A smaller job
Starting in 2027, a commissioner of education appointed by the governor will run the California Department of Education, according to CalMatters. The official voter guide now describes the superintendent as the state's independently elected, nonpartisan voice on education, an advocate to the Legislature and governor, and a voting member of the governing boards from transitional kindergarten through higher education.
Richard Barrera
Barrera is president of the San Diego Unified school board and an 18-year member, and he is backed by the California Teachers Association. His statement credits the district's improvement on the Nation's Report Card, says he worked to keep immigration agents out of schools and supported LGBTQ students, and lists endorsements from the California Federation of Teachers, the California School Employees Association, Planned Parenthood and the California Democratic Party. His ballot designation is State Superintendent Advisor.
Sonja Shaw
Shaw is president of the Chino Valley Unified board, where she has opposed protections for transgender students, CalMatters reports. Outgoing Superintendent Tony Thurmond was escorted out of a 2023 board meeting she presided over. Her statement says fewer than half of California students read and write at grade level, says Chino Valley refocused on core subjects and "protected girls' sports and private spaces," and promises to protect Title IX and cut bureaucracy.
Party labels don't appear next to their names on the ballot because the office is nonpartisan.
How to vote
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Polls and vote centers close at 8 p.m., and mailed ballots must be postmarked by Election Day and arrive within seven days. You can check your registration and ballot status at sos.ca.gov/elections. California lets you register and vote the same day at a vote center.
More races and measures: our 2026 election hub.