Al Mijares, former superintendent of the Orange County Department of Education, remembered for a “legacy” of leadership shaping education in Orange County, has died.
Mijares served 12 years as the county’s superintendent, first appointed in 2012 and then winning reelection to the post three times. Following a string of absences from meetings and then medical leave, Mijares announced his retirement in April 2024, citing his health issues and that he was following the advice of his doctors.
Mijares died of ampullary cancer peacefully in his Tustin home Thursday, Jan. 9, surrounded by family, OCDE officials said in an announcement of his passing. He was 71.
He is survived by his wife, Jackie, their five sons, two daughters-in-law and six grandchildren, with another on the way.
“Looking back at my professional life — from my early days as a program specialist serving physically disabled children to my later years as a district and county superintendent — I feel incredibly blessed to have had such a long and fulfilling career,” Mijares said back in April when he announced he would be retiring.
Before Mijares was appointed as the county’s superintendent, he worked as the vice president of the College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers the SATs, Advanced Placement and similar exams for higher education. He was also formerly the superintendent of the Santa Ana Unified District, the Bakersfield City School District and the Coachella Valley Unified School District.
Jeff Hittenberger, dean of education at Vanguard University and a close friend, said he met Mijares more than 30 years ago when Hittenberger was a teacher at Valley High School.
Hittenberger said Mijares was a “positive spirit” and a person who truly cared for students.
“Even though he occupied a lot of leadership roles, there was never a sense that he felt like he was above or better than others,” Hittenberger said. “He was always a person who was a partner, a person who cared, a person who was doing this for all the right reasons. He modeled that in his life and his work.”
Mijares earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Northridge in child development and special education. He later obtained his master’s in social welfare from UC Berkley and earned his Ph.D. from USC.
Any chance that Mijares got to work with students in the special education and alternative learning programs, Hittenberger said, were days of “joy and delight.”
Following Mijares’ retirement, Stefan Bean was appointed his successor by the Orange County Board of Education.
“Dr. Al Mijares will forever be remembered for his leadership and compassion, guiding Orange County through some of its most challenging times,” Bean said. “We are deeply saddened by his loss, but profoundly grateful for the enduring legacy he leaves behind. His vision and commitment have indelibly shaped the future of education in our community.”
During Mijares’ time with OCDE, he received multiple recognition for his dedication to students, including the Maureen DiMarco Award in 2022 for working with OC Health Care Agency Director Clayton Chau in getting schools back to in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The former superintendent also worked with the Children’s Hospital of Orange County to help school districts in the creation of “WellSpaces,” rooms that children can utilize to connect with mental health resources and just unwind a bit during school.
The Orange County Department of Education provides support and fiscal oversight for the 28 school districts across the county and education services for special education and alternative programs.
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