The Santa Clara County Board of Education voted on Wednesday night to terminate Superintendent of Schools Mary Ann Dewan without cause, according to a statement released Thursday. The decision came at the end of the board’s regular meeting, with four trustees voting in favor, two against, and one abstaining. No clear reason was provided for Dewan’s termination.
Dewan has been placed on paid administrative leave, with her official termination date set for November 2. As per her contract, she will receive approximately $400,000 in severance pay.
Yadira Orozco, a parent of an SCCOE student and Chair of the Head Start Policy Council, was one of those whose complaints led to a federal review of the Santa Clara County Office of Education. The review raised concerns about the misuse of federal funds allocated to the Head Start program, which supports low-income students in early development.
An internal SCCOE investigation earlier this year found that $131,054.14 of Head Start grant funds had been incorrectly allocated to a director’s salary and benefits, while an additional $4,318.83 went to the director’s travel expenses. At the time, SCCOE attributed the issue to an “accounting error” that had been promptly corrected.
Following Dewan’s termination, Orozco expressed satisfaction with the decision and urged parents to continue advocating for transparency and accountability.
Dewan responded to the board’s decision by expressing her gratitude: “It has been a complete honor and privilege to serve Santa Clara County, its schools, community, staff, and students. I am incredibly proud of all we have done together to advance equity, inclusion, diversity, and partnership.”
In reaction to the firing, board trustee Tara Sreekrishnan called for a rally to protest the decision, describing it as an “abrupt, behind-closed-doors” move made without public input. The rally is scheduled for Friday, October 4, at 10 a.m. outside the Santa Clara County Office of Education.
