For the first time, Dr. César Morales has been elected by voters as Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. He was initially appointed to the role in 2021 by the Ventura County Board of Education to fill the vacancy left by the retirement of former Superintendent Stan Mantooth. Upon his appointment, Dr. Morales made history by becoming the first Latino and first person of color to hold the office since it was created in 1873. Dr. Morales ran unopposed in yesterday’s primary election. His new term will run through 2026.
“I’m extremely gratified to have the opportunity to serve as Ventura County Superintendent of Schools for the next four years,” Dr. Morales said. “As local schools deal with declining enrollment and issues surrounding school safety and student mental health, my office will be at their side to find solutions and strategies that best meet students’ needs.”
Since becoming Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Morales has worked on behalf of Ventura County students and educators during a time of incredible challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He assisted local school districts in responding to continually changing guidance and served as a critical liaison between Ventura County schools and public health decision-makers at the state and local levels. His advocacy helped ensure that all Ventura County school employees were among the first to be vaccinated in support of the effort to resume in-person learning.
In addition to his involvement with pandemic-related issues, Dr. Morales has worked to expand educational opportunity by launching the first-ever Equity Conference presented by the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). He has also reorganized and refocused VCOE to make the agency more responsive to the needs of the county’s school districts and charter schools.
More About Dr. Morales
Dr. Morales was appointed as Ventura County Superintendent of Schools on March 29, 2021, by the Ventura County Board of Education following a nationwide search. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Morales served as the Deputy Superintendent of the Ventura County Office of Education.
Dr. Morales came to VCOE in 2019 as Associate Superintendent, Student Services. Before that, he served for nearly six years as the Superintendent of the Oxnard School District. He has held leadership roles in the Lawndale and Lennox School Districts in Los Angeles County. He also has experience in the classroom as a middle and high school teacher. Dr. Morales received his Doctor of Education degree from UCLA and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Loyola Marymount University.
In February, Dr. Morales was selected as the recipient of the 2022 Marcus Foster Memorial Award for Administrator Excellence by Region 13 of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA).
As County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Morales leads the Ventura County Office of Education, an agency that employs more than 700 people and provides teacher training and administrative support services to all of Ventura County’s 20 school districts. VCOE also operates schools for students with special needs and at-risk students and provides career education for students countywide.