San Diego County schools Superintendent Paul Gothold will retire at the end of this school year, he announced Wednesday.
As county superintendent, Gothold has for more than six years led the San Diego County Office of Education, which provides guidance, services and oversight to the 42 school districts and 130 charter schools in the county that altogether serve about 476,000 students. The county office also operates schools that serve specific student groups, including students with severe disabilities and juvenile court, homeless and pregnant students.
Under Gothold, the county office has guided schools through the pandemic and has focused on equity, providing training and resources for schools to better serve and educate about historically underserved groups. The county office has also provided training statewide and for other county offices in subjects such as mental health, drug prevention and American Indian studies.
“It is with a heavy heart that I inform you I will be retiring at the end of the 2023-24 school year,” Gothold said in a Wednesday letter to county office staff, school districts and community members. “This was not a decision I have made lightly and have nothing but deep appreciation, love, and respect for everyone I’ve had the honor and privilege to work alongside these past six and half years.”
Gothold said he hasn’t finalized his post-retirement plans, but he does intend to become a part-time schools consultant starting in July. As a consultant, Gothold said he would make himself available to the county office to help his successor transition into the role.
The county board of education will hold a special meeting Monday to discuss the process and timeline for choosing a firm to conduct a superintendent search, Gothold said. The board will likely select a search firm at a later meeting.
Gothold has served as county superintendent since 2017. Before that, he was superintendent of Lynwood Unified School District in south Los Angeles County.
