Richard Barrera, president of the San Diego Unified School Board, is in line to become California's next Superintendent of Public Instruction after opponent Sonja Shaw conceded Nov. 5, according to CBS8.

Barrera will succeed outgoing Superintendent Tony Thurmond, who ran for governor instead of seeking reelection.

As of Nov. 4, with nearly 100 percent of election night precincts counted, Barrera held 57.1 percent of the vote to Shaw's 42.9 percent, the Daily Bulletin reported. Shaw, president of the Chino Valley School Board, conceded in a social media statement, saying California voters "made their choice," according to Fox40.

The results remain unofficial. The California Secretary of State's office will certify the final vote count by Dec. 11, according to the Daily Bulletin.

What the job looks like

The superintendent's office is changing before Barrera arrives. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that strips the post of most of its operational authority, EdSource reported. Starting Jan. 15, 2027, a governor-appointed education commissioner will run the California Department of Education and oversee the state's K-12 system.

The superintendent will no longer manage the department. Instead, the role shifts to voting member of the State Board of Education, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, and continued service as a Cal State University trustee and University of California regent, according to EdSource.

The new superintendent and the education commissioner will spend the first six months of 2027 negotiating a job description for the superintendent to bring back to the Legislature, EdSource reported. Both Barrera and Shaw opposed the governance change.

Who is Barrera

Barrera joined the San Diego Unified School Board in 2008 and has served 18 years as a board member in the state's second-largest school district, according to EdSource. He also served as deputy superintendent and senior policy adviser at the California Department of Education starting in 2024, according to his candidate profile.

He earned endorsements from the California Teachers Association, the California Charter School Association and the California Democratic Party. The office of superintendent is officially nonpartisan.

San Diego Unified Superintendent Fabiola Bagula released a statement congratulating Barrera, according to EdSource.

Coronado connection

Coronado is home to Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Base Coronado, and military families make up a significant share of the school community. The average military child attends six to nine different schools between kindergarten and 12th grade, according to the San Diego County Office of Education. The state's Purple Star School Designation Program, run by the California Department of Education, recognizes schools that support military-connected students.

Forty-three San Diego County schools received the 2026 Purple Star designation, according to the county education office.

How the superintendent's reshaped role will affect state education programs, including those serving military families, remains unclear. The superintendent's responsibilities are still being defined, EdSource reported.

The Coronado Unified School District Board of Trustees also appeared on the Nov. 3 ballot. Peggy Duncan, Alexia Palacios-Peters, Malachy Sandie and Kaye McCormick Schneider ran for seats on the board, which oversees district budgets, policies and educational priorities, according to the Coronado News.

The Secretary of State's certification deadline is Dec. 11.