Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
California Department of Education
As deputy superintendent of Public Instruction for the California Department of Education, Sarah Neville-Morgan oversees early education, expanded learning, special education, multilingual support and nutrition for 6 million students.
A longtime advocate, Neville-Morgan is thrilled that the state is now offering universal pre-K and after-school and summer programs at every elementary school, but she knows there is work to do to ensure those powerful opportunities are experienced equitably.
“Right now, only 13% of eligible 3-year-olds and 37% of 4-year-olds are served in state preschool,” she said. “We should serve all of them.”
Neville-Morgan sees the fellowship as an opportunity to focus more intentionally on diversity, equity and inclusion. That includes understanding who has access to services.
“We need to take the time to understand which communities aren’t applying for funding and investigate why,” she said.
Neville-Morgan also is focused on increasing the rate of inclusion for students with disabilities, starting in pre-K, and expanding sources of support for multilingual learners. She appreciates the dedicated time afforded by the fellowship.
“Having this rare opportunity to integrate the fellowship with my work and teams pushes me,” she said.