REGION: Long resigns as state education secretary

Former county superintendent was fourth to hold post in five years

By RANI GUPTA - Staff Writer | Thursday, September 11, 2008 9:43 PM PDT ∞

Dave Long has resigned as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's education secretary, less than two years after leaving his post as Riverside County schools superintendent for the state job.

Long, Schwarzenegger's fourth education secretary in five years, resigned Wednesday.

Reached Thursday by telephone, Long said he was leaving the post to spend more time with his family and because of career opportunities.

"Some opportunities existed for me to get into the broader educational field with some educational entities," he said.

He declined to name the organizations, saying it was "too sensitive" because negotiations are ongoing.

Long, 68, also said his new opportunities will allow him a more flexible schedule so he can spend more time with his family.

Long commutes to Sacramento from Canyon Lake. He said resigning his post will allow him to spend more time with his daughters, who attend school at Canyon Lake Middle School and Mt. San Jacinto College.

"A big part of this (decision) was that I could drive my daughters to school and pick them up," he said.

Long said he will stay in his position as secretary through the end of the month.

California splits oversight of the state's public schools: The governor appoints the education secretary and members of the state Board of Education, but voters elect the superintendent of public instruction. Democrat Jack O'Connell holds that post.

Schwarzenegger picked Long, a Republican who has worked in the public education field for more than four decades, to be education secretary in March 2007. He previously served as Riverside County's superintendent of schools for nine years and before that spent seven years as superintendent of the Lake Elsinore Unified School District.

Long's tenure is similar in length to that of other education secretaries under Schwarzenegger.

Last year, Long told The Californian about a meeting with Schwarzenegger prior to his appointment in which he told the governor he wanted to serve as education secretary for longer than his predecessors had.

Long recalled that the governor agreed that he wanted Long to serve for more than 12 or 18 months, saying he wanted Long to help him "paint the picture of education for the children of California."

On Thursday, Long said he changed his mind because of the career opportunity he "hadn't anticipated" and the chance to spend more time with his family.

He added, "Just like any human being, things come up in our lives that change what we might have said a year and a half ago."

Camille Anderson, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger, praised Long's service in a statement Thursday.

"The governor greatly appreciates Secretary Long's service and we know he will be a strong ally in furthering the governor's education agenda in the future," Anderson said.

The administration is searching for his replacement.

Long said he is "very proud" of his time in office, citing his work on a dropout prevention initiative. He said he also worked with O'Connell and other education groups to put together an assistance program for school districts that were sanctioned for failing to meet the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Long also put in place the governor's first academic recognition dinner and named California's first all-state academic team.

"I think that year and a half, especially in the face of the fiscal situation, we're very proud of the work we did and that will continue," Long said.

Contact staff writer Rani Gupta at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2625, or rgupta@californian.com. The Associated Press contributed to this article.