The Orange County Board of Education will select the next person to fill the superintendent job this evening, according to its president, Tim Shaw.
Longtime Superintendent Al Mijares is retiring from the post at the end of June, amid a cancer diagnosis. The candidate selected will complete the remainder of Mijares’ term, which ends in early January 2027, and will have the opportunity to run for a full four-year term in 2026 as an incumbent, Orange County Department of Education spokesperson Ian Hanigan said.
The superintendent oversees OCDE-managed schools, acts as the employer for all OCDE staff and manages all educational programs and services provided by the department, according to the OCDE website.
Six candidates interviewed for the position:
• Stefan Bean, the executive director of Irvine International Academy who unsuccessfully ran against Mijares for superintendent in 2022,
• Dennis Cole, the department’s director of district partnerships and operations for its Alternative Education division,
• Charles Hinman, a recent interim superintendent at Oxford Preparatory Academy,
• Maria Martinez-Poulin, a recent interim superintendent for Culver City Unified School District,
• Ramon Miramontes, who has served as acting superintendent of the department since August 2023,
• Kirsten Vital Brulte, a former superintendent of Capistrano Unified School District.
These candidates met with the board during a special meeting on May 22 to share their past educational experiences and hopes for the department. The candidates’ resumes and letters of recommendation can be found on the department’s website.
The June 18 meeting can be streamed online on OCBE’s YouTube channel. The meeting, which is open to the public, will take place at the OCDE board room, located at 200 Kalmus Dr. in Costa Mesa. It begins at 5 p.m.
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During the meeting, the new superintendent’s salary will also be approved by the board, which according to the agenda, if agreed upon, will stay consistent with what Mijares was making in the role.
Mijares was on medical leave since August 2023 and hoped to return, but ultimately announced his retirement on April 26. While on medical leave, Mijares was still involved in decisions affecting the organization, primarily in an advisory capacity.
Mijares’ last day will be June 30 and the new superintendent is expected to begin their duties in July, Hanigan said.
Typically, the superintendent position is voted on by residents, but due to the mid-term absence, it will be filled by the OCBE.
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