Q&A: Meet Al Muratsuchi, candidate for California state superintendent of public instruction

Al Muratsuchi, a 61-year-old Democratic state Assembly member from Los Angeles County’s South Bay region, is campaigning for California’s state superintendent of public instruction. With a background spanning classroom teaching, local school governance, and statewide education policy, Muratsuchi highlights his unique experience as an El Camino Community College professor, former Torrance School Board president, and current Assembly Education Committee chair. Muratsuchi identifies three critical issues facing San Diego County schools: academic proficiency in reading and math, particularly in low-income communities; student well-being tied to chronic absenteeism, homelessness, and social-emotional challenges; and declining enrollment, which strains district budgets. He argues these problems require targeted state intervention, including expanded funding for afterschool programs, universal school meals, and mental health services. If elected, Muratsuchi plans to prioritize collaboration with Governor Gavin Newsom and the Legislature to align state education budgets and policies. He also commits to visiting school districts statewide to engage with local leaders and hire senior staff, including a chief deputy superintendent with experience in large state agencies, to improve the Department of Education’s operational efficiency. His legislative record includes authoring 23 education laws, such as Proposition 2—a $10 billion statewide school bond measure—and AB 49, which bars Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from California schools. Muratsuchi stresses his advocacy for evidence-based reading instruction, community schools, and equitable funding through the Local Control Funding Formula as key pillars of his campaign. Responding to questions about state influence over classroom instruction, Muratsuchi did not provide a direct answer in the provided Q&A but underscored his focus on systemic support for local schools rather than top-down mandates. His campaign positions him as a candidate with deep institutional knowledge, aiming to bridge gaps between state policy and on-the-ground educational needs.