After 21 years at the helm of the Sacramento County Office of Education, schools chief David Gordon is officially putting an end date on his tenure. The 79-year-old says he will retire at the end of June 2027, giving the county two and a half years to figure out who comes next and how to keep big projects from stalling.
In a press release from the Sacramento County Office of Education, Gordon was blunt about the timeline: "I plan to retire as of June 30, 2027." He said he went public this early so the board can run a careful, unhurried search and keep momentum on work already underway for the county office that supports 13 school districts.
Gordon brings more than 46 years in education to the job, including 14 years in Elk Grove Unified, where he served as superintendent from 1995 to 2004, plus 17 years at the California Department of Education and earlier work as a teacher in New York City, according to The Sacramento Observer. Local reporting notes that during his time at SCOE, he leaned heavily on partnerships with districts and countywide programs that now reach thousands of students each year.
Equity Work Still Unfinished
Even with an exit date on the calendar, Gordon is leaving with a to-do list that is far from wrapped up. The county's Black Student Landscape Analysis, released this summer, laid out stubborn gaps in outcomes for Black students: lower test scores, higher chronic absenteeism and disproportionately high suspension and expulsion rates.
The study, which began in fall 2023, came with district-level recommendations. The Sacramento County Office of Education report calls for culturally responsive instruction, stronger accountability systems and targeted supports aimed at closing those gaps. District leaders have been asked to draft action plans that line up with the report's recommendations.
Board Reaction And What Comes Next
Trustees say they are losing a steady hand at the top but gaining something rare in public education: time to plan. Board members praised Gordon's collaborative style and said the early notice gives them room to design an inclusive search instead of scrambling in the final months.
Trustee Vanessa Caigoy said Gordon's leadership "left an indelible mark in the Sacramento community," according to The Sacramento Observer. The board expects to review updates on districts' action steps in February. Officials say they plan to include stakeholder outreach in the selection process as they work toward naming a successor and keeping countywide priorities on track.
Gordon will stay on through the 2026-27 school year, giving trustees and district leaders time to run a full search while watching for early signs of progress on equity measures. When he finally steps down, he leaves behind a clear throughline for the office he led: a county operation built on cooperation and accountability as the main route to better outcomes for students.
