Orange County Department of Education Superintendent Al Mijares during an Orange County Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Costa Mesa. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, contributing photographer)
Superintendent Al Mijares last attended an Orange County Department of Education meeting in December 2022.
He has been on sick leave since August and hopes to fully return to the department this August.
“At this time, I continue to take care of my health and follow the advice of my medical team,” Mijares said in a statement. “However, if all goes according to plan, I am hopeful that I will be able to resume my duties in August after receiving medical attention from a trusted physician.”
In late 2022, shortly after his recent re-election as County Mayor, Mr. Mijares' public appearances began to decline, and in March 2023, Mr. Mijares experienced complications from ongoing and undisclosed medical issues. I warned the staff about this. OCDE spokesman Ian Hannigan said doctors advised him to take full formal medical leave in August.
Hannigan said the department “fully supports (Mijares') decision” and will continue to “carry out the vision and direction that Mijares has established.”
Hannigan said the department has certain procedures in place for interim leaders in the event of an extended medical leave, including the appointment of Ramon Miramontes as deputy superintendent. Hannigan said this was “to ensure continuity and stability.”
“Dr. Miramontes is fully authorized to manage the operations and strategic initiatives of the Orange County Office of Education,” Hannigan said.
Miramontes has the same duties and responsibilities as Mijares, including approving the OC School District's budget, conducting school inspections, and supervising all county education department employees.
“As we move forward, I am committed to upholding the vision and direction established by Dr. Mijares,” Miramontes said. “I have tremendous respect and gratitude for the dedicated staff at OCDE. Their hard work and dedication allow us to provide excellent service and support to the educators and students in our community. Together, we will advance our goals and continue to positively impact education in Orange County.”
And while Mijares has been on medical leave since August, Hannigan said he continues to be involved in decisions affecting the organization, primarily in an advisory capacity.
“[This]ensures that his experience and insight will continue to guide OCDE's important decisions, while day-to-day operations will be managed by Dr. Miramontes and his leadership team,” Hannigan said.
But the Orange County Board of Education has received various complaints from department officials about Mijares' absences and has concerns about transparency, OCBE President Tim Shaw said.
“Voters chose Dr. Mijares over Dr. Miramontes,” Shaw said. “As someone who takes democracy very seriously, I am concerned that someone who was not elected will be running the department for many years instead of someone who was actually elected.”
Hannigan said Mijares is receiving his regular salary based on a combination of accrued sick leave and accrued medical leave. That equates to just under $400,000 annually, according to the county's 2022 payroll data.
“If you're receiving a lot of taxpayer money like he is, I think you have an obligation to explain to the public why you're not doing your duty,” Shaw said. “To be fair to Dr. Mijares, he has spent many years in public schools and was able to take advantage of his sick time.”
“The whole situation is just complicated,” Shaw said.
Mijares was first appointed as Orange County's superintendent in 2012. He was then elected to a term in 2014 and re-elected in 2018 and 2022. Prior to his work with the county, he served as vice president of the College Board and superintendent of the Bakersfield Santa Ana Unified School District. City School District and Coachella Valley Unified School District.
“Given his long and distinguished service in the field of education, spanning more than 40 years, it is natural to assume that Dr. Mijares has taken a significant amount of sick leave to reflect his tenure,” Hannigan said. “However, specific details regarding individual employee leave balances are considered confidential human resources information.”
OCDE is the agency district for more than 15 alternative school programs, providing support and mandated financial oversight to 28 school districts serving more than 600 schools and approximately 440,000 students.
OCDE provides direct instruction to Orange County students through its unique alternative and special education programs, as well as administrative needs such as professional development, high-speed internet access and security, legal and financial guidance, and payroll. We support local school districts with a variety of services. Support and approval of systems, regional management and responsibility plans, student enrichment.