Nancy Magee to Retire as San Mateo County Superintendent After Strong Legacy of Impactful Leadership

San Mateo County Superintendent of Schools Nancy Magee announced she will retire effective February 19, 2026. The San Mateo County Board of Education will discuss the appointment of an interim superintendent at its February 18th meeting.

“It has been an incredible honor to serve the students and families of San Mateo County,” said Magee. “I am extremely proud of our students and our schools, and grateful to our community partners. Together with the employees of the County Office, we have worked hard to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to the educational opportunities they deserve, especially students with disabilities and those from historically marginalized communities.”

First elected in 2018, and re-elected in 2022, Superintendent Magee has a strong record of accomplishments that have improved the lives of children and families in San Mateo County. She has strengthened the knowledge, skills, and resources across the 23 school districts to ensure safe and supportive schools under the umbrella of the San Mateo County Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities. She has been a driving force behind the United for Youth Vision 2030 Blueprint, working with the County’s Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS), in pursuit of a countywide roadmap for aligning youth mental health support and services. 

Magee is passionate about early learning and has been instrumental in advancing the countywide third-grade literacy initiative, The Big Lift, noting that prioritizing early literacy is one of the most effective strategies to improve academic and lifelong outcomes. 

She has a long record of accomplishments, including leading the County Office through the COVID-19 pandemic, supporting the transition to distance learning and back to in-person learning as safe conditions allowed. For her leadership throughout the pandemic, the San Mateo County School Boards Association recognized her with the Pillar of the County award, and the Association of California School Administrators (Region 5) named her Superintendent of the Year.

Magee has served on several regional boards and committees, including the First 5 San Mateo County Commission, the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) of San Mateo County, and The Big Lift leadership team. She is the chair of the Coalition for Safe Schools and Communities and co-chairs the San Mateo County Child Care Partnership Council.

Magee has led the County Office to become a statewide leader in empowering students to understand and tackle climate change and create more sustainable communities. Under her leadership, the County Office of Education has earned widespread recognition including the 2020 Sustainable San Mateo Sustainability Champion Award and a CA Green Ribbon Schools Gold Achiever award, the only county office of education to earn that recognition.

Working closely with environmental education leader Ten Strands, the County Office of Education secured a $6 million grant from the legislature in 2021 to develop climate change and environmental justice curriculum for every grade in California’s K-12 schools being released in July 2025, Seeds to Solutions.

In 2025, the County Office was named “Medium County Office of the Year,” by California County Superintendents. The County Office received this award for its statewide leadership in behavioral health, environmental literacy, and school safety. Those who nominated the County Office for this award specifically called out the exceptional leadership of Superintendent Magee in each of these areas.

Magee will be awarded the “Golden Oak” Award at the 17th District PTA Founders Day Luncheon on February 24th. The following day, she will receive The Tom Mohr “Champion of Education” Award from Chamber San Mateo County at its annual luncheon.

"It has been an honor to collaborate and learn from such an innovative and impactful leader," said Hugo Torres, President of the San Mateo County Board of Education. "I wish Nancy the best and will work closely with her to ensure a smooth transition."