Instead, that department would be run by an appointee of the state Board of Education. The elected state superintendent runs the state Department of Education and serves as the administrative lead for the state Board of Education. In some areas, he answers to the authority of the state board; in others, he does not. The governor appoints the state board, which approves the wording of state education policies. Thurmond said that even under the current structure, underfunding of the state Education Department limits its effectiveness.

Source: Los Angeles Times January 09, 2026 12:38 UTC