Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1545867
J U S T W E E K S A F T E R millions of Californians cast votes to choose our next State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature moved quickly to change who runs the California Department of Education. A new Education Commissioner, appointed by the governor, will have the power and authority previously held by the State SPI. Voters have rejected four past attempts to remove or change the role of our elected State Superintendent. This time, Newsom and legislators torpedoed sig- nificant changes to the role and removed all authority through the budget process — removing important opportunities for the public and educators to weigh in with concerns and questions. The process was undemocratic and the end result removes critical checks and balances and threatens stability in our schools and classrooms. Our union joined our partners in labor in calling on the chairs of the Assembly and Senate Budget Committees to reject this flawed plan. The Legislature narrowly approved Newsom's proposal on July 1. Replacing the state superin- tendent of public instruction with a governor-appointed education commissioner will take effect on Jan. 15, 2027. Stay tuned for ongoing news on cta.org. Governor and Legislature Strip Authority from SPI 29 S U M M E R 2 0 26