Orange Unified School District Superintendent Ernie Gonzalez is stepping down from his position later this month, the district said Friday.
Gonzalez will leave the post on Nov. 15, according to the district’s announcement, but will still work for OUSD in a senior administrative role focused on supporting students and staff.
“Mr. Gonzalez honored the board of education’s request to serve as superintendent, and the board now honors his request to return to a position that will allow him to focus his full attention on the needs of students and staff,” OUSD Board President Ana Page said in a video published Friday.
Gonzalez was unanimously selected to serve in the superintendent role in August 2023, replacing Edward Velasquez who served as interim superintendent for about a month. Velasquez had replaced Gunn Marie Hansen, who was fired by the board in January 2023, before students came back from winter break.
Gonzalez said that working as OUSD’s superintendent — a district with 26,000 pre-K through 12th-grade students enrolled — “has been an honor,” and he is thankful for the opportunity.
“My decision to transition from superintendent to a senior administrative role is primarily motivated by my desire to dedicate my full attention to supporting the needs of our students and staff,” Gonzalez said in a statement.
Details about just what the senior position will entail are not yet available, said OUSD spokesperson Hana Brake.
Gonzalez has served in the district since 2012 in various roles. In its human resources department, he worked as an executive director and assistant to the superintendent. He was also a principal at Orange High School for five years.
OUSD’s board said it will soon announce an interim superintendent to replace Gonzalez amid the search for a new superintendent.
