Assembly leaders rewrite Newsom’s plan to redefine role of state schools superintendent

GOV. GAVIN NEWSOM’S PLAN to shift control of the Department of Education from the state superintendent of public instruction to a new education commissioner under future governors’ authority passed its first test in the Legislature last week — but probably not the way Newsom expected.

The bill, which the Assembly Education Committee passed unanimously, differed significantly from the governor’s proposal in redefining the role of the state superintendent and in tilting more power to the Legislature.