County Superintendent Garth Lewis Announces Run for Re-Election

Yolo County Superintendent of Schools Garth Lewis has formally announced he is running for re-election.

Lewis said, “I am very excited to announce the launch of my re-election campaign for County Superintendent of Schools. In the last four years, I have strived to make Yolo County a model of excellence in education. I hope to be re-elected to continue to build on our strong foundation of educational success for all students.”

Lewis was elected to his first four-year term as the county’s 19th superintendent in June 2018 and is seeking re-election for his second term in 2022.

He is the first African-American to be elected as county superintendent in Yolo County. This week, Lewis was named to the Sacramento Bee’s list of the ‘Top 25 Black Change Makers’ in the Sacramento area.

During his first term, Lewis has initiated several countywide initiatives and partnerships, including:

• Partnering with the Board of Supervisors and First 5 Yolo to distribute $65,000 in emergency funding to assist families and childcare providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Partnering with Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency to deliver $1.8 million in funding to enhance mental health services in Yolo County schools.
• Partnering with the Board of Supervisors to secure $400,000 for the establishment of a new youth commission.
• Working with community partners, such as the United Way California Capital Region, to establish work-readiness training and development programs.
• Expanding programming at Cesar Chavez Community School in Woodland with the launch of the new Yolo County Career Prep Program.

Lewis has served as an educator in Yolo County for over 18 years and has a 26-year career in K-12 education. He previously served as a paraeducator, teacher, principal, district administrator, and assistant superintendent at the county office of education. He and his wife, Maria, have two children who attended public schools in Yolo County.

Lewis represents K-12 public education as an active member of several local, regional and statewide organizations including First 5 Yolo Children’s and Families Commission; Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health (MCAH) Advisory Board; Yolo Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council; Yolo County Childcare Planning Council (LPC); Yolo County Community Corrections Partnership; Collaborative for Woodland Youth; Head Start Policy Council; Children, Youth and Families American Rescue Plan Workgroup; Youth Gang Reduction and Intervention (YGRIP) Initiative; and the Board of Directors for the California Association of African-American Superintendents and Administrators

The county superintendent is elected by the voters of Yolo County. The superintendent is a state constitutional officer who acts as a go-between for local school districts and the state. The Yolo County Superintendent provides leadership, collaboration, support, and state-designated fiscal and program oversights for the county’s five school districts and approximately 30,000 students.

The position also serves as the chief executive officer of the Yolo County Office of Education, overseeing a $29 million operating budget and employing over 270 employees.