States Reclaim Control Over Education as Superintendent Role Gains Importance

The state school superintendent position now sits at the crossroads of curriculum, parental rights, teacher accountability, and more as states move to assert authority over education.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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For decades, education decisions increasingly flowed from Washington bureaucrats, federal grants, and activist education departments, rather than local communities. However, that era is ending as states move to reclaim authority over education. The role of the state school superintendent has become crucial, as this position now holds sway over curriculum, parental rights, teacher accountability, school choice, and more. As states assert control, expect to see changes like rewritten curricula, expanded school choice, and a greater focus on outcomes over ideology.

Why it matters

This shift in education power represents a significant change in civic culture, as states respond to a growing backlash from parents who were shocked by what they saw during remote learning. Whoever controls the state superintendent office will shape the future of schools and the next generation of citizens.

The details

As states take back control of education, the state school superintendent position has become a gatekeeper, deciding whether schools will serve families or ideologies. Superintendents will now have a major influence over curriculum decisions, parental rights, teacher accountability, school choice, funding priorities, and the culture inside classrooms. States will be able to decide what is taught, restore age-appropriate instruction, and give parents a greater decision-making role, while also expanding school choice options and protecting good teachers.

  • For decades, education decisions have increasingly come from Washington, D.C.
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning exposed curricula and classroom recordings told the truth, shocking many families.
  • As states respond to the parental backlash, they are now moving to reclaim authority over education.

The players

State School Superintendents

The state school superintendent position has become a crucial gatekeeper, with the power to decide whether schools will serve families or ideologies.

Parents

Parents have woken up and are now closely watching the fight over who controls education, after remote learning exposed curricula and classroom recordings during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Federal Agencies and National Activist Groups

For decades, education decisions have increasingly flowed from Washington bureaucrats, federal grants, and activist education departments, rather than local communities.

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What’s next

As states assert their authority over education, the upcoming elections for state school superintendents will be crucial in determining the direction of education policy for a generation.

The takeaway

This shift in education power represents a significant change in civic culture, as states respond to a growing backlash from parents. Whoever controls the state superintendent office will shape the future of schools and the next generation of citizens, moving away from federal influence and political indoctrination towards a focus on core subjects, honest history, and preparing students to be engaged citizens.