Two longtime school administrators prepare for a competitive election for county superintendent.

For the first time since 2010, the position of Monterey County superintendent of schools will be a contested election.

Superintendent of Schools Deneen Guss plans to retire in January 2027 after two four-year terms leading the Monterey County Office of Education.

Two local education administrators have already filed candidacy paperwork with the Monterey County Elections Department to run for the seat: Ralph Porras, currently a deputy superintendent at MCOE, and Dan Burns, formerly the Salinas Union High School District’s superintendent.

Porras and Burns have 36 and 34 years of experience in education, respectively. Porras led the Pacific Grove Unified School District for 16 years before moving to MCOE.

Both have moved up through the ranks. Porras started as a bilingual teacher and has worked in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, while Burns started his career at Seaside High School as a campus supervisor, then went on to lead the largest school district in Monterey County for seven years until he stepped down in 2024 due to health issues that have since been diagnosed and treated.

Porras says he would prioritize support for immigrant families and English learners: “I want to continue this work, it’s very important, especially now, and it lines up directly with my entire educational background,” he says.

Burns says, “I’m running because I’ve always believed that every child in Monterey County deserves access to excellent, equitable educational opportunities, no matter what their zip code or background might be.”

MCOE is the bridge between TK-12 school districts and colleges. It also provides services for the county’s 24 school districts and eight charter schools, as well as programs for migrant and special education students, and administers the Early Learning Program (combining federal Head Start and state preschool).

Both candidates say they would focus on early literacy, making sure students learn how to read and write. Other priorities for Porras are closing the gap in math and getting youth involved in decision making. Burns emphasizes his interest in making education more accessible for special needs students in South County (some programs are only offered in Salinas or on the Peninsula), increasing teacher retention and student wellness.

Whoever is elected will run MCOE during a generally challenging time. President Donald Trump’s administration is dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. Earlier this year, the administration caused chaos, freezing about $6.8 billion in education funding, including $25 million for MCOE, specifically threatening the migrant education program.

Monterey County has the largest such program in the state. During the 2023-2024 school year, 75,393 students enrolled in K-12 in the county; 4,361 of them, or 6 percent, were enrolled as migrant students. According to MCOE, there are about 10,000 migrant students in the county, ages 3 to 21.

“I hope the next county superintendent will continue to prioritize academic excellence, mental health and equity, ensuring every child has a chance to shine,” says Guss, who announced her retirement on Aug. 26.

She hasn’t endorsed any candidate at this time.