California Department of Education

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The California Department of Education is a California agency that oversees public education. The Department oversees funding, testing, and holds local educational agencies accountable for student achievement. It's stated mission "is to provide leadership, assistance, oversight, and resources so that every Californian has access to an education that meets world-class standards."[1]

The department is headed by the California Superintendent of Public Instruction, or SPI, which is a nonpartisan elected executive office position; superintendents serve four-year terms. The current Superintendent of Public Instruction is Jack O'Connell. The position is a former partisan position. The Superintendent serves as the state’s chief spokesperson for public schools, and provides education policy and direction to local school districts. He also serves as an ex-officio member of governing boards of the state’s higher education system.

[edit] List of California Superintendents of Public Instruction

Name	Party	Date Assumed Office
John G. Marvin	D	Jan. 1, 1851
Paul K. Hubbs	D	Jan. 1, 1854
Andrew J. Moulder	D	Jan. 1, 1857
John Swett	Un	Jan. 2, 1863
Oscar Penn Fitzgerald	D	Dec. 2, 1867
Henry N. Bolander	R	Dec. 4, 1871
Ezra S. Carr	R	Dec. 6, 1875
Frederick M. Campbell	R	Jan. 5, 1880
William T. Welcker	D	Jan. 8, 1883
Ira G. Hoitt	R	Jan. 3, 1887
J.W. Anderson	R	Jan. 5, 1891
Samuel T. Black	R	Jan. 7, 1895
Charles T. Meredith	D	Sep. 24, 1898
Thomas J. Kirk	R	Jan. 2, 1899
Edward Hyatt	R	Jan. 7, 1907
Will C. Wood	NP	Jan. 6, 1919
William John Cooper	NP	Jan. 20, 1927
Vierling C. Kersey	NP	Feb. 11, 1929
Walter F. Dexter	NP	Feb. 1, 1937
Roy E. Simpson	NP	Nov. 13, 1945
Max Rafferty	NP	Jan. 7, 1963
Wilson C. Riles	NP	Jan. 4, 1971
Bill Honig	NP	Jan. 3, 1983
Vacancy		Feb. 24, 1993
Delaine Eastin	NP	Jan. 2, 1995
Jack O'Connell	NP	Jan. 5, 2003