San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee has decided not to seek a third term in 2026. She will step down when her current term ends January 1, 2027.
One of two out countywide superintendents in the Bay Area, Magee announced her decision earlier this month. Over the next two years she said a main focus of hers will be implementation of the United for Youth Vision 2030 Blueprint with the county’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services to provide a countywide roadmap for aligning youth mental health support and services.
Her pending departure comes as education policies in support of LGBTQ youth and students of color have come under attack by the Trump administration and the federal Department of Education, which Republican President Donald Trump wants to dismantle. Magee alluded to the national issues in revealing her decision not to seek reelection.
“Education is a civil right and a cornerstone of our democracy,” stated Magee, who has two adult sons and is a proud grandmother. “My goal for the remainder of my term is to do my absolute best for our students, our schools, our partners, and our organization to keep moving strongly forward together. We will work tirelessly to ensure every child, regardless of background, has access to the educational opportunities they deserve. This includes students with disabilities and those from historically marginalized communities. We must expand our investment in the social, emotional, and mental health of our young people.”
She subsequently endorsed South San Francisco resident Héctor Camacho, a straight married father of two, to succeed her in the countywide elected post. Earlier this year he resigned from his elected seat on the San Mateo County Board of Education, which he had held for nearly 11 years, due to being hired as the executive director of equity, social justice, and inclusion at the county education office.
“I could not be more excited the for (sic) San Mateo County education community to have Héctor Camacho for County Superintendent 2026 on deck for County Superintendent. Vote Héctor!” wrote Magee in a Facebook post.
In a recent post on his own Facebook campaign page, Camacho wrote, “After 16 years as a classroom teacher and an entire career in education, I’m ready to lead on day one.”
Also running to succeed Magee is County Board of Education Trustee Chelsea Bonini, who has served on it since being elected in 2020. Their race will be held on next June’s primary ballot, where if a candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, they will win the seat outright and avoid a November runoff.
"Strong schools are the foundation of thriving communities," stated Bonini in launching her candidacy. "I am committed to ensuring that every student in San Mateo County has access to inclusive and high-quality educational opportunities."
Seven years ago Magee had defeated a gay opponent in their June race with more than 50% of the vote to be declared the winner. Magee succeeded her lesbian predecessor Anne E. Campbell, who stepped down after serving two terms, and was unopposed in 2022.
After winning her first election in 2018, Magee was the lone out county superintendent in California. That changed in 2022 when Sonoma County Superintendent of Schools Amie Carter, Ph.D., won her elected post in the North Bay.
The gay married mother had been the first-place finisher in her race on the June primary ballot that year but fell short of the more than 50% threshold to win outright. But then the second-place finisher suspended his campaign months prior to the November election, which Carter then easily won.
Carter told the Bay Area Reporter she will seek reelection in 2026 to a second four-year term. She added in an emailed reply that she hopes to see more LGBTQ people seek educational elected positions next year.
“I do hope that more LGBTQ candidates join me on the ballot in 2026. I believe that leaders like Nancy and I are often quicker to recognize and address homophobia, transphobia, or exclusion in school culture and we have been able to be state advocates for their needs,” wrote Carter. “Our presence signals to faculty and students alike that LGBTQ inclusion isn't just tolerated – it’s actively valued.”
As for Magee, Carter described her career as “stellar and impressive.” A safety initiative she launched in San Mateo has been replicated at other county education offices, Carter noted, including her own in Sonoma County.
“She has been a champion for students and a leader in innovative solutions for children,” Carter wrote.
Magee’s first term as superintendent coincided with the COVID pandemic that disrupted public school education for several years, with students and teachers moving to virtual platforms for class instruction. Her leadership during that time resulted in the San Mateo County School Boards Association honoring Magee with its Pillar of the County award, and the Association of California School Administrators (Region 5) named her Superintendent of the Year in 2022.
Magee has also focused on climate change issues during her tenure, receiving the 2020 Sustainable San Mateo Sustainability Champion Award and seeing her county education office be the lone one to receive a CA Green Ribbon Schools Gold Achiever award. In partnership with environmental education leader Ten Strands, the county office under Magee’s leadership secured a $6 million state grant in 2021 to develop climate change and environmental justice curriculum for every grade in California’s K-12 schools, called Seeds to Solutions, that is set to be released in July.
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