Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Judy D. White, has appointed Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent, Dr. Edwin Gomez, to the position of Riverside County Deputy Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Gomez started on July 1, and fills the vacancy created by the retirement of Paul Jessup, who is retiring after 12 years of service as Riverside County Deputy Superintendent of Schools.
“Dr. Gomez has demonstrated how strong servant leadership can catalyze collaborative relationships and accelerate performance in school districts, and I look forward to the impact he will have with all 23 districts in the county and as a leader at the Riverside County Office of Education,” said Riverside County Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Judy D. White. “Although Paul Jessup’s outstanding student-centered leadership will be missed in our county, I expect that Dr. Gomez will further our shared commitment to educational equity and extraordinary service.”
The Deputy Superintendent of Schools serves as the Chief Administrative Officer of the Riverside County Office of Education, overseeing the day-to-day operations. The Deputy Superintendent works closely with the Division of Governmental Relations, the Chief Information Security Officer, and the Office of the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.
“I firmly believe that a quality public education affords students the opportunity to succeed in college, their career pathway, and in life,” said Dr. Edwin Gomez. “I look forward to linking that belief with the vision and strong leadership that Dr. White has established to serve the 430,000 students in Riverside County’s public schools.”
Dr. Gomez has served as the superintendent for Coachella Valley Unified School District since 2017. The district serves 18,000 students at 21 campuses and one adult education school. He previously served as the superintendent of Adelanto Elementary School District from 2013 to 2017 after having served as the district’s Chief Academic Officer. Dr. Gomez has taught in grades K-8, and served as a principal in a high poverty community. As a school principal, Dr. Gomez led a school out of program improvement that was subsequently nominated for a National Blue Ribbon Award. Dr. Gomez earned his bachelor’s degree from Pitzer College and his master’s and doctorate degrees from California State University, San Bernardino.
Dr. Gomez is a member of the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA) and was honored with the ACSA Region 12 Curriculum and Instruction (2014) Administrator of the Year award. He serves as a board member of OneFuture Coachella Valley and the Read with Me Foundation. Dr. Gomez has also been a member of the Rotary Club, the NAACP, and various additional organizations.
The Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) is a service agency supporting the county’s 23 school districts that serve 430,000 students—more than the student population of 17 states. RCOE services include administrative support to districts, programs for preschool, special education, pregnant minor, correctional, migrant and vocational students. In addition, the organization provides professional training, support and resources for more than 18,000 teachers, administrators and staff throughout the 7,000 square miles of Riverside County.