FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NEARLY A DECADE, Contra Costa County voters are preparing to elect a new county superintendent of schools in June.
In recent years, the Contra Costa County Office of Education (CCCOE) superintendent position has become a central player in issues ranging from student mental health to literacy and equity in public education.
Current Superintendent Lynn Mackey has held the position since November 2018. She is retiring and will hand it off to one of two candidates this summer: Antioch Unified School District Board of Trustees President Jag Lathan or Dana Eaton, Brentwood Union School District superintendent.
According to the CCCOE website, the official superintendent position’s purpose is to “monitor and approve all budgets for school districts in Contra Costa County” and to “serve as an advocate for education with the legislature and the public” while administering and advising educational programs in the county.
But according to Mackey, the role — as well as the broader education space — has evolved in many ways from when she first took office nearly a decade ago, mainly due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Education today is far more complex than it was even 10 years ago. There has been a major shift toward understanding the whole child, not just academic performance,” Mackey said. “Schools are now expected to address social-emotional needs, family engagement, school climate, and student wellness in much deeper ways.”
Mackey added that these changes have led to a more diverse array of responsibilities for the superintendent, who now would need to adapt to “rising expectations” from the public and pressures from social media.
With this onset of new responsibilities, Mackey said the next superintendent will have many challenges in navigating this new and expanded education system.
“Districts are facing declining enrollment, financial pressures, staffing shortages, and increasing student behavioral and mental health needs. At the same time, county offices are being asked to do more with limited resources,” Mackey explained. “The next superintendent will need to continue strengthening services for vulnerable student populations, including students in alternative education, special education, multilingual learners, and students facing significant social-emotional challenges.”
Facing modern day challenges
Both superintendent candidates have promised to address many of these issues that come with the changing education world — such as mental health and a lack of support for the marginalized student population — in their campaigns.
Lathan said as the county superintendent, she would ensure “funding and supports are kept closest to COE classrooms, investing in the educators who power our schools … and partnering with families as essential voices in every student’s success,” as part of her campaign.
Eaton similarly said in his campaign that his priorities would be to “promote fiscal responsibility and accountability, recruit, develop, and retain excellent educators, empower families and student voice,” and “support student mental health.”
Mackey said that to navigate this new educational space, the future superintendent will have to be able to understand both the “operational side” and the “human side” of education, understanding traditional education issues like the budget, but also being able to work for student well-being by taking in family and student feedback.
“The next superintendent will need to be collaborative, calm under pressure, and deeply committed to public education and public service … along with the ability to build relationships across very different groups and perspectives,” Mackey said. “They will need financial and organizational knowledge, but also empathy, good judgment and the ability to listen.”
As the voting season comes to an end, the public will decide on June 2 whether Eaton or Lathan will oversee Contra Costa County schools as superintendent to help the county adjust to an evolving education world.
The new superintendent will “need to keep students at the center of decision-making while supporting the educators and staff who serve them every day,” Mackey said.
Keerthi Eraniyan is an 11th grader at California High School in San Ramon. This story originally appeared in CCSpin.