This explainer was originally published by our news partners CalMatters. Be prepared for California’s midterms: Sign up for CalMatters' free election newsletter and be the first to know when they update the CalMatters 2026 Voter Guide with information on key races.
What does a Superintendent of Public Instruction do?
Local school districts in California largely control their own budgets and curriculum decisions, leaving the state’s superintendent with limited authority. The superintendent will have even less power under a new law that shifts authority to the governor’s office. Starting in 2027, a governor-appointed “education commissioner” will run the Department of Education and many of the superintendent’s duties will be transferred to the state school board. Still, the new superintendent will have a statewide platform to promote policies that affect nearly 6 million public school students. The office is nonpartisan.
The candidates
| Richard Barrera |
Professional background: State Superintendent adviser
Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified school board, was little known outside San Diego until he won the endorsement of the powerful California Teachers Association union. As a Sacramento outsider, he says he can bring a fresh perspective to the job, focusing on boosting school funding, early childhood education and easing the path to becoming a teacher.
Courtesy of Sonja Shaw Campaign
| Sonja Shaw |
Professional background: School district president
President of the Chino Valley School Board, Shaw has been an outspoken opponent of protections for transgender students. She made headlines in 2023 when she presided over a school board meeting where State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond was escorted out during a debate over transgender student rights. Shaw also supports shifting away from “radical ideologies” in the classroom and returning to academic basics.
