candidates mentioned their support for a “science-of-reading” curriculum, based on research of effective literacy instruction.
Among them was Muratsuchi, who previously chaired the Assembly Education Committee and co-authored a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom signed requiring the state Board of Education to adopt instructional materials that support evidence-based literacy instruction.
Mattamal pledged that if elected, the office would create a reading model, then tell districts they must transition to a science-of-reading curriculum.
“At the end of that year … districts that have not adopted the science of reading will get a visit from the GusBus, and my team and I will make sure everyone in that community understands exactly who in the district’s leadership is stubbornly choosing to use outdated and ineffective methods to teach reading to the kids,” Mattamal said.
Henderson also spoke of a need for curriculum overhaul. For over two decades, she said, Black and Latino students in California have been steadily falling behind because there is no accountability or plan to address cracks in the system. The state should return to the basics — or the “old school” way — of teaching reading, she said.
The goal would be “teaching students how to read for not just fluency, but understanding, and communicate in the spoken word and in writing for articulation of thoughts and ideas,” Henderson said.
Artificial intelligence
Like it or not, AI is here, and it can be a tool for education or detrimental to learning and youth development without proper safeguards, many of the candidates said. A number of them also agreed that the state ought to establish standards for addressing privacy and data security.
Shaw said she’d create a commission to track developments in AI technology, review real-world implementation of it in classrooms and determine how AI can be used effectively as a teaching tool “rather than a crutch.” And, in recognition of AI’s potential to radically influence career pathways, she wants to invest in vocational and technical education.
Rendon said children need to be prepared for an increasingly tech-centered world — but that shouldn’t come at the expense of learning the fundamentals.
“Excessive screen time and use of AI is taking a real toll: students are struggling with literacy, focus, and mental health — and technology is clearly a contributing factor,” Rendon said. “We should be teaching children to think for themselves, not to default to a screen.”
Lara said the state should have AI guidelines that, at a minimum, address student safety and access to data.
“We should ensure that reliance on AI does not reduce critical thinking skills, does not replace the workforce and does not have unintended consequences for our young people,” Lara said, adding that decisions about AI use in classrooms should ultimately be determined by workers, educators, parents and students.
Cellphones and screen time
Many of the candidates also expressed concerns that students are spending too much time on cellphones and other devices.
Barrera supports limiting non-instructional phone use at school. For laptops and tablets, he said devices should be used when they clearly support learning goals, not by default.
“In early grades, schools should protect time for reading, writing, and direct interaction with teachers and peers,” Barrera said. “In later grades, devices can be useful, but the use should be structured and aligned to instruction.”
Mattamal supports strict limits on screen time in elementary school and moderate limits in middle school. In addition, he would advocate for a “bell-to-bell” cellphone ban, where students’ phones are put away when they arrive at school and don’t come out again until they go home.
“If a parent needs to reach their child, they can call the office, and school staff can relay the message or allow the student to step out of class to talk to the parent,” Mattamal said. “This process worked well for 100 years before the arrival of cellphones.”
Muratsuchi pointed to his 2019 bill, which Newsom signed, allowing school districts to ban or limit cellphone use at school.
“As state superintendent, I will continue to lead in advocating for state education policies to ensure that all types of devices promote, rather than undermine, student success and well-being,” he said.
To limit screen time, Newman said California should encourage districts to adopt device-free zones and “tech-light” periods during the school day, particularly in elementary and middle school.
“The goal isn’t banning technology; it’s restoring balance, reducing distractions and ensuring that devices serve learning and not the other way around,” Newman said.
Pandemic and ICE disruptions
Over the past several years, COVID-related school shutdowns and federal immigration enforcement actions near schools have disrupted student learning. The candidates were asked what the state could do to ensure students continue to learn and be supported.
“The state could work with school districts to create plans of action on how students access the curriculum when not physically in a classroom, how they are protected while traveling to and from school and appropriate options for schools to creatively provide accommodations, such as hybrid options,” said Henderson.
She added that students should have access to mental health supports.
Barrera stressed the importance of stability for students to concentrate and learn.
“Immigration enforcement has added another layer of stress for many families,” Barrera said. “California schools should remain safe places for students. That means protecting student privacy, supporting sanctuary school practices, and providing districts with clear guidance so families are not afraid to engage with schools.”
Barrera said the state superintendent’s job is to ensure districts have clear direction, support and consistent civil rights protections to maintain safe schools.
According to Castaneda Leal’s campaign website, her proposed general action plan includes closing the equity gap, supporting multilingual learners and providing wrap-around services for low-income families.
Long also said on her website that she wants to expand learning opportunities, including early education and early intervention; use interim assessments to provide “growth-centered” supports; and shift school funding from a model based on attendance to one based on enrollment.
Vaccine schedules
Earlier this year, the California Department of Public Health rejected new recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to scale back routine childhood vaccines. The state continues to follow the vaccine schedule endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
“I believe in the vaccine schedule. Our schools have vaccine requirements that need to be adhered to. I will work to help school districts fairly enforce the law,” said Rendon.
Shaw, meanwhile, said school districts should inform families about the requirements and their options in a way that respects families’ concerns.
“Concerned parents deserve dialogue and direct answers, not lectures,” she said. “Many have legitimate questions about vaccine safety and potential long-term effects on their children. We will address these concerns by providing transparent, up-to-date information about vaccine safety, without spin or censorship.”
Newman also emphasized the need for respectful conversations. He said that as superintendent, he’d partner with pediatricians, county health departments and community organizations to provide multi-lingual materials “that answer common questions, without judgment or jargon.”
“When concerns arise, the Department of Education should embrace a tone of respect and clarity, acknowledging parents’ concerns while reinforcing the state’s responsibility to keep schools safe through transparent communication and a consistent, statewide framework grounded in both science and trust,” Newman said.
Lara said community schools — which provide wraparound services to students and their families, such as onsite healthcare, afterschool programs and additional resources — can play a role in increasing vaccination rates by partnering with a local clinic to get more students immunized.
To read more of the candidates’ responses, check out our online voter guide.
Unlike other statewide contests, in the race for superintendent of public instruction, if a candidate gets more than 50% of the vote in the primary election, that person would win outright, and there would be no run-off election. But if no candidate receives more than half the votes, the top two vote-getters in the primary would face off in the November general election.