Dr. Al Mijares, a visionary and compassionate educational leader who served as Orange County’s 11th superintendent of schools before his retirement in June, has died following a two-and-a-half-year battle with ampullary cancer, his family shared Friday. He was 71.
A resident of Tustin, Mijares dedicated his life to promoting academic achievement and the well-being of students. He passed away peacefully on Thursday afternoon at his home, surrounded by family.
Mijares was appointed county superintendent of schools in August 2012, succeeding William Habermehl. He ran unopposed in two countywide elections and won a third, serving in the role for more than a decade before retiring due to health concerns. In April, he revealed his cancer diagnosis to staff. As he prepared to step down, educators and community members across the county shared their tributes and statements of gratitude.
Before his appointment, Mijares spent six years as vice president of the College Board, where he focused on expanding the high school-to-university pipeline to promote college readiness and success for all students. Prior to that, he led the Santa Ana Unified School District for more than 11 years, earning national recognition for addressing the needs of a large and diverse student population. Mijares also served as superintendent of the Bakersfield City and Coachella Valley Unified school districts and as a principal in the Moreno Valley Unified School District in Riverside County.
“Dr. Al Mijares will forever be remembered for his leadership and compassion, guiding Orange County through some of its most challenging times,” said Dr. Stefan Bean, the current county superintendent. “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.”
Integrity and compassion
During his tenure at OCDE, Mijares emphasized the importance of communication, collaboration and character, repositioning the department from a behind-the-scenes educational agency to a beacon of support for school districts and families. While increasing the department’s visibility, he consistently reminded staff of the importance of integrity and compassion. These were traits he exemplified in both his personal and professional life, with his Christian faith remaining foundational to his identity.
In 2016, Mijares launched OCDE’s One Billion Acts of Kindness initiative, inviting Orange County residents, including students, to record their acts of kindness on a dedicated website with the ambitious goal of reaching one billion. The initiative reflected his broader vision to promote character, improve school climates and amplify civility in our county and beyond.
Mijares also guided Orange County’s schools through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, working closely with district leaders and public health officials to ensure the safety of students and staff while maintaining educational continuity.
Under his leadership, the Orange County Department of Education adopted a strategic vision in 2014 that “Orange County students will lead the nation in college and career readiness and success.” Local districts consistently outperformed the state under his watch, including on English and math assessments, as well as graduation rates. In the 2022-23 academic year, nearly 92 percent of Orange County high school seniors graduated on time, surpassing California’s average by more than 5 percentage points.
Mijares further championed numerous initiatives aimed at enhancing student achievement. He played a key role in the creation of the OC Pathways initiative, which united educators and industry leaders to provide work-based learning opportunities for students. He also emphasized the importance of clear and frequent communication to build trust with families and local districts.
At the same time, he was instrumental in OCDE’s partnerships with the City of Westminster to create an interactive park and trail commemorating the landmark school desegregation case of Mendez v. Westminster, with Vanguard University to host annual conferences on human trafficking trends and solutions, and with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department to promote school safety and address the fentanyl crisis.
Path to achievement
OCDE earned six prestigious Golden Bell awards from the California School Boards Association under Mijares’ direction, including honors for Project Zero Waste, the multi-agency Gift of History program, OCDE’s Project GLAD® National Training Center, the California Multi-Tiered System of Support, OC Pathways, and the department’s Crisis Response Network.
Meanwhile, Mijares received numerous personal accolades throughout his career, including the American Association of School Administrators Leadership for Learning Award, the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Educator of the Year Award, and the Association of California School Administrators’ Diversity Award.
Mijares spent his childhood in Los Angeles, moving frequently with his family. By the time he was in fourth grade at Eastman Elementary School, he questioned whether school was for him. It was the patience, persistence and high expectations of his teacher, Mrs. Crane, that he later credited with sparking his love for learning.
“Not once did Mrs. Crane express pity or make us feel like we were less than capable,” he wrote in a column in 2016. “Investing whatever time was necessary, she guided the class through the fundamentals of reading, teaching us to attack words with passion and vigor. We were going to spell these new words, pronounce them correctly and read them in context, and that was that.”
Mijares earned his bachelor’s degree in child development and special education from California State University, Northridge, a master’s degree in social welfare from the University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. from the University of Southern California.
At the Orange County Board of Education meeting on July 3, trustees paid tribute to the outgoing superintendent with a brief video produced by OCDE’s Communications and Media Services team. County Board President Tim Shaw also shared a recorded message from Congressman Lou Correa and announced that Congresswoman Michelle Steel had introduced a statement on Mijares’ accomplishments into the official Congressional Record.
Mijares, who would have turned 72 on Feb. 10, is survived by his wife, Jackie, and their five sons: Wesley, Aaron, Joel, Matthew and Lucas. He is also survived by his daughters-in-law, Becca and Nicole, married to Lucas and Joel respectively, along with six grandchildren. Brooks, Cole, Cruz, Callen and Matthew are the children of Lucas and Becca, who are expecting another child. Grandson Pō’aihala Alfred Mijares was born to Joel and Nicole on Dec. 18.
Per the family’s wishes, memorial services will be private.