Orange County Department of Education Superintendent Al Mijares announced his retirement today, publicly revealing his battle with cancer over the past year and setting his last day for the end of June.
His retirement comes less than a month after he told staff he planned to return to work in July after taking nearly a year on paid medical leave without publicly disclosing his absence.
[Read: Orange County Superintendent Quietly Misses a Year on Medical Leave]
In a letter published to the Department’s website on Friday afternoon, Mijares said that while he’d previously announced plans to return this summer, later discussions with his family and doctor caused him to reconsider.
“It has become clear that I must choose a different path. With the best interests of the Orange County Department of Education in mind, and for the sake of my health, I am announcing my retirement, effective June 30,” Mijares wrote. “Having surpassed the age at which many choose to retire, I know in my heart that it is time to pass the reins to new leaders.”
He also acknowledged his past decision not to share his health issues publicly, announcing for the first time he’d been struggling with cancer since his reelection in 2022.
“Anyone whose life has been impacted by this type of diagnosis knows it can be an uneven journey fraught with challenges — and countless medical consultations. My own road has been both humbling and enlightening, but I have not traveled it alone,” Mijares wrote, praising his family and his doctors for their support.
Mijares spent six years as vice president at the College Board – a nonprofit aimed at getting high schoolers into college – before his appointment to county superintendent in 2022.
He won elections in 2014 and 2018, running unopposed in those election cycles. And he won 54% of the vote in 2022.
Mijares also served more than 11 years as superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified School District, one of the county’s largest school districts.
Tim Shaw, the current chair of the Orange County Board of Education, praised Mijares work over his time as superintendent.
“Dr. Mijares has had a long and distinguished career as a superintendent,” Shaw said in a phone interview on Friday afternoon. “We’re just wishing him the best.”
Who Could Replace Mijares?
Deputy Superintendent Ramon Miramontes has been serving as acting superintendent since August and there are no plans yet on who Mijares replacement may be.
Shaw declined to comment on what actions the board might take to appoint a replacement until Mijares’ term ends in 2026, at which point the position would be up on the ballot for voters.
In his letter, Mijares said Miramontes would hold onto the top job until the board of education appointed someone to replace him.
“Ramon has shown considerable wisdom and enthusiasm, embodying the mission, vision and values of our organization. He will continue to lead our department alongside OCDE’s leadership team,” Mijares wrote.
The county Board of Education and Mijares have repeatedly clashed over policy in the past, and in the 2022 election four of the five board members endorsed Mijares’ opponent Stefan Bean, a former charter school superintendent.
[Read: OC Voters Asked To Pick Their County Schools Superintendent For First Time In Over Two Decades]
Noah Biesiada is a Voice of OC reporter and corps member with Report for America, a GroundTruth initiative. Contact him at nbiesiada@voiceofoc.org or on Twitter @NBiesiada.
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