Dr. César Morales was appointed today as the new Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. After conducting a nationwide search, the Ventura County Board of Education made the decision this morning by a unanimous vote. Dr. Morales will fill the vacancy created in February when Stan Mantooth retired from the post.

Dr. Morales currently serves as the Deputy Superintendent for the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE). Since Mr. Mantooth’s departure, Dr. Morales has assumed all duties of the County Superintendent of Schools on an interim basis. He will officially become Ventura County’s next Superintendent of Schools effective April 1 and will be formally sworn in on April 16.

“Dr. Morales is the right person to hit the ground running at this critical time for our schools,” said Mike Teasdale, President of the Ventura County Board of Education. “His connections to our community, passion for education and deep understanding of the students and families we serve made him the clear choice for this important role.”

Prior to coming to VCOE in 2019 as Associate Superintendent of Student Services, Dr. Morales served as the Superintendent of the Oxnard School District for nearly six years. He has held leadership roles in the Lawndale and Lennox School Districts in Los Angeles County. He also has experience in the classroom as middle and high school teacher.

“As we begin to recover from the pandemic, I’m truly honored to have the opportunity to make a real difference in public education for Ventura County,” Dr. Morales said. “I will dedicate myself to ensuring that our schools come back better than they were before and that all students have the opportunity to achieve their dreams, whatever their background may be.”

As Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Morales will lead VCOE, an agency that employs nearly 1,000 people and provides teacher training and administrative support services to all the County’s 20 school districts. VCOE also operates schools for students with special needs and provides career education for students countywide.

Dr. Morales received his Doctor of Education degree from UCLA and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Loyola Marymount University. Dr. Morales serves on a number of local nonprofit boards, including the First 5 Ventura County Commission and Assemblymember Jacqui Irwin’s Education Advisory Committee. He is also a past President of the California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators. Dr. Morales is a recent recipient of the El Concilio Latino Leadership Award and was named a “Leader to Learn From” by Education Week magazine in 2017.

The County Superintendent of Schools is an elected position, but an appointment became necessary when Mr. Mantooth retired in the middle of his last term. Dr. Morales intends to run for the position when it is next on the ballot in the June 2022 election.